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US 5,282,479 AGranted
Guidewire introducer with guidewire grasp and release means
AssigneeBOC Health Care, Inc.
InventorGeary A. Havran
Life of this patent
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AssigneeBOC Health Care, Inc.
InventorGeary A. Havran
Estimating the term…
A combination of a protective tube and guidewire straightener used to locate a guidewire into a patient for introducing a catheter into a patient's bloodvessel. The guidewire straightener has a flexible end that flexes inwardly to lock the guidewire in a fixed position within the protective tube. The protective tube has an opening so that the guidewire straightener can be rotated by the user to align the flexible end with the opening to allow the flexible end to be released outwardly to unlock the guidewire so that it can move within the protective tube. A further opening in the shape of an elongated slot is formed in the protective tube and which allows the user to move the guidewire to advance or retract the guidewire from the protective tube. The positioning of the components are such that a user, by the manipulation of only one hand, can unlock the guidewire from it's fixed position and advance it into the patient, leaving the user's other hand free to carry out other operations.
A combination protective tube and guidewire straightener, said guidewire straightener fitted within the inner diameter of said protective tube, said guidewire straightener having a through passageway for containing a guidewire and a cylindrical hub having an end having at least one flexible tab, said at least one flexible tab having a predetermined outer diameter normally greater than the inner diameter of said protective tube and being force fitted within the inner diameter of the protective tube to constrict said at least one flexible tab inwardly to grasp the guidewire, said protective tube having at least one opening adapted to align with said at least one flexible tab when rotated to a position to allow said at least one flexible tab to move outwardly and release the grasp on the guidewire.
A combination protective tube having an inner diameter and a guidewire straightener fitted within said inner diameter, said guidewire straightener having a through passageway for containing a guidewire and a hub having at least one flexible tab normally having an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of said protective tube whereby said at least one flexible tab is compressed inwardly to lock said guidewire in a fixed position within said protective tubes said protective tube having at least one opening adapted to align with said at least one flexible tab to cause said flexible tab to unlock and release said guidewire for movement within said flexible tube, said flexible tube further having an elongated slot allowing a user to move said guidewire within said protective tube when in said unlocked status.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Guide wires: mechanisms for insertion of guide wires
Devices for delivering substances into the body
Term ended 13 Oct 2012 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to medical guidewires and to a means of removing such guidewires from the protective tubes in which guidewires are shipped and for the insertion of the guidewires into patients through a one hand operation.
Guidewires are routinely used in medical procedures where it is desired to introduce a catheter into a patient's blood vessel such as an artery or vein.
In a typical procedure, one approach of utilizing such guidewires for the positioning of a catheter is called the Seldinger technique. In that technique, a catheter introducer is used that has a relatively short flexible cannula that is placed within the patient's blood vessel. Actual insertion of the cannula is assisted by the use of a needle that is positioned within the cannula and is thus inserted in the blood vessel. Upon insertion, the needle is withdrawn, leaving the cannula tip within the blood vessel while the body of the catheter introducer remains external of the patient.
FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a guidewire contained within a protective tube and having a guidewire straightener constructed generally in accordance with the invention of the prior art patent;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a guidewire straightener constructed specifically for the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a guidewire straightener positioned to be affixed to the end of a protective tube;
Referring now to FIG. 1 , there is shown a plan view, partly in section of a typical guidewire assembly in the form it is shipped to customers.
A protective plastic tube 10 is coiled within the shipping package and is constrained in the coiled position by means such as a pair of retainers 12. Generally, a sealed package surrounds the plastic tubing and the contents sterilized prior to shipment.
A guidewire straightener 14 is affixed to the distal end of the protective plastic tube 10. In a normal manner, that affixation is by a force fit between the internal diameter of a projecting cylindrical hub 16 formed as part of the guidewire straightener 14. A peripheral flange 18 is also formed as part of the guidewire straightener 14 and, when fitted on to the end of the protective plastic tube 10, the peripheral flange 18 abuts the distal end thereof. The remaining part of the guidewire straightener 14 is a body 20 that is molded to fit within a catheter introducer as will be later explained.