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US 5,325,850 AGranted
Suction catheter assemblies
AssigneeSmith Industries Medical Systems, Inc.
InventorsKarl Ulrich, Tom Devlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A closed system suction catheter assembly has an aspirating catheter with a radially-projecting portion or flanges at its distal end. The catheter extends through a patient connecting member which is internally shaped to cooporate with the projection on the catheter so that, when the catheter is pulled proximally to its full extent, the projections seal within the patient connecting member.
Claims10
A suction catheter assembly for use in removing undesirable fluid from a patient, the catheter assembly comprising:
- an aspirating catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being suitable for insertion into a patient;
- a vacuum connecting member located in the vicinity of the proximal end of the aspirating catheter;
- a patient connecting member mounted to surround the aspirating catheter in the vicinity of the distal end of the aspirating catheter, the patient connecting member having a first fluid seal in the form of a sliding seal with the outside of the aspirating catheter;
- a protective sleeve surrounding at least the majority of the length of the catheter where it extends between the vacuum connecting member and the patient connecting member, the protective sleeve being adapted to permit the catheter to be extended from the protective sleeve into the patient and to be withdrawn from the patient;
- and the aspirating catheter having a radially enlarged portion close to its distal end which forms a second fluid seal in addition to said first sliding seal with the inside of the patient connecting member when the aspirating catheter is pulled proximally to its full extent into the protective sleeve so that gas is effectively prevented from flowing into the protective sleeve via the patient connecting member.
2 more elements
A suction catheter assembly for use in removing undesirable fluid from a patient, the catheter assembly comprising:
- an aspirating catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being suitable for insertion into a patient;
- a vacuum connecting member located in the vicinity of the proximal end of the aspirating catheter;
- a patient connecting member mounted to surround the aspirating catheter in the vicinity of the distal end of the aspirating catheter, the patient connecting member having a first fluid seal in the form of a sliding seal which seals with the outside of the aspirating catheter;
- the first sliding seal allowing a limited fluid flow through it;
- a protective sleeve surrounding at least the majority of the length of the catheter where it extends between the vacuum connecting member and the patient connecting member, the protective sleeve being adapted to permit the catheter to be extended from the protective sleeve into the patient and to be withdrawn from the patient;
- and wherein the distal end of the aspirating catheter includes at least one annular surface formation that engages at least one cooperating surface of the patient connecting member thereby forming a second seal only when the aspirating catheter is withdrawn from patient into a proximal position thereby preventing fluid flow into the protective sleeve via the patient connecting member.
3 more elements
A method of suctioning a patient comprising the steps of:
- providing a suction catheter assembly comprising an aspirating catheter having a proximal end and a distal end the distal end of the aspirating catheter having a radially enlarged sealing portion, a vacuum connecting member located in the vicinity of the proximal end of the catheter, a patient connecting member mounted to surround the aspirating catheter in the vicinity of the distal end of the aspirating catheter, the patient connecting member having a sliding seal with the outside of the aspirating catheter, and a protective sleeve surrounding at least the majority of the length of the catheter where it extends between the vacuum connecting member and the patient connecting member;
- connecting the patient connecting member to a tracheal tube;
- connecting the vacuum connecting member to a vacuum source;
- advancing the aspirating catheter distally by manipulation through the protective sleeve into the tracheal tube to effect suctioning, and subsequently pulling the aspirating catheter proximally to its full extent such that said enlarged sealing portion forms a seal with the inside of the patient connecting member additional to said sliding seal, only in this position of the catheter. R
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.