Self-sealing valve device for angiographic catheters

An angiographic catheter having a self-sealing valve device, comprising in combination:

• a) an angiographic catheter including a distal end for insertion into a blood or lymph vessel of a patient and an opposing proximal end, said catheter including a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends thereof along a longitudinal axis of said catheter for passing fluids therethrough and for receiving a guide wire used to position said catheter within a blood or lymph vessel of a patient, the proximal end of said catheter including a central passage concentric with said lumen, the proximal end of said catheter including a female luer lock connection fitting having an inwardly converging conical bore for receiving a conically-shaped tip of a fluid passage device and adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of such a syringe, stopcock, or other fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith;
• b) a deformable elastomeric seal supported within the proximal end of said catheter and extending across the central passage thereof to selectively seal the central passage of the proximal end of said catheter, said deformable elastomeric seal including at least one slit substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said catheter to permit a guidewire to be passed therethrough while sealingly engaging the guidewire to prevent blood inside the lumen of said catheter from passing beyond said deformable elastomeric seal;
• c) means for deforming said deformable elastomeric seal upon coupling of a male luer lock connection fitting to said proximal end of said catheter to permit passage of blood or other fluids through the deformable elastomeric seal and through the lumen of said catheter following connection of the fluid passage device to said proximal end of said catheter, said deforming means being disposed within the proximal end of said catheter;
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• d) a guidance member for facilitating passage of the distal tip of the guidewire through said at least one slit of said deformable elastomeric seal, said guidance member extending within the proximal end of said catheter, said guidance member including a bore extending therethrough commensurate in diameter with the diameter of the guidewire, the bore of said guidance member being substantially aligned with the central passage of the proximal end of said catheter, and the bore of said guidance member extending proximate said deformable elastomeric seal for centering the guidewire and for stiffening the guidewire as it passes through said deformable elastomeric seal and into the lumen of said catheter, while permitting said deformable elastomeric seal to sealingly engage the guidewire.

An angiographic catheter and self-sealing valve device, comprising in combination:

• a) an angiographic catheter including a distal end for insertion into a blood or lymph vessel of a patient and an opposing proximal end, said catheter including a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends for passing fluids therethrough and for receiving a guidewire used to position said catheter within a blood or lymph vessel of a patient, the proximal end of said catheter including a female luer lock connection fitting adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of a syringe, stopcock, or other fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith;
• b) a housing having a central bore extending between first and second opposing ends of said housing along a longitudinal axis of said housing;
• c) said first end of said housing including a male luer lock connection fitting secured to said female luer lock connection fitting of said angiographic catheter for forming a fluid tight coupling with the female luer lock connection fitting at the proximal end of the catheter;
• d) said second end of said housing including a female luer lock connection fitting adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of a syringe, stopcock, or other fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith, said female luer lock connection fitting including an inwardly converging conical bore for receiving a conically-shaped tip of the fluid passage device;
• e) a deformable elastomeric seal supported within said housing and extending across the central bore thereof to selectively seal the central bore of said housing, said deformable elastomeric seal including at least one slit substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said housing to permit a guidewire to be passed therethrough while sealingly engaging the guidewire to prevent blood inside the catheter from passing beyond said deformable elastomeric seal;
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• f) means for deforming said deformable elastomeric seal upon coupling of a male luer lock connection fitting to said second end of said housing to permit passage of blood or other fluids through the deformable elastomeric seal and through the central bore of said housing following connection of the fluid passage device, to said second end of said housing, said deforming means being disposed within said housing proximate the second end thereof, said deforming means having a central bore formed therein, said central bore being substantially concentric with the longitudinal axis of said housing, said central bore having a diameter commensurate with the diameter of a guidewire to be passed through the catheter for centering the guidewire and for stiffening the guidewire as it passes through said deformable elastomeric seal.

An angiographic catheter having a self-sealing valve device, comprising in combination:

• a) an angiographic catheter including a distal end for insertion into a blood or lymph vessel of a patient and an opposing proximal end, said catheter including a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends thereof along a longitudinal axis of said catheter for passing fluids therethrough and for receiving a guide wire used to position said catheter within a blood or lymph vessel of a patient, the proximal end of said catheter including a central passage concentric with said lumen, the proximal end of said catheter including a female luer lock connection fitting having an inwardly converging conical bore for receiving a conically-shaped tip of a fluid passage device and adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of such a fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith;
• b) a deformable elastomeric seal supported within the proximal end of said catheter and extending across the central passage thereof to selectively seal the central passage of the proximal end of said catheter, said deformable elastomeric seal including at least one slit substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said catheter to permit a guidewire to be passed therethrough while sealingly engaging the guidewire to prevent blood inside the lumen of said catheter from passing beyond said deformable elastomeric seal;
• c) means for deforming said deformable elastomeric seal upon coupling of a male luer lock connection fitting to said proximal end of said catheter to permit passage of blood or other fluids through the deformable elastomeric seal and through the lumen of said catheter following connection of the fluid passage device to said proximal end of said catheter, said deforming means being disposed within the proximal end of said catheter, said central bore being substantially concentric with the longitudinal axis of said housing, said central bore having a diameter commensurate with the diameter of a guidewire to be passed through said catheter for centering the guidewire and for stiffening the guidewire as it passes through said deformable elastomeric seal.

A self-sealing valve device for an angiographic catheter, the catheter including a distal end for insertion into a blood or lymph vessel of a patient and an opposing proximal end, the catheter including a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends for passing fluids therethrough and for receiving a guide wire used to position the catheter within a blood or lymph vessel of a patient, the proximal end of the catheter including a female luer lock connection fitting adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of a syringe, stopcock, or other fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith, said self-sealing valve device comprising in combination:

• a) a housing having a central bore extending between first and second opposing ends of said housing along a longitudinal axis of said housing;
• b) said first end of said housing including a male luer lock connection fitting for forming a fluid tight coupling with the female luer lock connection fitting at the proximal end of the catheter;
• c) said second end of said housing including a female luer lock connection fitting adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of a fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith, said female luer lock connection fitting including an inwardly converging conical bore for receiving a conically-shaped tip of the fluid passage device;
• d) a deformable elastomeric seal supported within said housing and extending across the central bore thereof to selectively seal the central bore of said housing, said deformable elastomeric seal including at least one slit substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said housing to permit a guidewire to be passed therethrough while sealingly engaging the guidewire to prevent blood inside the catheter from passing beyond said deformable elastomeric seal;
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• e) means for deforming said deformable elastomeric seal upon coupling of a male luer lock connection fitting to the proximal end of the catheter to permit passage of blood or other fluids through the deformable elastomeric seal and through the lumen of said catheter following connection of the fluid passage device to said proximal end of said catheter, said deforming means being disposed within the proximal end of said catheter;
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• f) a guidance member for facilitating passage of the distal tip of the guidewire through said at least one slit of said deformable elastomeric seal, said guidance member extending within the proximal end of said catheter, said guidance member including a bore extending therethrough commensurate in diameter with the diameter of the guidewire, the bore of said guidance member being substantially aligned with the central passage of the proximal end of said catheter, and the bore of said guidance member extending proximate said deformable elastomeric seal for centering the guidewire and for stiffening the guidewire as it passes through said deformable elastomeric seal and into the lumen of said catheter, while permitting said deformable elastomeric seal to sealingly engage the guidewire.

An angiographic catheter and self-sealing valve device, comprising in combination:

• a) an angiographic catheter including a distal end for insertion into a blood or lymph vessel of a patient and an opposing proximal end, said angiographic catheter including a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends for passing fluids therethrough and for receiving a guidewire used to position said catheter within a blood or lymph vessel of a patient, the proximal end of said catheter including a female luer lock connection fitting adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of a fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith;
• b) a housing having a central bore extending between first and second opposing ends of said housing along a longitudinal axis of said housing;
• c) said first end of said housing including a male luer lock connection fitting secured to said female luer lock connection fitting of said angiographic catheter for forming a fluid tight coupling with the female luer lock connection fitting at the proximal end of the catheter;
• d) said second end of said housing including a female luer lock connection fitting adapted to receive a complementary male luer lock connection fitting of the fluid passage device, to form a fluid tight connection therewith, said female luer lock connection fitting including an inwardly converging conical bore for receiving a conically-shaped tip of the fluid passage device;
• e) a deformable elastomeric seal supported within said housing and extending across the central bore thereof to selectively seal the central bore of said housing, said deformable elastomeric seal including at least one slit substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said housing to permit a guidewire to be passed therethrough while sealingly engaging the guidewire to prevent blood inside the catheter from passing beyond said deformable elastomeric seal;
• f) means for deforming said deformable elastomeric seal upon coupling of a male luer lock connection fitting to the proximal end of the catheter to permit passage of blood or other fluids through the deformable elastomeric seal and through the lumen of said catheter following connection of the fluid passage device to the proximal end of said catheter, said deforming means being disposed within the proximal end of said catheter;
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• g) a guidance member for facilitating passage of the distal tip of the guidewire through said at least one slit of said deformable elastomeric seal, said guidance member extending within the proximal end of said catheter, said guidance member including a bore extending therethrough commensurate in diameter with the diameter of the guidewire, the bore of said guidance member being substantially aligned with the central passage of the proximal end of the catheter, and the bore of said guidance member extending proximate said deformable elastomeric seal for guiding the distal tip of a guidewire toward and through said at least one slit of said deformable elastomeric seal and into the lumen of the catheter, while permitting said deformable elastomeric seal to sealingly engage the guidewire.