Thermally softening stylet
AssigneeJohnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
InventorsRobert Bley, Glenn Kubacki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention describes a stylet that softens dramatically upon insertion into a living body with a temperature of about 37.degree. C. The stylet has a distal end and a proximal end. Upon insertion of the distal end into a living body, the distal end softens from a stiffness of about 78 Durometer Shore D units to 25 Durometer Shore D units in a preferred embodiment. Moreover, the proximal end of the stylet, which is not inserted into the living body, retains its stiffness to aid a physician or a nurse in inserting and placing the catheter and stylet assembly.
Claims17
A catheter stylet having a proximal end and a distal end, comprising:
- an elongated member having a substantially uniform cross-section and a cross-sectional area, wherein upon insertion of the distal end into a living body, the distal end of the stylet softens by at least a factor of three in response to a body temperature of the living body and substantially maintains the cross-sectional area.
A vascular access device, comprising:
- a catheter having a lumen;
- and
- a stylet having a cross-sectional area and a physical property such that the stylet is capable of softening by at least a factor of three and substantially maintaining the cross-sectional area when exposed to a predetermined temperature, wherein the stylet is disposed within the lumen of the catheter.
A stent stylet comprising:
- an elongated member having a proximal end and a distal end and a substantially uniform cross-section, the distal end of the stylet having a physical property such that upon insertion into a living body, the distal end of the stylet softens by at least a factor of three in response to a body temperature of the living body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.