US 6,827,710 B1 · Multiple lumen access device

Abstract

A multiple lumen access device for use in providing a single entry port into the human body for selectively introducing medical implements therethrough and for providing simultaneous auxiliary access into the body. The multiple lumen access device includes a multi-lumen sheath which may have an outer tube and structure defining a device lumen located therein. The inner structure may be an inner wall or inner tube. The outer tube and inner structure are located so as to define at least one auxiliary lumen. Some embodiments include flexible inner walls which can be flexed between relaxed and expanded/contracted positions wherein the relative cross-sectional areas of the device lumen and auxiliary lumens are varied. The access device further includes a valve which provides sealing of the device lumen. The valve may be provided in a lumen junction housing or separate from the housing either permanently or removably connected with the device lumen. Alternatively, a multi-lumen sheath may be passed through a valve leading to a conventional introducer. The valve may also be molded separately as a rigid insert and retained in a cavity formed in a flexible junction housing. In other embodiments, the multiple lumen access device is formed by introduction of the elongated implement coaxially within a tubular single lumen sheath.

Claims57

Dependent claims

A multiple lumen access system for use in providing an entry port into human body for selectively introducing medical devices therethrough and for providing auxiliary access into the body, the system including a multiple lumen access device comprising:

an outer tube which has a distal end for introduction into the body and a proximal end;
a device lumen defined within the outer tube, the device lumen having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein medical devices may be passed through the device lumen;
an auxiliary lumen defined within the outer tube and separately from the device lumen, the auxiliary lumen having a distal end and a proximal end;
a flexible wall located within the outer tube having a distal end and a proximal end and opposite sides, wherein one side of the wall partly defines the device lumen and the other side of the wall partly defines the auxiliary lumen, the wall being sufficiently flexible to be movable from a first position, where the device lumen at the particular location has a first cross-sectional area, to multiple flexed positions, where the device lumen at the particular location has corresponding multiple cross-sectional areas which are greater than or less than the first cross-sectional area of the device lumen;
and
a junction housing having a proximal end and a distal end to which the proximal end of the outer tube connects, the junction housing including a main channel in fluid communication with the device lumen and an auxiliary channel in fluid communication with auxiliary lumen, the main channel and auxiliary channel diverging from each other to be non-intersecting in the junction housing,
wherein the outer tube is relatively stiff in relation to the flexible wall to facilitate introduction of the outer tube into a human body.

4 more elements

A method for selectively introducing a medical devices into a human body through a single entry port and for providing simultaneous auxiliary fluid access into the body, comprising:

providing a multiple lumen access device comprising:
an elongated body which has a distal end for introduction into the body and a proximal end;
a device lumen through which medical devices may be passed defined within the elongated body, the device lumen having a distal end and a proximal end;
an auxiliary lumen defined within the elongated body and separately from the device lumen, the auxiliary lumen having a distal end and a proximal end;
and
a flexible wall located within the elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and opposite sides, wherein one side of the wall partly defines the device lumen and the other side of the wall partly defines the auxiliary lumen, the wall being sufficiently flexible to be movable from a first position, where the device lumen at the particular location has a first cross-sectional area, to multiple flexed positions, where the device lumen at the particular location has corresponding multiple cross-sectional areas which are greater than or less than the first cross-sectional area of the device lumen, wherein the elongated body is relatively stiff in relation to the flexible wall to facilitate introduction of the elongated body into a human body;
introducing the multiple lumen access device into the body with the distal ends of the device lumen and the auxiliary lumen being positioned within a vasculature of the human body;
flowing a medical solution through the auxiliary lumen into the vasculature in the absence of a device in the device lumen to move the flexible wall from the first position to one of the flexed positions;
inserting a medical device through the device lumen into the vasculature;
and
flowing a medical solution through the auxiliary lumen into the vasculature with a device present in the device lumen.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multiple lumen access device

Life of this patent

Multiple lumen access device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims57