Valved catheters including high flow rate catheters

A medical device comprising:

• a catheter comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a housing defining at least one or more lumens extending between the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end being open, the proximal end including a pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising a first end, a second end, a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall defining a dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly, located between the first end and the second end and a flexible, think disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal Thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough.

A method for preventing air ingestion in a valved catheter, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a catheter comprising a distal end, and a housing defining at least one or more lumens extending between the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end being open, the proximal end including a pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising a first end, a second end, a wall extending between the first end and the second end and a flexible, thin disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly, with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough;
• and inserting the distal end of the catheter within a blood vessel.