Variable extension combined spinal/epidural needle set and method for its use

• US 20010021824A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 09/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Marsh, Ronald W., Daw, Sean P.
• Application Number:
  US09/823,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.09
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3401 Puncturing needles for the peridural or subarachnoid space or the plexus, e.g. for anaesthesia local anaesthesia A61M19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00469 for insertion of instruments, e.g. guide wire, optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/347 Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0007 Epidural catheters

Abstract

An epidural needle has an elongate tube defining a longitudinal axis having a proximal end, a distal end and an axial hollow bore therethrough. The needle has a hub with a proximal end, a distal end and an open passageway having an inside diameter therethrough, the hub being attached to the elongate tube so that the hollow bore of the elongate tube is in fluid communication and substantial axial alignment with the open passageway. The hub further has a cavity disposed between the proximal end and the distal end of the hub. There is a resilient member with an opening therethrough that has an inner diameter disposed in the cavity so that the opening is substantially axially aligned and in fluid communication with the open passageway. The hub of the epidural needle of the invention has a clamp with a releasable latch disposed about the resilient member. The clamp is selectively movable between an open position wherein the inner diameter of the resilient member is substantially unaffected and a clamp/latch position wherein the clamp causes a strain to the resilient member and thereby reduces the inner diameter of the opening through the resilient member.

Claims

1. An epidural needle, comprising:

an elongate tube defining a longitudinal axis having a proximal end, a distal end and an axial hollow bore having an inside diameter therethrough;

a hub having a proximal end, a distal end and an open passageway therethrough, said hub being attached to said elongate tube so that said hollow bore of said elongate tube is in fluid communication and substantial axial alignment with said open passageway, said hub further having a cavity therein disposed between said proximal end and said distal end of said hub;

a resilient member having an opening therethrough defining an inner diameter and disposed in said cavity so that said opening is substantially axially aligned and in fluid communication with said open passageway; and

a clamp selectively movable between an open position wherein said inner diameter of said resilient member is substantially unaffected and a clamp position wherein said clamp causes a strain to at least a portion of said resilient member thereby reducing said inner diameter of said opening through at least a portion of said resilient member.

2. The epidural needle of

claim 1

wherein at least a portion of said clamp projects outwardly from said hub to facilitate the practitioner'"'"'s selective movement of said clamp between said open position and said clamp position.

3. The epidural needle of

claim 2

wherein said portion of said clamp that projects outwardly from said hub further includes a releasable latch for selectively retaining said clamp in said clamp position.

4. The epidural needle of

claim 3

further include a push tab extending away from the releasable latch to facilitate unclamping said clamp from said clamp position.

5. The epidural needle of

claim 4

wherein the push tab is oriented for movement perpendicular to the elongate tube.

6. The epidural needle of

claim 3

further including a support leg that limits movement of the latch.

7. The epidural needle of

claim 1

wherein the clamp includes a pair of legs defining at least one radiused portion therein.

8. The epidural needle of

claim 7

wherein the resilient member defines a radiused portion and the radiused portion of the pair of legs has a radius substantially the same as the radiused portion of the resilient member.

9. The epidural needle of

claim 8

where the pair of legs defines a second radiused portion adjacent to the at least one radiused portion.

10. A combined spinal epidural needle set comprises:

an epidural needle including an elongate tube defining a longitudinal axis having a proximal end, a distal end and an axial hollow bore having an inside diameter therethrough, said epidural needle having a hub having a proximal end, a distal end and an open passageway therethrough, said hub being attached to said elongate tube so that said hollow bore of said elongate tube is in fluid communication and substantial axial alignment with said open passageway and wherein said hub further having a cavity disposed between said proximal end and said distal end of said hub, a resilient member having an opening therethrough defining an inner diameter and disposed in said cavity so that said opening is substantially axially aligned and in fluid communication with said open passageway, and a clamp having a releasable latch disposed about said resilient member, said clamp being selectively movable between an open position wherein said inner diameter of said resilient member is substantially unaffected and a clamp position wherein said clamp causes a strain to said resilient member thereby reducing said inner diameter of said opening through said resilient member; and

a spinal needle having an outside diameter less than said inside diameter of said hollow tube disposed within said hollow bore, and wherein a practitioner using said epidural needle to position said spinal needle may freely axially move said spinal needle within said hollow bore with respect to said epidural needle and fix a position of said spinal needle relative to said epidural needle by said reduction of said inner diameter opening through said resilient member to a diameter less than said outside diameter of the spinal needle by movement of said clamp to said clamp position thereby to grasp releasably the spinal needle sufficiently to fix the position of the spinal needle with respect to the epidural needle.

11. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 10

wherein the spinal needle includes an indicia formed thereon for providing an indication to the practioner of the location of the spinal needle with respect to the epidural needle.

12. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 11

wherein at least a portion of said clamp projects outwardly from said hub to facilitate the practitioner'"'"'s selective movement of said clamp between said open position and said clamp position.

13. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 12

further including a push tab extending away from the releasable latch to facilitate unclamping said clamp from said clamp position.

14. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 13

wherein the push tab is oriented for movement perpendicular to the elongate tube.

15. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 14

further including a support leg that limits movement of the latch.

16. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 10

wherein the clamp includes a pair of legs defining at least one radiused portion therein.

17. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 16

wherein the resilient member defines a radiused portion and the radiused portion of the pair of legs has a radius substantially the same as the radiused portion of the resilient member.

18. The combined spinal epidural needle set of

claim 17

where the pair of legs defines a second radiused portion adjacent to the at least one radiused portion.