Low profile adaptor for use with a medical catheter

• US 20030158539A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Chu, Michael S.H., Bouphavichith, Laddvanh, Churchill, William L., Brenner, Laurence D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,802,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/533
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0015 Gastrostomy feeding-tubes insertion tools or methods A61B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0026 Parts, details or accessories for feeding-tubes external tubes from medical containers to a connector outside of the body A61M39/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0014 Connecting a tube to a hub
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/12 for joining a flexible tube to a rigid attachment
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/225 a sleeve being movable axially
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body

Abstract

A low profile adaptor for use with a medical catheter. In one embodiment, the adaptor comprises a lower connector portion, an upper connector portion and a valve. The lower connector portion comprises a tubular portion and an annular portion, the annular portion radially surrounding the tubular portion along an intermediate length thereof. A helical thread is formed on the inside surface of the tubular portion. A circular lip projects upwardly a short distance from the top surface of the annular portion. The upper connector portion comprises a tubular section adapted for insertion into the tubular portion of the lower connector portion. An external helical thread is formed on the tubular section of the upper connector portion for mating engagement with the thread on the interior of the tubular portion of the lower connector portion. The upper connector portion also includes an annular base. The top of the base is shaped to include a cavity for receiving the valve, the cavity being in fluid communication with the tubular section. A double-walled circular lip is formed on the bottom of the base, the double-walled lip being sized and shaped to define a groove adapted to matingly receive the lip on the upper connector portion. In use, the lower connector portion is inserted into the end of a catheter, and the tubular section of the upper connector portion is screwed into the tubular portion of the lower connector, with the catheter being ensnared between the lips of the upper and lower connector portions.

Claims

1. An adaptor well-suited for use with a medical catheter, said adaptor comprising:

(a) a first connector portion, said first connector portion being insertable into a first end of the medical catheter, said first connector portion comprising a first tubular member; and

(b) a second connector portion, said second connector portion comprising a second tubular member, said second tubular member being directly engageable with said first tubular member.

2. The adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second tubular members are threadingly engageable.

3. The adaptor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first tubular member is internally threaded and wherein said second tubular member is externally threaded.

4. The adaptor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first tubular member is externally threaded and wherein said second tubular member is internally threaded.

5. The adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second connector portions further comprise complementary means for ensnaring the medical catheter therebetween.

6. The adaptor as claimed in claim 5 wherein said complementary means comprises a circular lip formed on said first connector portion and a complementary groove formed in said second connector portion.

7. The adaptor as claimed in claim 6 wherein said circular lip is triangular in cross-section.

8. The adaptor as claimed in claim 5 wherein said complementary means comprises an annular step formed on said first connector portion and a complementary cavity formed in said second connector portion.

9. The adaptor as claimed in claim 5 wherein said complementary means comprises an annular sleeve formed on said second connector portion and a complementary groove formed on said first connector portion.

10. The adaptor as claimed in claim 5 wherein said complementary means comprises an annular flange formed on said first connector portion and a complementary cavity formed in said second connector portion.

11. The adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second connector portion further comprises a first cavity in fluid communication with said second tubular member and wherein said adaptor further comprises a gasket-type valve seated in said first cavity.

12. The adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second connector portion is dimensioned to receive a medical luer.

13. The combination of

(a) a first medical catheter, said first medical catheter having a first bore;

(b) a first connector portion, said first connector portion being inserted into a first end of said first medical catheter and having a second bore in fluid communication with said first bore; and

(c) a second connector portion, said second connector portion being secured directly to said first connector portion and having a third bore in fluid communication with said second bore, with said first end of said first medical catheter being ensnared between said first connector portion and said second connector portion.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said first connector portion comprises a first tubular portion and a first annular portion, said first annular portion surrounding said first tubular portion, said second bore being present within said first tubular portion.

15. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second connector portion comprises a second tubular portion and a second annular portion, said second annular portion surrounding said second tubular portion, said third bore being present within said second tubular portion.

16. The combination as claimed in claim 15 wherein said second tubular portion is inserted into said first tubular portion and is secured directly thereto by the mating engagement of a first thread on the exterior of said second tubular portion with a second thread on the interior of said first tubular portion.

17. The combination as claimed in claim 15 wherein said first medical catheter is ensnared between a projection formed on said first annular portion and a complementary shape formed in said second annular portion.

18. The combination as claimed in claim 17 wherein said projection is a circular lip.

19. The combination as claimed in claim 17 wherein said projection is a annular step.

20. The combination as claimed in claim 17 wherein said projection is an annular flange.

21. The combination as claimed in claim 15 wherein said second annular portion is shaped to include a cavity for receiving an end of the first medical catheter.

23. The combination as claimed in claim 15 wherein said second annular portion is shaped to include a cavity in fluid communication with said second tubular portion, said combination further comprising a gasket-type valve seated in said cavity.

24. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first annular portion has a sloped bottom surface to facilitate insertion of said first connector portion into said first medical catheter.

25. The combination as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a second medical catheter and a third connector portion, said second medical catheter having a fourth bore, said third connector portion being inserted into said second medical catheter and secured directly to said second connector portion, said third connector portion having a fifth bore in fluid communication with both said fourth bore and said third bore, with said second medical catheter being ensnared between said second connector portion and said third connector portion.

26. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first tubular portion is inserted into said third bore of said second connector portion and is secured directly thereto by the mating engagement of a first thread on the exterior of said first tubular portion with a second thread within said third bore.

27. The combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said medical catheter is a gastrostomy feeding tube having an internal bolster secured to a second end thereof.

28. An assembly for restricting the diameter of a medical catheter, said assembly comprising:

(a) a first member, said first member being provided with a first transverse opening having a first area and a second area, said first area having a diameter greater than that of said medical catheter, said second area having a diameter less than that of said medical catheter; and

(b) a second member, said second member being provided with a second transverse opening having a third area and a fourth area, said third area having a diameter greater than that of said medical catheter, said fourth area having a diameter less than that of said medical catheter;

(c) wherein said first member and said second member are positionable relative to one another between a first position wherein said first area and said third area are aligned and a second position wherein said second area and said fourth area are aligned.

29. The assembly as claimed in claim 28 wherein said first member is a housing and said second member is a slide slidably mounted within said housing.

30. The assembly as claimed in claim 29 wherein said housing is a generally rectangular hollow structure comprising a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls.

31. The combination of the assembly of claim 28, a medical catheter having a diameter less than said first and third areas and greater than said second and fourth areas, and a barb fitting inserted into an end of said medical catheter, said barb fitting having a diameter less than said first and third areas and greater than said second and fourth areas.