Flexible IV site protector and method of using same

• US 20040204685A1
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medical Device Group Incorporated (World Am, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medical Device Group Incorporated (World Am, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, Clifford A., Gould, Kion
• Application Number:
  US10/837,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204685A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0246 fixed on the skin having a cover for covering the holding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/028 having a mainly rigid support structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/027 Devices for holding the cannula in position, e.g. belts cannula details A61M3/0279
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/32 Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub infusion needles A61M5/158; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body A61M5/42, A61M5/46 take precedence; guide needles for catheters A61M25/065; Devices for protection of needles apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising needles A61M5/001

Abstract

A venipuncture site protector having a slotted securement, which has mounted thereto, a flexible tapered body member defined by a slotted rear wall at its proximal end and a perforated front wall at its distal end. The rear wall and front wall are integrally connected to a flange having a tube receiving slot that is aligned with another tube receiving slot disposed in the rear wall as well as a slot within the slotted securement. The rear wall and the front wall rise up to a dome apex from which an internal wall depends into the interior space of the dome. The internal wall is disposed between the rear wall and the front wall and includes yet another tube receiving slot that is sufficiently wide to receive therein an I.V. tube associated with an I.V. connected catheter but not sufficiently wide to allow the I.V. connected catheter to pass therethrough. The interior wall is disposed at about an angle of 60 degrees relative to the front wall and at about an angle of 30 degrees relative to the rear wall which walls cooperate in facilitating the capture of the I.V. tube at two different points: one point being within a tube-anchoring stop disposed in the internal wall and thus completely enclosed within the internal space of the dome. The internal wall also cooperates with the rear wall to facilitate wedging the I.V. connected catheter in friction tight engagement with internal wall and against the rear wall that functions to limit the distance the I.V. connected catheter can be lifted from a venipuncture site. With the I.V. tubing and the I.V. connected catheter being secured within the interior space of the dome, dislodgment of the I.V. tube and the I.V. connector catheter becomes impossible or at least extremely difficult without first

Claims

1. A shielding device for an I.V. connected catheter, comprising:

a securement having a tube receiving slot at one of its ends;

a flexible dome mounted to said securement, said dome having a rear wall and a front wall, said front wall having another tube receiving slot wherein said slot terminates at its upper boundary limit in a tube-anchoring stop;

an internal wall disposed between said rear wall and said front wall for dividing said dome into a catheter receiving space and a tube receiving space, said internal wall having a tube access channel wherein said access channel terminates at its upper boundary limit in another tube anchoring stop; and

said tube receiving slot, said another tube receiving slot and said tube access channel being in substantial alignment with one another to facilitate receiving and securing an I.V. tube within both said tube anchoring stop and said another tube anchoring stop as a proximal end portion of the I.V. connected catheter is wedged against said internal wall in friction tight engagement within said catheter receiving space.

2. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said securement has a lower surface area and an upper surface area, said lower surface area being coated with a layer of non-skin irritating adhesive to help facilitate anchoring the securement to a venipuncture site associated with the I.V. connected catheter.

3. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said slotted securement includes:

a base securement having a base tube receiving slot and a lower surface coated with a layer of non-skin irritating adhesive to help facilitate anchoring the base securement to a venipuncture site associated with the I.V. connected catheter;

said layer of non skin irritating adhesive being partially protected by a pair of spaced apart protective covers; and

a plug having a plug tube receiving slot, said plug being disposed between said pair of spaced apart protective covers for helping to secure said dome to said base securement.

4. The shielding device according to claim 3, wherein said plug has a lower surface coated with a layer of non-skin irritating adhesive to further help facilitate anchoring the securement to the venipuncture site associated with the I.V. connected catheter.

5. The shielding device according to claim 4, wherein said layer of non-skin irritating adhesive disposed on the lower surface of said plug is protected by a removable protective cover.

6. The shielding device according to claim 4, wherein said plug slot and said base securement slot are in substantially parallel alignment with one another.

7. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said rear wall and said front wall meet an at a dome apex.

8. The shielding device according to claim 7, wherein said internal wall depends from said dome apex.

9. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein flexible dome includes a plurality of rib members extending from a roof portion of said dome to a floor portion of said dome.

10. The shielding device according to claim 2, further comprising;

a plurality of protective covers overlaying said layer of non-skin irritating adhesive.

11. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said front wall tube receiving slot terminating in a tube-anchoring stop and said internal wall with another tube receiving slot terminating in another tube anchoring stop are sufficiently space apart to secure at least two different portions of an I.V. tube disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the I.V. connected catheter.

12. The shielding device according to claim 1 wherein said flexible dome includes a flange, said flange being integrally connected to said front wall and said rear wall;

said flange having a flange tube receiving slot at one of its ends wherein said flange tube receiving slot is aligned with said front wall tube receiving slot.

13. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said internal wall creates a rear dome space and a front dome space;

said rear dome space being substantially larger that said front dome space;

said rear dome space being dimensioned to receive therein the I.V. connected catheter so that the I.V. connected catheter is completely covered by said dome.

14. The shielding device according to claim 7, wherein said internal wall and said rear wall are disposed at about an angle α

relative to one another at said dome apex to help limit the distance the I.V. connect catheter can be pulled up toward said rear wall.

15. The shielding device according to claim 14, wherein said angle α

is between about 25 degrees and about 35 degrees.

16. The shielding device according to claim 14, wherein a most preferred angle α

is about 30 degrees.

17. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible dome can flex between about 0 degrees and about 45 degrees in an upward direction relative to a horizontal plane.

18. The shielding device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible dome can flex between about 0 degrees and about 45 degrees in a downward direction relative to a horizontal plane.

19. The shielding device according to claim 1, where in said flexible dome includes a plurality of rib members which allow said dome to flex in an upward or downward direction relative to a horizontal plane.

20. A method of anchoring an I.V. connected catheter and its associated I.V. tubing, comprising the steps of:

providing a venipuncture site protector having a securement with a tube receiving slot at one of its ends;

a hollow flexible dome mounted to said securement, said dome having a rear wall, a front wall with a front wall tube receiving slot terminating in a tube-anchoring stop and an internal wall with another tube receiving slot terminating in another tube anchoring stop;

said tube receiving slot, said front wall tube receiving slot and said another tube receiving slot being in substantial parallel alignment with one another; and

said internal wall dividing the space within said hollow dome into a tube receiving compartment and an I.V. connected catheter compartment;

aligning a proximal end of the I.V. connected catheter within said I.V. connected catheter compartment so said proximal end is in alignment with said another tube receiving slot;

aligning the I.V. tubing disposed adjacent to the I.V. connected catheter to be received with said tube receiving slot, said front wall tube receiving slot and said another tube receiving slot;

partially securing said securement to a venipuncture site associated with the I.V. connected catheter allowing the I.V. tubing to be received within said tube receiving slot, said front wall tube receiving slot and said another tube receiving slot;

pressing down on said dome to hold it in place over the venipuncture site and then pulling up on said I.V. tubing at about its distal end until different portions of the I.V. tubing are respectively captured and secured within said tube anchoring stop and said another tube anchoring stop with the I.V. connected catheter wedged in friction tight engagement with said internal wall; and

securing the lateral side portions of said securement to said venipuncture site.