Universal catheter anchoring system

• US 20050010173A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard A. Pluth, Steven F. Bierman, Wayne T. Mitchell
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Pluth, Steven F. Bierman, Wayne T. Mitchell
• Inventors: Pluth, Richard A., Bierman, Steven F., Mitchell, Wayne T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/024 having a clip or clamp system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0246 fixed on the skin having a cover for covering the holding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0266 using pads, patches, tapes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body

Abstract

A method of securing a medical article to the body of a patient is disclosed in which an anchoring device comprising an anchor and a retainer is used. The retainer is attached to an upper surface of the anchor and comprises a base, a cover and a post. The base is disposed on the upper surface of the anchor and the cover is connected to the base so as to move between an open and a closed position. When the cover is in the closed position, it lies above at least part of the base. The post is attached movably to either the base or the cover and is arranged so as to lie at least partially between the cover and the base when the cover is in the closed position. When securing a medical article, the cover is placed in the open position and the medical article placed onto the retainer. The cover may then be closed over the medical article and the anchoring device attached to the patient.

Claims

1. A retainer for securing a medical article having a receptacle to the body of a patient, comprising:

a lower member;

a retainer base having a post opening, at least a portion of the retainer base being spaced away from at least a portion of the lower member so as to form an internal space therebetween; and

at least a first post being separate from the lower member and the retainer base and having a platform and a shaft extending from the platform, at least a portion of the platform being located within the internal space and at least a portion of the shaft extending through the post opening.

2. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the post of the shaft is configured to extend into the receptacle of the medical article so as to inhibit longitudinal movement of the medical article relative to the retainer.

3. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the post of the shaft extends generally normal to the lower member.

4. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the post opening is elongated and the post shaft is configured to slide within the elongated post opening.

5. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the post is movably coupled to the retainer base.

6. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the post is permanently fixed relative to the retainer base.

7. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the lower member comprises at least one flexible tab that extends upwardly from the lower member and the retainer base further comprises at least one aperture, the aperture being configured to receive the tab and attach the retainer base to the lower member.

8. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the lower member and the retainer base are manufactured as a single piece connected by a flexible leash, and separated prior to assembly into the retainer.

9. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the internal space between the retainer base and the lower member is in the form of a track into which the post platform is inserted, the track having a longitudinal length substantially the same as a longitudinal length of the post platform, and wherein the post opening opens into the track.

10. The retainer of claim 1, wherein the internal space between the retainer base and the lower member is in the form of a track into which the post platform is inserted, the track having a lateral length greater than a lateral length of the post platform.

11. The retainer of claim 1 further comprising a cover being movably connected to the retainer base so as to move between an open position and a closed position, the cover lying above at least part of the retainer base when in the closed position.

12. The retainer of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the shaft is located so as to lie between the cover and the retainer base when the cover is in the closed position.

13. The retainer of claim 11 additionally comprising a latching mechanism operable between the retainer base and the cover to releasably secure the cover to the retainer base when in the closed position.

14. The retainer of claim 11, wherein the retainer base comprises side walls that define a receiving space on the retainer, and wherein the cover is arranged on the retainer base so as to cover at least a portion of the receiving space when in the closed position.

15. The retainer of claim 14, wherein the cover lies generally to at least one side of the retainer base in the open position to thereby expose the receiving space.

16. The retainer of claim 1 additionally comprising a second post having a second platform that is located within the internal space formed by the retainer base and the lower member.

17. The retainer of claim 16, wherein the second post is movably coupled to the retainer base.

18. The retainer of claim 16, wherein the second post is permanently fixed to the retainer base.

19. The retainer of claim 16, wherein the retainer base further comprises a plurality of post openings disposed through the retainer base such that each post protrudes through one post opening of the retainer base.

20. The retainer of claim 16, wherein the first and second posts together comprise a post assembly that further comprises an attachment button and connectors which link the post assembly to the attachment button.

21. The retainer of claim 20, wherein the retainer base further comprises a groove on a bottom surface of the retainer base that accommodates the connectors and attachment button of the post assembly such that the connectors or attachment button do not extend below the bottom surface of the retainer base when the post assembly is attached to the retainer base.

22. The retainer of claim 16 further comprising a cover that is movably connected to the retainer base so as to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cover extends over at least part of both posts when in the closed position.

23. The retainer of claim 22, wherein the cover is divided into a plurality of sections, each section having a hinge mechanism and a latching mechanism and each section being independently adjustable between the closed and the open positions.

24. An anchoring system for securing a medical article having a receptacle to the body of a patient, comprising:

an anchor pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least a portion of the lower surface having an adhesive surface to attach the anchor pad to the body of the patient; and

a retainer mounted on the upper surface of the anchor pad, the retainer including a lower member, a retainer base, and at least one post, a portion of which is located above at least a portion of the lower member and below at least a portion of the retainer base so as to limit movement of the at least one post in both transverse directions.

25. The anchoring system of claim 24, wherein the post is configured to extend into the receptacle of the medical article so as to inhibit longitudinal movement of the medical article relative to the retainer.

26. The anchoring system of claim 24, wherein the post extends generally normal to the lower member.

27. The anchoring system of claim 24, wherein the retainer base comprises a post opening disposed through the retainer base, at least a portion of the post opening is elongated, wherein the post is configured to slide within the elongated post opening.

28. The anchoring system of claim 24, wherein the post is movably coupled to the retainer base.

29. The anchoring system of claim 24, wherein the post is permanently fixed relative to the retainer base.

30. The anchoring system of claim 24 further comprising a cover being movably connected to the retainer base so as to move between an open position and a closed position, the cover lying above at least part of the retainer base when in the closed position.

31. The anchoring system of claim 24 additionally comprising a second post, a portion of which is located above at least a portion of the lower member and below at least a portion of the retainer base so as to limit movement of the second post in both transverse directions.

32. A retainer for securing a medical article having a receptacle to the body of a patient, comprising:

a lower member;

at least one post having a platform and a shaft, the platform being located above at least a portion of the lower member; and

a retainer base coupled to the lower member and having a base portion that is located above the platform so as to limit transverse movement of the post relative to the retainer base.

33. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the post of the shaft is configured to extend into the receptacle of the medical article so as to inhibit longitudinal movement of the medical article relative to the retainer.

34. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the post of the shaft extends generally normal to the lower member.

35. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the post is movably coupled to the retainer base.

36. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the post is permanently fixed relative to the retainer base.

37. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the lower member comprises at least one flexible tab that extends upwardly from the lower member and the retainer base further comprises at least one aperture, the aperture being configured to receive the tab and attach the retainer base to the lower member.

38. The retainer of claim 32 further comprising a cover being movably connected to the retainer base so as to move between an open position and a closed position, the cover lying above at least part of the retainer base when in the closed position.

39. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the retainer base further comprises a post opening disposed through the retainer base, at least a portion of the post opening having a width that is configured to be less than a width of at least a portion of the post platform so as to inhibit the post platform from passing through the post opening in a transverse direction.

40. The retainer of claim 32, wherein the retainer base further comprises a post opening disposed through the retainer base and into the internal space, at least a portion of the post opening having a width that is configured to be greater than a width of at least a portion of the shaft so as to allow the shaft to pass through the post opening.