Valved sheath introducer for venous cannulation

• US 20050267487A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Christensen, Mark A., Smith, Steven M., Shang, Walter, Beal, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3498 Valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves haemostasis valves A61M39/06; check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0693 including means for seal penetration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/788 Having expansible port
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7885 Multiple slit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49405 Valve or choke making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49412 with assembly, disassembly or composite article making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A valved sheath introducer for venous cannulation, including a valve, sheath, handle and cap. The valve is configured to permit safe introduction and removal of medical instruments through the sheath introducer. The valve may have one or more anchoring members and a thickened central portion through which a slit is formed. The central portion may have one or more concave surfaces and the slit can be angled with respect to the top surface of the valve. The cap is attached to the handle, compressing a portion of the valve therebetween.

Claims

1. An apparatus for insertion of a medical device into a body, comprising:

a sheath comprising a sheath body and a handle, the handle including one or more receiving sections;

a valve comprising a slit through a central portion thereof and one or more anchoring members configured for insertion into a respective handle receiving section, the anchoring member being positioned along an edge of the valve; and

a cap attached to the handle, at least a portion of the valve being compressed therebetween.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central portion of the valve has a thickness greater than surrounding portions of the valve.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central portion has a concave surface on one side thereof.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the central portion has opposing concave surfaces.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheath is tubular in configuration including a lumen extending therethrough, the central portion being circular and having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the sheath lumen.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, the handle comprising first and second handle members positioned on opposite sides of the sheath body, each of the first and second handle members comprising a receiving section.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, the valve comprising a first anchoring member configured for insertion into the receiving section of the first handle member and a second anchoring member configured for insertion into the receiving section of the second handle member, the first and second anchoring members being positioned along opposing edges of the valve.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, the handle comprising opposing slotted regions positioned between the first and second handle members.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap is ultrasonically welded to the handle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central slit is positioned through the central portion of the valve at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the top surface of the valve.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve further comprises at least one peripheral slit positioned at an edge of the valve, the peripheral slit being aligned with the central slit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve further comprises two peripheral slits positioned at opposing edges of the valve, the peripheral slits being aligned with the central slit.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, the handle further comprising opposing slotted regions positioned between first and second handle members positioned on opposite sides of the sheath body, wherein the peripheral slits and the central slit are aligned with the opposing slotted regions.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve further comprises two peripheral notches positioned at opposing edges of the valve, the peripheral notches being aligned with the central slit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, the handle comprising first and second handle members positioned on opposite sides of the sheath body and opposing slotted regions positioned between the first and second handle members, wherein the first handle member includes the receiving section.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the central slit is perpendicularly aligned with the opposing slotted regions.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a wire that is looped through the central slit, the wire having both ends thereof positioned in the second handle member.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon insertion of an instrument through the valve, the material thereof stretches inward, and wherein upon removal of the instrument from the valve, a portion of the material is prevented from returning to its original position between the cap and the handle, resulting in a bunching effect that creates a duckbill configuration at the central portion around the slit.

19. An apparatus for introducing a medical device into a body, comprising:

a valve, comprising anchoring means for anchoring the valve in a handle and self-sealing means for permitting access of an instrument through the valve and for sealing upon removal of the instrument from the valve, the self-sealing means including a configuration after removal of the instrument therefrom that is different from a configuration prior to the instrument being inserted therethrough; and

a cap attached to the handle, at least a portion of the valve adjacent the anchoring means being compressed therebetween.

20. A method for assembling a valved sheath introducer, comprising:

inserting a valve into a handle, the valve comprising at least one

anchoring member that is positioned within a receiving section of the handle and a central portion including a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a sheath attached to the handle; and

attaching a cap to the handle under pressure with at least a portion of

the valve positioned therebetween, the valve portion being compressed to a smaller thickness than the thickness prior to attachment of the cap to the handle.