Closed system irrigation connector for urinary catheters

• US 20060064065A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dale Medical Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ronald D. Russo
• Inventors: Russo, Ronald D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,353,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/256
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0017 specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/045 pre-slit to be pierced by blunt instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

A closed system irrigation connector for use with both 3-way and 2-way urinary catheters is disclosed. The connector fits all urinary catheters and accepts continuous irrigation sets as well as all bulb, piston, and Toomey catheter tip irrigation syringes. The connector eliminates the use of catheter plugs and reduces the mess and leakage often associated with present urinary catheter irrigation procedures. The connector converts an open procedure to a closed system procedure protecting the patient from outside contamination to reduce urinary tract infections as well as the clinician from potentially infectious body fluids. It comprises an assembly of a plastic housing with an internal silicone diaphragm slit valve and a plastic entrance port that are unitized in assembly by sonic welding. The entrance port forms a tapered wedge lock engagement with irrigation sets as well as catheter tip irrigation syringes.

Claims

1. A closed connection system having a connector and a non-luer tip catheter tip syringe, said syringe having a tapered distal tip with an initial outside diameter larger than 0.165 inches and an internal diameter larger than 0.090 inches with a total length exceeding 0.300 inches providing for either fluid infusion or fluid sampling through said connector, said connector including a lower fluid path, an upper entrance port, and a valve positioned between the lower fluid path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a diaphragm with a slit opening normally biased to a first sealed closed position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid path and out the slit opening in the valve, the valve openable to a second open position by the manual insertion of the syringe tapered distal tip into engagement with the upper entrance port to progressively contact, downwardly bend, transverse through and maintain contact with the sides of the slit opening in the valve so as to thus hold open the valve, the upper entrance port including walls defining an entrance opening, said walls downwardly inwardly tapered between 3 and 5 degrees forming a wedge lock disengagement resistant fit with the downwardly inwardly tapered distal tip of the syringe, such fit preventing disengagement of the syringe tapered distal tip with the upper entrance port opening caused by fluid back pressure during use of the syringe.

2. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the valve is a molded part.

3. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the connector is connectable to a catheter.

4. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the connector protects the user from splash back fluid.

5. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the upper entrance port is configured to engage with a wide variety of non-luer tip catheter tip syringes.

6. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the upper entrance port is tapered between 4 and 4¾

degrees.

7. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the connector is part of a medical tubing fluid line.

8. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the connector is part of a urinary drainage system.

9. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the connector is used for urine sampling.

10. The closed system connector of claim 1 wherein the connector is used to deliver bladder irrigation.

11. A closed system connector for use in a medical fluid system, said connector including a lower fluid communication path, an upper entrance port, and a valve positioned between the lower fluid communication path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a slit opening normally biased sealed closed to a first position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid communication path and out the valve, the valve adapted to be positioned to a second closed position by the manual insertion of a non-luer tip catheter tip syringe having a tapered distal tip into the slit opening of the valve, the upper entrance port including walls defining an entrance opening, said walls downwardly inwardly tapered between 3 and 5 degrees forming a wedge lock positive leak proof sealing engagement with the tapered distal tip of the syringe such that the engagement fixedly limits the depth of travel of the downwardly inwardly tapered syringe tip into the slit opening of the valve to prevent premature failure of the valve due to overstretching of the slit opening from direct physical contact with a wide variety of catheter tip syringes having non-uniformed dimensioned tapered distal tips.

12. The closed system connector of claim 11 wherein the valve will accept repeated insertions of the syringe while continuing to prevent premature failure of the valve.

13. The closed system connector of claim 11 wherein limiting the depth of travel of the tapered syringe tip gives longevity to the valve.

14. The closed system connector of claim 11 wherein the connector is connectable to a catheter.

15. The closed system connector of claim 11 wherein the connector is part of a medical tubing line.

16. The closed system connector of claim 11 wherein the connector will accept any type of tapered catheter tip syringe with an outside diameter larger than 0.165 inches at its distal tip.

17. The closed system connector of claim 11 wherein the connector is part of a urinary drainage system.

19. The connector of claim 17, wherein the upper entrance port opening has an internal diameter larger than 0.165 inches.

18. A closed system connector for use with a wide variety of non-luer catheter tip syringes having non-uniform dimensioned tapered distal tips, said connector including a lower fluid path, an upper entrance port, and an elastic valve positioned between the lower fluid path and the upper entrance port, the valve having a diaphragm with a slit opening normally biased to a first sealed closed position thereby preventing fluid from exiting the lower fluid path and out the slit opening in the valve, the valve operable to a second open position by the manual insertion of the syringe tapered distal tip with the upper entrance port to progressively contact, downwardly bend, transverse through and maintain contact with the sides of the slit opening in the valve, the upper entrance port including an opening tapered in excess of the standard luer taper of 1 degree forming a wedge lock friction press fit with the tapered distal tip of the syringe, the fit preventing the slit in the valve from being overstretched beyond its elastic limits by the distal tip of the syringe to prevent premature failure of the valve.

20. The connector of claim 18 wherein the upper entrance opening accepts an irrigation administration set connector.

21. The connector of claim 18 wherein the upper entrance opening accepts both piston and bulb type non-luer tip irrigation syringes.

22. The connector of claim 18 wherein the upper entrance opening accepts a fluid delivery set.

23. The connector of claim 22 wherein the fluid delivery set is used for fluid sampling and fluid administration.