Needle apparatus
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Accused Products
Abstract
A needle apparatus having a thin walled sleeve and a tubular needle closely engaged by the sleeve. The needle has a sharp point which initially extends from the sleeve. The needle and sleeve are mounted to a hub and are longitudinally moveable relative to one another. The needle is arranged to pierce tissue and the sleeve enters the incision formed by the needle. The needle may then be withdrawn from the tissue by applying traction to the hub. The sleeve is retained in place in the tissue as a result of pressure applied radially by surrounding tissue
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Citations
31 Claims
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1-15. -15. (canceled)
- 16. A needle apparatus wherein a thin walled sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end, a tubular needle having a distal end and a proximal end, the needle having a sharp point at the distal end thereof, the sleeve being mounted about the needle and the needle being closely engaged by the sleeve, the needle and the sleeve being longitudinally moveable relative to one another between a first position at which the needle extends from the sleeve and a second position at which the sharp point is located within the sleeve, the needle remaining at least partially within the sleeve at all times, the apparatus further comprising a hub in which the needle is fixedly mounted adjacent the proximal end of the needle such that the needle and the hub are arranged to move longitudinally together at all times, the needle extending from the hub so that the distal end of the needle is located externally of the hub, the sleeve having the proximal end thereof located within the hub and being longitudinally slidably mounted relative to the hub, the sleeve extending from the hub so that the distal end thereof is located externally of the hub, the sleeve being unlatched in the first position but being latched in the second position, the needle being arranged to pierce tissue when the needle and the sleeve are in the first position to form an incision and the sleeve being arranged to enter the incision such that after the tissue has been pierced the needle is arranged to be withdrawn from the tissue by application to the hub of longitudinal traction in the proximal direction by an operator whilst the sleeve remains in situ in the tissue as a result of pressure applied radially by surrounding tissue, the arrangement being such that when the needle has been withdrawn to the second position and the sleeve is latched the sleeve is prevented from being retracted relative to the needle.
- 28. A needle apparatus wherein a thin walled sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end, a tubular needle having a distal end and a proximal end, the needle having a sharp point at the distal end thereof, the sleeve being mounted about the needle and the needle being closely engaged by the sleeve, the needle and the sleeve being longitudinally moveable relative to one another between a first position at which the needle extends from the sleeve and a second position at which the sharp point is located within the sleeve, the needle remaining at least partially within the sleeve at all times, the apparatus further comprising a hub in which the needle is fixedly mounted adjacent the proximal end of the needle such that the needle and the hub are arranged to move longitudinally together at all times, the needle extending from the hub so that the distal end of the needle is located externally of the hub, the sleeve having the proximal end thereof located within the hub and being longitudinally slidably mounted relative to the hub, the sleeve extending from the hub so that the distal end thereof is located externally of the hub, the sleeve being unlatched in the first position but being latched in the second position, the needle being arranged to pierce tissue when the needle and the sleeve are in the first position to form an incision and the sleeve being arranged to enter the incision, a catheter introducer being mounted about the sleeve initially so as to frictionally engage the sleeve, the catheter introducer comprising a sheath which enters the tissue simultaneously with the sleeve, such that after the tissue has been pierced the needle is arranged to be withdrawn from the tissue by application to the hub of longitudinal traction in the proximal direction by an operator whilst the sleeve and the sheath remain in situ in the tissue as a result of the pressure applied radially by surrounding tissue to the sheath, the arrangement being such that when the needle has been withdrawn to the second position and the sleeve is latched the sleeve is prevented from being retracted relative to the needle.
Specification