Pivoting dilator

• US 20070250100A1
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Components, Inc., Twincath LLC
• Original Assignee: Medical Components, Inc., Twincath LLC
• Inventors: Stephens, John, Schweikert, Timothy, Schon, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,795,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/191
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3439 with means for changing the inner diameter of the cannula, e.g. expandable A61B17/3423, A61B17/3431 take precedence; catheters A61M25/0662
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0668 splittable, tear apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/00 Dilators with or without means for introducing media, e.g. remedies instruments for performing visual medical inspections of cavities or tubes of the body A61B1/00

Abstract

A dilator (100) for expanding a vessel incision to assist insertion of a catheter thereinto and having a distal end (104) and a proximal end (106). The dilator has two portions (110,210) that are assembled together at a hinge (112,212) permitting angled-apart proximal ends (122,222) of the two portions at the proximal end (106) to be squeezed together about the hinge which slightly spreads apart the respective distal ends (114,214) of the two portions to enlarge the incision into the vessel. A spring (150) biases apart the proximal ends of the two portions to maintain the two distal ends (114,214) together until pried apart as desired to dilate the vessel incision.

Claims

1. A pivoting dilator comprising:

a first dilator portion having a first proximal portion and first distal portion,

a second dilator portion having a second proximal portion and second distal portion,

a longitudinal axis extending longitudinally therethrough between the first dilator portion and the second dilator portion, and

a longitudinal passageway extending along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the first dilator portion is hingedly connected to the second dilator portion proximally of the first and second distal portions;

wherein the passageway is adapted to accommodate a catheter being inserted longitudinally therethrough; and

wherein the pivoting dilator is operable between an insertable position and a dilating position by forcing the at least one of the first proximal end and the second proximal end towards the longitudinal axis and pivoting apart the first and second distal portions.

2. The pivoting dilator according to claim 1, wherein the first dilator portion is directly hingedly connected to the second dilator portion.

3. The pivoting dilator according to claim 1, wherein the first dilator portion and the second dilator portion are identical.

4. The pivoting dilator according to claim 1, wherein the first proximal portion is biased away from the second proximal portion.

5. The pivoting dilator according to claim 1, the first dilator portion further comprising a first handle and the second dilator portion further comprising a second handle.

6. The pivoting dilator according to claim 5, wherein the first and second proximal portions are each disposed at angles of about 5 degrees from the longitudinal axis.

7. The pivoting dilator according to claim 5, wherein the first and second proximal portions are disposed at respective substantial angles from the longitudinal axis.

8. The pivoting dilator according to claim 7, wherein the substantial angles are each about 45 degrees from the longitudinal axis.

9. The pivoting dilator according to claim 7, wherein the distal dilator portions are initially biased toward each other such that the first and second proximal portions are initially disposed apart from each other, providing clearance to the longitudinal passageway between the first and second distal portions for facilitating insertion of a catheter thereinto, whereafter the catheter presses apart the first and second distal portions apart adjacent the distal tip, thereby widening the vessel opening to enter the vessel.

10. The pivoting dilator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second proximal portions are discrete components affixed to respective first and second hub sections of respective discrete first and second distal portions.

11. The pivoting dilator according to claim 10, wherein the first and second hub sections are joined to each other by a hinge.

12. The pivoting dilator according to claim 11, wherein the hinge comprises at least one male hinge section on one of the first and second hub components, and at least one complementary female hinge section on the other of the first and second hub components.

13. The pivoting dilator according to claim 12, wherein the hinge comprises two male hinge sections on the one of the first and second hub components, and two complementary female hinge sections on the other of the first and second hub components.

14. The pivoting dilator according to claim 13, wherein the two male hinge sections are disposed on first opposing walls of the one of the first and second hub sections at the proximal end thereof, and the two female hinge sections are disposed on second opposing walls of the other of the first and second hub sections at the proximal end thereof, wherein the first and second opposing walls define therebetween a proximal entrance to the passageway.

15. A pivoting dilator comprising:

a first dilator portion and a second dilator portion,

wherein the first dilator portion comprises a first distal end, comprising a tapered distal tip, a first proximal end, comprising a first handle, and a first hinge portion disposed between the first distal end and the first proximal end;

wherein the second dilator portion comprises a second distal end, comprising a tapered distal tip, a second proximal end, comprising a second handle, and a second hinge portion disposed between the second distal end and the second proximal end;

wherein the first hinge portion is engaged with the second hinge portion;

wherein the pivoting dilator is pivotable between an inserting position and a dilating position; and

wherein the pivoting dilator is biased in the inserting position and is pivoted by forcing the first proximal end towards the second proximal end.

16. The pivoting dilator according to claim 15, wherein the first dilator portion is directly hingedly connected to the second dilator portion.

17. The pivoting dilator according to claim 16, wherein the first dilator portion and the second dilator portion are identical.

18. The pivoting dilator according to claim 17, wherein the first proximal portion is biased away from the second proximal portion.

19. The pivoting dilator according to claim 18, the first dilator portion further comprising a first handle and the second dilator portion further comprising a second handle.

20. A pivoting dilator, having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough between the proximal end and the distal end, the pivoting dilator comprising:

a first dilator portion having a first proximal end, a first distal end and a first hinge portion disposed between the first proximal end and the first distal end;

a second dilator portion having a second proximal end, a second distal end and a second hinge portion disposed between the second proximal end and the second distal end;

wherein the first hinge portion is connected to the second hinge portion, thereby hingedly connecting the first dilator portion to the second dilator portion;

wherein each of the first dilator portion and the second dilator portion have a generally C-shaped cross section;

wherein, when the first dilator portion is hingedly connected to the second dilator portion, the pivoting dilator has a generally circular cross section, defining a generally circular passageway extending therethrough along the longitudinal axis;

wherein the longitudinal axis is disposed between the first dilator portion and the second dilator portion;

wherein the first proximal portion comprises a first handle, fixedly attached thereto;

wherein the second proximal portion comprises a second handle fixedly attached thereto; and

wherein at least one of the first proximal portion and the second proximal portion is angled away from the longitudinal axis.