Catheter tunneler

• US 20070282274A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Components, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Medical Components, Inc.
• Inventors: Chesnin, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,328,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/175
• 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 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors blunt suture needles A61B2017/06085
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320056 Tunnelers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0194 Tunnelling catheters

Abstract

A tunneler (100,800) having a shaft (102,802) with an advancement end (106) and a connection end portion (104,804) having a lumen insertion tip (108,806) that may define a locating pin. At least one lumen-gripping section (120,818) is defined on the connection end portion spaced from the lumen insertion tip (108,806). The lumen-gripping section may be a barb section having at least one discrete barb (120) with a sharp lumen-biting edge and a tapered lead-in surface (128) extending from the sharp edge toward the locating pin. The barb section (120) may have one discrete barb, or it may have an array of discrete barbs (124) disposed equiangularly around the circumference of the connection end portion, with interbarb surfaces (126) that may be flat or fluted. The barb section (620) may be semi-cylindrical in cross-section for use with catheter lumens that are semi-cylindrical or D-shaped. Also, the lumen-gripping section (818) may be an annulus having a rounded lumen-engaging surface, or may be a circumferential array of nubs having rounded lumen-engaging surfaces. The connection end portion may have a plurality of axially spaced lumen-gripping sections (220,230;818) that may have the same diameters or different maximum dimensions for use with a range of sizes of catheter lumens.

Claims

1. A tunneler for subcutaneous tunneling of a catheter, comprising:

a shaft having an advancement end and a catheter connection end, the catheter connection end having a connection end portion extending to a lumen insertion tip and having at least one lumen-gripping section about the circumference of the connection end portion near the lumen insertion tip.

2. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the connection end portion concludes in a cylindrical shaft portion of selected length concluding in a rounded lumen insertion tip.

3. The tunneler of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical shaft portion is from about 0.050 in to about 0.125 in, in length.

4. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the shaft includes a catheter abutment shoulder adjacent the connection end portion.

5. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the shaft has a diameter of from about 0.050 in to about 0.118 in.

6. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the connection end portion is affixed onto the shaft.

7. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the connection end portion is molded onto a boss of the shaft.

8. The tunneler of claim 1, comprising an integral member.

9. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the integral member is metal and the configuration of the connection end portion is defined by machining.

10. The tunneler of claim 1, wherein the at least one lumen-gripping section comprises a barb section that includes a tapered lead-in surface extending from a barb edge toward the lumen insertion tip.

11. The tunneler of claim 10, wherein the connection end portion includes more than one barb section spaced axially therealong.

12. The tunneler of claim 11, wherein the connection end portion includes two barb sections spaced axially therealong.

13. The tunneler of claim 12, wherein one of the barb sections has a maximum outer dimension larger than that of the other thereof.

14. The tunneler of claim 11, wherein the connection end portion includes four barb sections spaced axially therealong.

15. The tunneler of claim 11, wherein the connection end portion includes at least one barb section of semi-cylindrical cross-section and at least one other barb section of annular cross-section spaced from the at least one barb section.

16. The tunneler of claim 15, wherein the at least one barb section of semi-cylindrical cross-section has a selected maximum outer dimension and the at least one other barb section of circular cross-section has a selected maximum outer dimension having a greater selected maximum outer dimension.

17. The tunneler of claim 11, wherein the connection end portion includes a first barb section of semi-cylindrical cross-section of a selected maximum outer dimension and a second barb section of semi-cylindrical cross-section having a different selected maximum outer dimension.

18. The tunneler of claim 10, wherein the at least one barb section is semi-cylindrical in cross-section.