Catheter

• US 20100145187A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Smiths Medical Deutschland GmbH (ICU Medical Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Medical Deutschland GmbH (ICU Medical Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beck, Bernd, Weber, Joerg
• Application Number:
  US12/513,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20100145187A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3925 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0037 characterized by lumina being arranged side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 Magnetic means; Magnetic markers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

So that a catheter can be made visible in ultrasound images easily and with relatively little effort, and hence positional control of a catheter can be enabled with relatively little effort, an ultrasound marking recognizable in the body of a living being by means of ultrasound is provided at the distal end of a catheter, wherein the catheter has a lumen, and the ultrasound marking is arranged in the lumen near the distal end such that it is removable via a proximal end of the catheter.

Claims

1. A catheter with an ultrasound marking, which is recognizable by means of ultrasound in the body of a living being, at a distal end thereof, wherein the catheter comprises a lumen, and the ultrasound marking is arranged in the lumen near the distal end such that it is removable via a proximal end of the catheter, wherein the ultrasound marking is a tube closed at its distal end, which is introduced into the lumen.

2. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound marking is located so as to be able to extend from near the distal end through the lumen beyond the proximal end to a connection of the catheter so as to project from the connection.

3. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound marking comprises an ultrasound signal transmitter for generating and outputting an ultrasound signal.

4. The catheter according to claim 3, wherein the catheter is formed as a catheter comprising a first lumen with a lumen opening at a tip of the catheter at the distal end, and a second lumen with a lateral lumen opening arranged more proximally than the first lumen opening, wherein the ultrasound marking is arranged in a part of the second lumen located between the first lumen opening and the second lumen opening.

5. The catheter according to claim 1, which is suitable as a central venous catheter.

6. A catheter system, comprising

a catheter with a lumen;

and

an ultrasound marking insertable into the lumen of the catheter, which is recognizable in the body of a living being by means of ultrasound and is elongated so as to be able to extend from near a distal end of the catheter through the lumen beyond a proximal end of the catheter to a connection of the catheter so as to project from the connection, wherein the ultrasound marking is a tube closed at its distal end, which is insertable into the lumen.

7. A method of preparing a catheter for introducing the same, comprising:

inserting an ultrasound marking, which is recognizable in the body of a living being by means of ultrasound and is elongated so as to be able to extend from near a distal end of the catheter through the lumen beyond a proximal end of the catheter to a connection of the catheter so as to project from the connection, into the lumen to the proximity of the distal end, wherein the ultrasound marking is a tube closed at its distal end.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

packaging the catheter, with the ultrasound marking inserted, in a package.