REMOVABLE FLASH CHAMBER

• US 20120016307A1
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Burkholz, Jonathan Karl, Hoang, Minh Quang
• Granted Patent: US 8,597,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/168.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1422 provided with indicating means, e.g. for vein entry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150274 Manufacture or production processes or steps for blood sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150641 comprising means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from covering to uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15074 Needle sets comprising wings, e.g. butterfly type, for ease of handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150992 Blood sampling from a fluid line external to a patient, such as a catheter line, combined with an infusion line; blood sampling from indwelling needle sets, e.g. sealable ports, luer couplings, valves tubing connectors and couplings A61M39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1535 comprising means for indicating vein or arterial entry A61B5/1545 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0693 Flashback chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A needle hub and catheter assembly are disclosed herein. The needle hub includes an introducer needle having a lumen extending therethrough. A needle hub is coupled to a proximal end of the introducer needle. A flash chamber is removably coupled to the needle hub or the introducer needle. An interior of the flash chamber is in fluid communication with the lumen of the introducer needle when the flash chamber is coupled to the needle hub or the introducer needle. As such, the flash chamber can collect a sample of blood that can be accessed when the flash chamber is removed. In some instances, the blood can also be dispensed from the flash chamber into a test strip or other testing device.

Claims

1. A needle hub comprising:

an introducer needle having a lumen extending therethrough;

a needle hub coupled to a proximal end of the introducer needle; and

a flash chamber removably coupled to the needle hub, an interior of the flash chamber being in fluid communication with the lumen of the introducer needle when the flash chamber is coupled to the needle hub.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is compressible.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the flash chamber comprises:

a chamber body defining an internal cavity; and

an air permeable membrane coupled to the chamber body and in fluid communication with the internal cavity.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 3, wherein the internal cavity of the chamber body of the flash chamber has in an internal volume between about 0.1 mL to about 10 mL.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the flash chamber is press fit into the needle hub or introducer needle.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the flash chamber is screwed onto the needle hub.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the flash chamber is selectively coupled to the needle hub or the introducer needle via a keyed connection.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the flash chamber is selectively coupled to the needle hub or the introducer needle via a breakable connection.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the flash chamber is a breakable ampoule.

10. A catheter assembly comprising:

an introducer needle having a lumen extending therethrough;

a needle hub coupled to a proximal end of the introducer needle;

a flash chamber selectively coupled to the needle hub or the introducer needle, an interior of the flash chamber being in fluid communication with the lumen of the introducer needle when the flash chamber is coupled to the needle hub, the flash chamber having an air permeable membrane and a distal connector portion;

the chamber body defining an internal cavity, the chamber body having at least a compressible portion that decreases the internal volume of the internal cavity when compressed;

the air permeable membrane coupled to the chamber body and in fluid communication with the internal cavity; and

the distal connector portion of the chamber body for selectively coupling to the needle hub.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is compressible.

12. The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein the flash chamber has in an internal volume between about 0.1 mL to 10 mL.

13. The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein the flash chamber is press fit into the needle hub or introducer needle.

14. The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein the flash chamber is screwed onto the needle hub.

15. The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein the flash chamber is selectively coupled to the needle hub or the introducer needle via a breakable connection, the breakable connection including at least one scored line and a stress riser.

16. The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein the flash chamber is a breakable ampoule.

17. A method for providing a removable flash chamber of a catheter assembly, the method comprising:

providing a catheter assembly having a needle hub, the needle hub having an introducer needle coupled thereto;

providing an introducer needle coupled to the needle hub, the introducer needle having a lumen extending therethrough;

providing a flash chamber removably coupled to the needle hub, an interior of the flash chamber being in fluid communication with the lumen of the introducer needle when the flash chamber is coupled to the needle hub.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing at least a single compressible portion of the flash chamber for selectively ejecting blood within the flash chamber from therefrom.

19. The method of claim 18, providing an inner cavity within a body of the flash chamber having an internal volume about 0.1 mL to 10 mL.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the flash chamber has a distal connector portion, the distal connector portion having at least one of a press fit connector, screw threads, a keyed connection, and a breakable connection.