Vascular Access Devices and Methods

• US 20160220790A1
• Filed: 02/02/2015
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Quick Snap Medical Supply, LLC
• Original Assignee: Quick Snap Medical Supply, LLC
• Inventors: Borowicz, Jared Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,265,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1587 suitable for being connected to an infusion line after insertion into a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1072 with a septum present in the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/065 Guide needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3243 being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612

Abstract

Some embodiments of a vascular access device are configured to reduce the likelihood of blood leakage during installation, even when the device is optionally installed using a single hand. In particular implementations, the vascular access device is configured as a peripheral intravenous (IV) device.

Claims

1. A vascular access device comprising:

a catheter assembly comprising (i) a catheter hub, (ii) a catheter tube, and (iii) a septum, the catheter tube attached to and extending from the catheter hub, the septum disposed within an interior space defined by the catheter hub;

an introducer needle assembly comprising (a) an introducer needle hub, (b) an introducer needle, and (c) a needle guard, the introducer needle attached to and extending from the introducer needle hub, the introducer needle configured to penetrate through the septum and to extend distally of a distal end of the catheter tube, wherein the introducer needle is slidably withdrawable from the septum and the catheter tube; and

a connector assembly comprising a connector body and a connector needle attached to and extending from the connector body, the connector body configured to mate with the catheter hub after withdrawal of the introducer needle assembly by pressing the connector body into engagement with the catheter hub so that the connector needle penetrates the septum.

2. The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the connector needle is configured to penetrate the septum at substantially the same location from which the introducer needle is withdrawable from the septum.

3. The vascular access device of claim 2, wherein the connector needle extends through the septum without deflecting the septum.

4. The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the connector needle is configured with a non-coring tip.

5. The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the catheter hub comprises an annular recess and the connector body comprises an annular protrusion, and wherein the annular recess and the annular protrusion have configurations that are complementary with each other.

6. The vascular access device of claim 5, wherein the connector body can snap together with the catheter hub by virtue of the annular protrusion becoming seated in the annular recess.

7. The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the catheter hub comprises two annular recesses and the connector body comprises two annular protrusions, and wherein the annular recesses and the annular protrusions have configurations that are complementary with each other.

8. The vascular access device of claim 1, wherein the catheter hub deflects as the connector body is pressed into a mated condition with the catheter hub.

9. The vascular access device of claim 8, wherein the catheter hub deflects as the connector body is pressed into the mated condition with the catheter hub because an outer diameter of the connector body including a protrusion on the connector body is larger than an inner diameter of at least a portion of the catheter hub.

10. A method of installing a vascular access device, comprising:

piercing a distal tip of an introducer needle through a skin surface and positioning the distal tip in a blood vessel while the introducer needle is slidably disposed with a lumen of a catheter assembly such that a distal tip of the catheter assembly is also positioned in the blood vessel;

withdrawing the introducer needle from the patient while leaving the catheter assembly positioned in the blood vessel, wherein the introducer needle is slidably withdrawn through a sealing septum housed within the catheter assembly such that the septum seals a blood flow path through the catheter assembly after the introducer needle disengages the septum and the catheter assembly; and

mounting a connector assembly with the catheter assembly into an operative configuration by pressing a connector body of the connector assembly into engagement with a catheter hub of the catheter assembly so that a connector needle of the connector assembly penetrates through the sealing septum previously occupied by the introducer needle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector needle extends through the septum without deflecting the septum.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method is performed using a single hand.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressing the connector body into engagement with the catheter hub comprises snapping the connector body and the catheter hub together.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector needle penetrates the sealing septum at substantially the same location from which the introducer needle is withdrawn from the sealing septum.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressing the connector body into engagement with the catheter hub snaps the connector body together with the catheter hub by virtue of an annular protrusion on the connector body that becomes seated in an annular recess of the catheter hub.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein installing the vascular access device provides peripheral intravenous access.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising infusing fluid into the blood vessel through the connector assembly and the catheter assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising infusing fluid into the blood vessel through the connector needle.

19. A vascular access device comprising:

a catheter assembly comprising (i) a catheter hub, (ii) a catheter tube, and (iii) a septum disposed within an interior space defined by the catheter hub;

an introducer needle assembly comprising an introducer needle, the introducer needle configured to penetrate through the septum and to be slidably withdrawable from the septum; and

a connector assembly comprising a connector body and a connector needle attached to and extending from the connector body, the connector body configured to mate with the catheter hub by pressing the connector body into engagement with the catheter hub so that the connector needle penetrates the septum.

20. The vascular access device of claim 19, wherein the connector needle extends through the septum without deflecting the septum.