Catheter placement unit with needle removal provision and method of use

• US 4,205,675 A
• Filed: 06/15/1978
• Issued: 06/03/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson
• Inventors: Vaillancourt, Vincent L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truluck, Dalton L.
• Application Number:
  US05/915,636
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 128/214.4, 128/221, 128/348, 128/347, 128/DIG. 16
• US Class Current: 604/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0111 Aseptic insertion devices

Abstract

A catheter placement unit for use with an introducer needle and an introducer catheter including a hollow tube and a fitting at one of its ends. The placement unit comprises a connector having an internal bore and including a male fitting member for mating with the catheter fitting to provide a connection. A protective sheath is secured to the connector and it includes a hole, closable elastic member or the like in its periphery for allowing insertion of the needle therethrough and into the bore of the connector. A length of flexible, hollow catheter tubing is movably positioned within and enclosed by the sheath.

A method of placing a catheter into a patient includes the steps of mating a connector of a catheter placement unit, substantially as described above, to a fitting on an introducer catheter. A needle is inserted through the periphery of the sheath and through the connector into the lumen of the introducer catheter so that the tip of the needle extends slightly beyond its end. The introducer catheter and needle are inserted into a patient. While leaving the introducer catheter in position in the patient, the needle is withdrawn from the unit. With the flexible hollow tubing still enclosed by the sheath, it is manipulated internally through the connector and the introducer catheter and then into the patient.

Claims

1. A catheter placement unit for use with an introducer catheter and an introducer needle, said introducer catheter including a hub with an internal tapered surface and a substantially axially extending hollow tube secured at one end to said hub, said catheter placement unit comprising:

connector means having an internal bore and a substantially axially extending tapered male portion for mating with the internal tapered surface of said hub, said male portion including an internal passage communicating with said bore;

a protective sheath having an end portion inserted into said connector means bore and secured therein on the opposite side from said male portion so that the inside space of said sheath is in communication with said bore, said connector means overlapping the inserted end portion of said sheath;

the overlapped end portion of said sheath having means in its periphery for allowing insertion of said needle therethrough and into said bore, passage and tube to provide means for venipuncture, and a length of flexible, hollow tubing movably positioned within and enclosed by said sheath, said tubing including a fitting on its end facing away from said connector means;

whereby in use, said male portion of the connector means is mated into said hub, said needle is placed through said sheath and through said bore, passage and tube so that the needle tip extends slightly beyond the distal end of said tube, and after venipuncture is made, said needle is withdrawn, and, while enclosed by said sheath, said tubing is manipulated into said connector means, and through said bore, passage and tube and into the patient.

2. A catheter placement unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheath is readily separable from its securement to said connector means.

3. A catheter placement unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said insertion means in said sheath includes a hole through said sheath, said hole adapted to allow said needle to pass therethrough.

4. A catheter placement unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said insertion means in said sheath includes a puncturable membrane on said sheath adapted to allow said needle to pass therethrough and to provide a liquid-tight seal when said needle is withdrawn.

5. A catheter placement unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said connector means includes a collar having an internal bore and a male fitting member positioned in one end of said bore so that its male fitting portion extends therefrom, said sheath secured around said bore at its other end so that said sheath and said male fitting member are substantially in axial alignment.

6. A catheter placement unit as defined in claim 5 wherein said collar and said male fitting member are separable so that said sheath is removable with said collar after said tubing is in position during use.

8. A catheter placement unit as defined in claims 1 or 7 wherein said protective sheath is flexible.

7. A catheter placement unit for use with an introducer catheter and an introducer needle, said introducer catheter including a hollow tube and a fitting at one end of said tube, said placement unit comprising:

connection means having an internal bore and including means for mating with said fitting to provide a connection, said bore adapted to be axially aligned with the lumen of said tube when said connection is made;

a protective sheath having an end portion inserted into said connection means bore and secured therein, said connection means overlapping the inserted end portion of said sheath; and

the overlapped end portion of said sheath including means in its periphery for allowing insertion of said needle therethrough and into said bore; and

a length of flexible, hollow tubing movably positioned within and enclosed by said sheath;

whereby, in use, said connection means is adapted to be connected to said fitting with said needle being insertable through said insertion means in said sheath and through said bore and said hollow tube to provide means for venipuncture, and after said needle is withdrawn, said flexible tubing, while enclosed by said sheath, is adapted to be manipulated through said bore and said hollow tube and into the patient.

9. A catheter placement unit for use with an introducer catheter and an introducer needle, said introducer catheter including a hub with an internal tapered surface and a substantially axially extending hollow tube secured at one end to said hub, said catheter placement unit comprising:

a connector including a collar having an internal bore and having a male fitting member inserted in one end of said bore so that its male fitting portion extends substantially axially therefrom for mating with the internal tapered surface of said introducer catheter hub, said male fitting member including an internal passage communicating with said bore, said fitting member being separable from said collar;

an elongated flexible sheath having an end portion inserted into said collar bore and secured therein at the end of the collar opposite from said male fitting member so that said sheath and said male fitting member are substantially in axial alignment, said collar overlapping the inserted end portion of said sheath; and

the overlapped end portion of said sheath having a hole through its periphery for allowing insertion of said needle into and through said bore, passage and tube to provide means for venipuncture; and

an elongated length of flexible, hollow tubing movably positioned within and enclosed by said sheath, said tubing including a fitting on its end facing away from said connector;

whereby said introducer catheter, needle and catheter placement unit are adapted to be in assembled condition during venipuncture, and thereafter, said needle is withdrawable, and said flexible tubing is adapted to be manipulated through said bore, passage and tube into the patient, with said collar being separable from said male fitting member to remove said sheath from said unit after said tubing is in position in the patient.

10. A catheter placement system comprising:

an introducer catheter including a hollow tube and a fitting at one of its ends;

a catheter placement unit including connection means having an internal bore and means for mating with said fitting to provide a connection, said bore being in substantial axial alignment with the lumen of said tube, said unit including a protective sheath having an end portion inserted into said connection means and secured therein, said connection means overlapping the inserted end portion of said sheath;

the overlapped end portion of said sheath having means in its periphery for allowing insertion of a needle therethrough, and a length of flexible, hollow tubing movably positioned within and enclosed by said sheath;

an introducer needle inserted through said insertion means in said sheath and through said bore and said hollow tube so that the needle tip extends slightly beyond the distal end of said tube, whereby said needle and hollow tube are insertable into a patient during use, said needle adapted to be withdrawn through said insertion means in said sheath, and said flexible tubing, while enclosed by said sheath, is adapted to be manipulated through said bore and said hollow tube and into said patient.

11. A catheter placement system as defined in claim 10 wherein said sheath is readily separable from its securement to said connection means.

12. A catheter placement system as defined in claim 10 wherein said insertion means in said sheath includes a hole therethrough.

13. A catheter placement system as defined in claim 10 wherein said protective sheath is flexible.

14. A method of placing a catheter into a patient comprising the steps of:

mating a connector of a catheter placement unit to a fitting on an introducer catheter having a hollow tube extending from said fitting, said placement unit including;

a protective sheath

having an end portion inserted into said connector and secured therein, said connector overlapping the inserted end portion of said sheath;

the overlapped end portion of said sheath having an insertion means in its periphery; and

,

a length of flexible, hollow tubing serving as a catheter movably positioned within and enclosed by said sheath;

inserting a needle through said insertion means in the periphery of said sheath and through said connector and into the lumen of said tube so that the tip of said needle extends slightly beyond the distal end of said tube;

inserting said needle and said tube into a patient;

withdrawing said needle from said unit and leaving said tube in position in said patient;

manipulating said flexible hollow tubing, while enclosed by said sheath, first into and through said connector and said hollow tube and into said patient.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 which further includes the step of removing said sheath from said unit after said flexible tubing is positioned in said patient.