Puncture needle assembly

• US 4,682,980 A
• Filed: 08/08/1986
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Terumo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Terumo Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vinyard, Sherri E.
• Application Number:
  US06/894,724
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 604/122, 604/126, 604/168, 604/411
• US Class Current: 604/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0693 Flashback chambers

Abstract

In general, the confirmation of a puncture in a blood vessel is made through a visual check of flush back of the blood from the blood vessel into a puncture needle assembly. The conventional puncture needle assembly incorporates a membrane filter permeable to air but impermeable to blood, in order to prevent the blood from flooding outside. The conventional puncture needle, however, cannot be used suitably for the puncture of a blood vessel deep in the tissue. In the puncture needle assembly of the invention, an air relief opening is formed in a portion of a puncture needle hub, catheter hub or an end plug attachable to the puncture needle hub or the catheter, hub other than the portion which constitutes a pressing surface on which the thumb of the user is placed to exert a thrust force for puncturing the tissue and the blood vessel, as in the case of ordinary syringes. The air in the puncture needle and in the puncture needle hub is relieved through the air relief opening, thus to permit smooth flush back of the blood.

Claims

1. A method for inserting a puncture needle assembly into a relatively deep blood vessel, said puncture needle assembly comprising a puncture needle having a point and being provided with a through bore, a transparent or translucent puncture needle hub fixed to the end of said puncture needle opposite to said point;

and an air vent plug adapted to be detachably connected to said puncture needle hub in a liquid-tight manner;

said air vent plug having a pressing surface at the most distal end surface thereof opposite to said puncture needle and adapted to be engaged by a hand of a user for transmitting a puncture force from a hand of a user in the axial direction of said puncture needle via said pressing surface, said pressing surface being ring-like and defining an opening which is open to the atmosphere, and said air vent plug having a side peripheral wall adjacent said pressing surface;

said air vent plug including means adapted to form, when it is connected to said puncture needle hub, a passage providing communication between said through bore of said puncture needle and the atmosphere, said passage being opened to the atmosphere through at least one side opening recessed from said pressing surface and opening into the side peripheral wall of said air vent plug, said at least one side opening being sized so as to be left uncovered by any part of the hand of the user when said puncture force is applied by said hand to said pressing surface at said distal end of the air vent plug; and

an air-permeable blood-tight member disposed in said passage at the upstream side from said at least one side opening, said through bore of said puncture needle being in communication with the atmosphere through said air-permeable blood-tight member and said at least one side opening in said air vent plug;

said method comprising the steps of;

holding said puncture needle assembly in the hand of a user;

putting a portion of the hand of the user on said pressing surface of said air vent plug;

thrusting, by the user'"'"'s hand, the puncture needle assembly via an applied thrusting force on said air vent plug in the axial direction of said puncture needle assembly to transmit a puncture force from the user'"'"'s hand to said air vent plug and hence to said puncture needle while leaving open and uncovered said at least one side opening of said air vent plug; and

directing the puncture needle of said puncture needle assembly to puncture the blood vessel responsive to said thrusting by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said portion of the hand of the user which is put on said pressing surface of said air vent plug to apply said thrusting force is the thumb of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after said puncture needle assembly punctures the blood vessel, blood is flushed back into said passage via said through bore of said puncture needle, and air in said puncture needle and in said passage is forced out by the blood flowing into said passage through said air-permeable blood-type member.

4. A puncture needle assembly for puncture into relatively deep blood vessels, comprising:

a puncture needle having a point and being provided with a through bore, a transparent or translucent puncture needle hub fixed to the end of said puncture needle opposite to said point; and

an air vent plug adapted to be detachably connected to said puncture needle hub in a liquid-tight manner,

said air vent plug having a pressing surface at the most distal end surface thereof opposite to said puncture needle and adapted to be engaged by a hand of a user for transmitting a puncture force from a hand of a user in the direction of said puncture needle via said pressing surface, said pressing surface being ring-like and defining an opening which is open to the atmosphere, and said air vent plug having a side peripheral wall adjacent said pressing surface,

said air vent plug including means adapted to form, when it is connected to said puncture needle hub, a passage providing communication between said through bore of said puncture needle and the atmosphere, said passage being opened to the atmosphere through at least one side opening recessed from said pressing surface and opening into the side peripheral wall of said air vent plug, said at least one side opening being sized so as to be left uncovered by any part of the hand of the user when said puncture force is applied by said hand to said pressing surface at said distal end of the air vent plug, and

an air-permeable blood-tight member disposed in said passage at the upstream side from said at least one side opening, said through bore of said puncture needle being in communication with the atmosphere through said air-permeable blood-tight member and said at least one side opening in said air vent plug.

5. A puncture needle assembly according to claim 4, wherein said air-permeable blood-tight member comprises a filter permeable to air but impermeable to blood.

6. A puncture needle assembly according to claim 4, wherein said air-permeable blood tight member comprises a member having at least one slit formed therein which is permeable to air but impermeable to blood.

7. A puncture needle assembly for puncture into relatively deep blood vessels, comprising:

a puncture needle having a pointed end and a through bore,

a puncture needle hub fixed to the end of said puncture needle opposite to said point,

an air vent plug adapted to be detachably connected to said puncture needle hub in a liquid-tight manner,

an outer catheter having a through bore for receiving said puncture needle therein, and

a catheter hub fixed to the proximal end of said outer catheter and attachable to said puncture needle hub,

said air vent plug having a pressing surface at the most distal end surface thereof opposite to said puncture needle hub and adapted to be engaged by a hand of a user for transmitting a puncture force from a hand of a user in the direction of said puncture needle via said pressing surface, said pressing surface being ring-like and defining an opening which is open to the atmosphere, and said air vent plug having a side peripheral wall adjacent said pressing surface,

said air vent plug including means adapted to form, when it is connected to said puncture needle hub, a passage providing communication between said through bore of said puncture needle and the atmosphere, said passage being opened to the atmosphere through at least one side opening recessed from said pressing surface and opening into the side peripheral wall of said air vent plug, said at least one side opening being sized so as to be left uncovered by any part of the hand of the user when said puncture force is applied by said hand to said pressing surface at said distal end of the air vent plug, and

an air-permeable blood-tight member disposed in said passage at the upstream side from said at least one side opening, said through bore of said puncture needle being in communication with the atmosphere through said air-permeable blood-tight member and said at least one side opening in said air vent plug.

8. A puncture needle assembly according to claim 7, wherein said air-permeable blood-tight member comprises a filter permeable to air but impermeable to blood.

9. A puncture needle assembly according to claim 7, wherein said air-permeable blood-tight member comprises a member having at least one slit formed therein which is permeable to air but impermeable to blood.