Toggle catheter

• US 4,986,810 A
• Filed: 09/01/1989
• Issued: 01/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neal Semrad
• Original Assignee: Neal Semrad
• Inventors: Semrad, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CERMAK, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US07/402,487
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 604/93, 604/104, 604/106, 604/164, 604/174, 604/175, 604/177, 604/280, 604/264
• US Class Current: 604/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence

Abstract

An improved catheter comprising a tubular body of flexible material designed for medical use and insertion into a body cavity. The catheter includes at least one opening towards the distal end for the drainage of fluids or their introduction or for monitoring pressures from the body cavity and at least one integral, flexible wing member attached to the outer wall of the catheter and flexible to extend outward and bear against the inner wall of the body cavity to be served by the catheter. In the preferred embodiment, two oppositely located wings are formed integrally into the catheter. An insertion and withdrawal tube is dimensioned to slide over the catheter and hold the wings close against the outer wall of the catheter to facilitate introduction and removal from a body cavity. The distal end of the tube is tapered to aid in deforming the wings into the catheter aligned retracted position.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

an elongated hollow member having a distal end region including at least one inlet positioned to allow entrance of body fluids into the interior of the elongated hollow member and an outlet in a proximal end region opposite of said distal end region for draining of body fluids from a body cavity;

said inlet being located in the distal end region of said catheter;

at least one flexible, laterally extendable wind member unitary with and on the exterior of said catheter for retaining the catheter within a body cavity by extension of the wing member against the inner wall of the body cavity;

said wing member being attached to said catheter toward the distal end thereof but proximal to said inlet and foldable toward the proximal end thereof upon insertion of the catheter into the body cavity and foldable toward the distal end of said catheter upon withdrawal of the catheter from the body cavity.

2. The catheter in accordance with claim 1 including at least one additional wing member spaced radially from the first mentioned wing member and generally in the same longitudinal position with respect to the first mentioned wing member for providing a two-positioned stop for bearing against spaced areas of the wall of a body cavity into which the catheter is inserted.

3. The catheter in accordance with either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the wall of said catheter includes at least one recess for each such wing member to allow the wing member to fold generally into the catheter during insertion or withdrawal of the catheter from the body cavity.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each wing member includes an attachment portion joining the wing member to the outside wall of said catheter and wherein said catheter includes a recess in the outside wall for each wing member extending from the attachment portion of the wing member toward the distal end of said catheter.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each wing member includes an attachment portion joining the wing member to the outside wall of said catheter and wherein said catheter includes a recess in the outside wall for each wing member extending from the attachment portion of the wing member away from the distal end of the catheter.

6. The catheter tube combination in accordance with claim 1 including a placement tube dimensioned with an inside measurement corresponding substantially to the outside measurement of the catheter.

7. The catheter tube combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein said tube member includes an outer surface and an inner surface and an open distal end;

said open distal end having a taper from the outer surface toward the inner surface for aiding in folding the wing members of the catheter as the tube is inserted over the catheter.