Implantable infusion device
First Claim
1. An implantable patient access device for permitting access to an internal catheter by a flexible filament such as an external catheter, wire or optical fiber comprising:
- a housing defining an entrance orifice and a single exit orifice with said entrance orifice having a cross-sectional open area which decreases from said entrance orifice to a passageway communicating with said exit orifice, said housing causing said filament introduced into said entrance orifice to be directed to enter and pass through said passageway,at least one articulating catheter valve positioned with said housing passageway which normally remains closed to provide resistance to flow of fluids through said valve, yet opens when contacted to permit said filament to pass through said valve enabling said filament to communicate with said internal catheter through said exit orifice, andmounting means formed by said housing for enabling a fastener to affix said housing subcutaneously.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An infusion part for implantation adapted for providing repeated access to specific tissue within a patient and communicating with the tissue by an internal implanted catheter. The infusion ports according to this invention incorporate an enlarged entrance orifice with a funnel shaped internal cavity which narrows down to a reduced diameter passageway. An articulating catheter valve is provided within the passageway which normally prevents the flow of fluids through the valve but can be penetrated by an external introduced filament such as a catheter. After implantation, an external filament which is fed through an incision in the patient as is guided by the port internal cavity into registry with the catheter valve. Continued feeding of the filament causes the catheter to pass through the valves. Thereafter, when a catheter is inserted, therapeutic agents infused within the patient, or body fluids can be withdrawn. Alternate embodiments disclose means for providing a change in direction of the an introduced filament inserted through the infusion device. Additional embodiments disclose the concepts of providing a antimicrobial fluid bath within the device for prevention of infection and various approaches for securely connecting an internal catheter to an infusion port.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An implantable patient access device for permitting access to an internal catheter by a flexible filament such as an external catheter, wire or optical fiber comprising:
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a housing defining an entrance orifice and a single exit orifice with said entrance orifice having a cross-sectional open area which decreases from said entrance orifice to a passageway communicating with said exit orifice, said housing causing said filament introduced into said entrance orifice to be directed to enter and pass through said passageway, at least one articulating catheter valve positioned with said housing passageway which normally remains closed to provide resistance to flow of fluids through said valve, yet opens when contacted to permit said filament to pass through said valve enabling said filament to communicate with said internal catheter through said exit orifice, and mounting means formed by said housing for enabling a fastener to affix said housing subcutaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for permitting repeated access to preselected tissue within a patient by a filament such as an external catheter, wire or optical fiber, comprising the steps of:
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providing an implantable access device having an enlarged funnel shaped entrance orifice and a single exit orifice with an articulating catheter valve positioned between said orifices which normally resists the flow of fluids through said valve, providing an internal catheter connectable to said device exit orifice, making an incision in the patient'"'"'s skin, implanting said device subcutaneously within the patient, mounting said access device to subcutaneously patient tissue using a fastener engaging a mounting feature of said device, positioning said internal catheter to communicate from the device exit orifice to said preselected tissue, providing a flexible filament, inserting said filament through an incision and into said device entrance orifice, and feeding said filament through said articulating catheter valve, thereby providing said access to said preselected tissue. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for permitting repeated access to preselected tissue within a patient by a filament such as an external catheter, wire or optical fiber, comprising the steps of:
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providing an implantable access device having an enlarged funnel shaped entrance orifice, and an exit orifice with an articulating catheter valve positioned between said orifices which normally resists the flow of fluids through said valve, providing an internal catheter connectable to said device exit orifice, providing a skin punch having a flat elongated blade with a flange, making an incision in the patient'"'"'s skin by pushing said punch against the patient'"'"'s skin causing said blade to cut the skin and said flange limiting the depth of said incision, implanting said device subcutaneously within a patient, positioning said internal catheter to communicate from the device exit orifice to said preselected tissue, providing a flexible filament, inserting said filament through an incision and into said device entrance orifice, and feeding said filament through said articulating catheter valve, thereby providing said access to said preselected tissue.
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22. A method for permitting repeated access to preselected tissue within a patient by an external catheter, comprising the steps of:
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providing an implantable access device having an enlarged funnel shaped entrance orifice, and an exit orifice with an articulating catheter valve positioned between said orifices which normally resists the flow of fluids through said valve, providing an internal catheter connectable to said device exit orifice, making an incision in the patient'"'"'s skin, implanting said device subcutaneously within the patient, positioning said internal catheter to communicate from the device to said preselected tissue, providing a semi-rigid guide wire and inserting said wire into said external catheter to add rigidity to said external catheter to facilitate insertion of said external catheter, inserting said external catheter through said incision and into said device entrance orifice, and feeding said external catheter through said articulating catheter valve, thereby providing said access to said preselected tissue.
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Specification