Surgical needle and stylet with a guard

• US 5,147,308 A
• Filed: 01/04/1990
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew Singer
• Original Assignee: Andrew Singer
• Inventors: Singer, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gutowski, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/461,024
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 604/117, 604/162, 604/164, 604/192, 604/198, 604/263, 128/754
• US Class Current: 604/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0048 for taking amniotic fluid samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3213 Caps placed axially onto the needle, e.g. equipped with finger protection guards axially-extensible protective sleeves A61M5/3243
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

A rigid puncture-proof sterilizable shield or guard device and method of use for stylet-type stainless steel needles, functioning preferably in two ways: 1) to protect the user from inadvertent needle sticks when placing the stylet back in the needle hub, and 2) to serve as a needle depth guide insuring exact placement of the needle into the desired body space. Adjustable and fixed or nonmovable versions of the guard may be made preferably as a flared, conical member available at the hub to prevent inadvertent needle sticks.

Claims

1. Surgical needle probing and aspiration having, in combination, an outer hollow needle provided with a bore extending from a proximal hub end to a distal insertion end, an inner removable stylet extending coaxially along the bore from the hub end to the insertion end of the needle, and shielding guard means intermediately apertured to receive the needle-stylet and provided with means for positioning the same at a predetermined position along the needle below the said proximal hub end of the needle, the guard means extending laterally of the external circumferential surface of the needle and around the needle sufficiently to protect the fingers of one hand holding the needle between the guard means and the said distal intertion end of the needle from contact with the stylet during its re-insertion by the other hand, following removal, into the said hub end of the needle, and in which means is provided for varying the said position of the guard means along the needle to control or limit the depth of penetration of the needle into the body and in which said guard means comprises means converging toward the needle and there-provided with sleeve means slidable along the needle for adjusting the position of the guard means therealong, and in which said guard means is conical.

2. Surgical needle probing and aspiration apparatus having, in combination, an outer hollow needle provided with a bore extending from a proximal hub end to a distal insertion end, an inner removable stylet extending coaxially along the bore from the hub end to the insertion end of the needle, and shielding guard means intermediately apertured to receive the needle-stylet and provided with means for positioning the same at a predetermined position along the needle below the said proximal hub end of the needle, the guard means extending laterally of the external circumferential surface of the needle and around the needle sufficiently to protect the fingers of one hand holding the needle between the guard means and the said distal insertion end of the needle from contact with the stylet during its re-insertion by the other hand, following removal, into the said hub end of the needle, and in which means is provided for varying the said position of the guard means along the needle to control or limit the depth of penetration of the needle into the body and in which said guard means comprises means converging toward the needle and the re-provided with sleeve means slidable along the needle for adjusting the position of the guard means therealong and in which said sleeve means comprises a sleeve frictionally holding the same to the needle.