Multilumen catheter

• US 5,167,623 A
• Filed: 12/27/1990
• Issued: 12/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Kendall Company (Colgate-Palmolive Company)
• Original Assignee: The Kendall Company (Colgate-Palmolive Company)
• Inventors: Nichols, Troy, Beattie, David C., Gross, James R., Cianci, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gutowski, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/634,640
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 604/27, 604/39, 604/43, 604/93, 604/158, 604/264, 604/280, 604/283, 604/284, 604/164
• US Class Current: 604/43
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0081 Soft tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0026 Multi-lumen catheters with stationary elements catheter assemblies comprising a catheter in combination with a guide tube, sheath or sleeve A61M2025/0681; catheters comprising telescoping coaxial elements A61M2025/0175
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure

Abstract

A multilumen catheter having a distal portion with a soft tip and reduced cross-section. The multilumen catheter of the present invention includes a flexible, elongated first catheter tube and a flexible, elongated, dual-lumen catheter tube which has a first and second lumens integrally formed and is disposed within the first catheter tube. The cross-section of the dual-lumen catheter tube is smaller than that of the first catheter tube and therefore, an independent, single lumen is defined in the space between the first catheter tube and the dual-lumen catheter tube. The dual-lumen catheter tube extends beyond the distal end of the first catheter tube thereby providing an overall reduced cross-section of the distal portion of the present multilumen catheter. Furthermore, the dual-lumen catheter tube may be formed from a softer material than that of the first cathether tube thereby providing a softer distal portion of the present multilumen catheter. A protective hub encapsulates and secures the proximal ends of the first and dual-lumen catheter tubes, and facilitates fluid communication between each of the lumens and fluid transfer devices.

Claims

1. A multilumen catheter comprising:

a first catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end and an inner wall; and

a dual-lumen catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a cross-section which is smaller than the cross-section of said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube disposed within said first catheter tube with at least a portion of said outer wall of said dual lumen catheter abutting at least a portion of said inner wall of said first catheter tube thereby defining a single, independent lumen in the space between the inner wall of said first catheter tube and the outer wall of said dual-lumen catheter tube, said single, independent lumen extending throughout the length of the first catheter tube and terminating with at least one distal terminus defining at least one opening in said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube extending beyond said distal end of said first catheter tube and including first and second independent lumens integrally formed and extending throughout said dual-lumen catheter tube and each of said first and second independent lumens having a distal terminus defining an opening in said dual-lumen catheter tube,

the distal terminus of said first lumen being coextensive with the distal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube,

the distal terminus of said second lumen begin proximal to the distal terminus of said first lumen, and the distal terminus of each of the first and second independent lumens being distal to said distal terminus of said single, independent lumen.

2. The catheter of claim 1 further comprising:

extension tubing separately coupled to each of said first and second lumens at the proximal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube;

extension tubing separately coupled to said single lumen at said proximal end of said first catheter tube;

a protective hub encapsulating and securing the proximal end of said first catheter, tube, the proximal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube, and extension tubing coupling said single lumen, and said first and second lumens.

3. The catheter of claim 2 wherein said extension tubing is further configured for coupling to fluid transfer devices.

4. The catheter of claim 2 wherein said dual-lumen catheter tube extends beyond the proximal end of first catheter tube.

6. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said second lumen of said dual-lumen catheter tube is eliminated distal to said distal terminus of said second lumen.

8. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said distal terminus of said single lumen terminates coextensively with the distal end of said first catheter tube.

9. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said distal terminus of said second lumen defines a side opening proximal to the distal terminus of the first lumen of said dual-lumen catheter tube and distal to the distal terminus of the single lumen of the first catheter tube.

10. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said first catheter tube and said dual-lumen catheter tube are made from materials selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, silicone polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and nylon.

11. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said first catheter tube and said dual-lumen catheter are made from polyurethane.

5. A multilumen catheter comprising:

a first catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end and an inner wall; and

a dual-lumen catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a cross-section which is smaller than the cross-section of said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube disposed within said first catheter tube and defining a single, independent lumen in the space between the inner wall of said first catheter tube and the outer wall of said dual-lumen catheter tube, said single, independent lumen extending througout the length of the first catheter tube and terminating with at least one distal terminus defining at least one opening in said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube extending beyond said distal end of said first catheter tube and including first and second independent lumens integrally formed and extending throughout said dual-lumen catheter tube and each of said first and second independent lumens having a distal terminus defining an opening in said dual-lumen tube,

the distal terminus of said first lumen being coextensive with the distal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube,

the distal terminus of said second lumen being proximal to the distal terminus of said first lumen, and the distal terminus of each of the first and second independent lumens being distal to said distal terminus of said single independent lumen,

said distal end of said first catheter tube being tapered distal to said distal terminus of said single independent lumen.

7. A multilumen catheter comprising:

a first catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end and an inner wall; and

a dual-lumen catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a cross-section which is smaller than the cross-section of said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube disposed within said first catheter tube and defining a single, independent lumen in the space between the inner wall of said first catheter tube and the outer wall of said dual-lumen catheter tube, said single, independent lumen extending throughout the length of the first catheter tube and terminating with at least one distal terminus defining at least one opening in said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube extending beyond said distal end of said first catheter tube and including first and second independent lumens integrally formed and extending throughout said dual-lumen catheter tube and each of said first and second independent lumens having a distal terminus defining an opening in said dual-lumen tube,

the distal terminus of said first lumen being coextensive with the distal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube,

the distal terminus of said second lumen being proximal to the distal terminus of said first lumen, and the distal terminus of each of the first and second independent lumens being distal to said distal terminus of said single independent lumen,

wherein said distal terminus of said single independent lumen defines at least one side opening in said first catheter tube slightly proximal to said distal end of said first catheter tube.

12. A multilumen catheter comprising:

a first catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end and an inner wall; and

a dual-lumen catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a cross-section which is smaller than the cross-section of said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube disposed within said first catheter tube and defining a single, independent lumen in the space between the inner wall of said first catheter tube and the outer wall of said dual-lumen catheter tube, said single, independent lumen extending throughout the length of the first catheter tube and terminating with at least one distal terminus defining at least one opening in said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube extending beyond said distal end of said first cathether tube and including first and second independent lumens integrally formed and extending throughout said dual-lumen catheter tube and each of said first and second independent lumens having a distal terminus defining an opening in said dual-lumen catheter tube, the distal terminus of said first lumen being coextensive with the distal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube,

the distal terminus of said second lumen being proximal to the distal terminus of said first lumen, and the distal terminus of each of the first and second independent lumens being distal to said distal terminus of said single independent lumen,

wherein said first catheter tube and said dual-lumen catheter tube are made from materials selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, silicone polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and nylon, and

wherein said dual-lumen catheter tube is made from a material which is less rigid than the material from which the first catheter tube is made.

13. A multilumen catheter comprising:

a first catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end and an inner wall; and

a dual-lumen catheter tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a cross-section which is smaller than the cross-section of said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube disposed within said first catheter tube and defining a single, independent lumen in the space between the inner wall of said first catheter tube and the outer wall of said dual-lumen catheter tube, said single, independent lumen extending throughout the length of the first catheter tube and terminating with at least one distal terminus defining at least one opening in said first catheter tube,

said dual-lumen catheter tube extending beyond said distal end of said first catheter tube and including first and second independent lumens integrally formed and extending throughout said dual-lumen catheter tube and each of said first and second independent lumens having a distal terminus defining an opening in said dual-lumen catheter tube, the distal terminus of said first lumen being coextensive with the distal end of said dual-lumen catheter tube,

the distal terminus of said second lumen being proximal to the distal terminus of said first lumen, and the distal terminus of each of the first and second independent lumens being distal to said distal terminus of said single independent lumen,

wherein said first catheter tube and said dual-lumen catheter tube are made from polyurethane, and

wherein said dual-lumen catheter tube is made from a less rigid polyurethane than is the first catheter tube.