Compact, easy to assemble, safety IV system

• US 5,167,635 A
• Filed: 11/27/1991
• Issued: 12/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Habley Medical Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Habley Medical Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Foster, Clark B., Smedley, William H., Haber, Terry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US07/799,346
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 604/167, 604/162, 604/164, 604/165, 604/166, 604/168, 604/169, 604/171, 604/198, 604/250, 604/263, 604/158
• US Class Current: 604/164.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1044 Verifying the connection, e.g. audible feedback, tactile feedback, visual feedback, using external light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1094 at least partly incompatible with standard connectors, e.g. to prevent fatal mistakes in connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0637 Butterfly or winged devices, e.g. for facilitating handling or for attachment to the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/283 Screw clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/286 Wedge clamps, e.g. roller clamps with inclined guides
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/288 by bending or twisting the tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1408 in parallel, e.g. manifolds, sequencing valves access sites A61M39/02; tube connectors A61M39/10

Abstract

An improved IV system comprising one or more medication bags in which fluid is packaged, a safety IV catheter assembly for delivering fluid from medication bages to the patient, and a quick-disconnect fluid coupler by which fluid tubing from respective medication bags may be quickly and efficiently connected to fluid tubing associated with the catheter assembly. Each medication bag includes an integral flow control device and drip chamber by which to accurately and selectively regulate the rate at which fluid is supplied to the catheter assembly. The catheter assembly includes a detachable and disposable safety housing into which a solid core trocar can be withdrawn and shielded after making a veni puncture through the patient'"'"'s tissue. The fluid coupler includes a pair of locking fingers that are rotated through respective locking perforations located adjacent the fluid tube to which the coupler is to be connected. A hollow fluid cannula extends from the coupler into the fluid tube so as to establish a flow path therebetween.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly to deliver fluid from a fluid source to a patient, said catheter assembly having distal and proximal ends and comprising:

trocar means located at the distal end of said catheter assembly and having a solid cross-section and a sharpened tip by which to make a veni puncture through the patient'"'"'s tissue;

a hollow cannula surrounding said trocar means and fluidically coupled to the fluid source to deliver fluid from said source to the patient after the veni puncture has been made by said trocar means;

a safety housing detachably connected at the proximal end of said catheter assembly; and

means interconnected with said trocar means to relocate said trocar means proximally relative to said cannula from the patient'"'"'s tissue to said safety housing so that said housing can be detached from said catheter assembly and discarded with said trocar means shielded therewithin to avoid accidental contact with the sharpened tip thereof.

2. The catheter assembly recited in claim 1, wherein said means to relocate said trocar means includes an elongated trocar wire connected to said trocar means and adapted to be pulled proximally to relocate said trocar means from the patient'"'"'s tissue to said detachable safety housing.

3. The catheter assembly recited in claim 2, wherein said detachable safety housing includes a channel through which said trocar wire is pulled to relocate said trocar means, said channel being aligned at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said safety housing.

4. The catheter assembly recited in claim 1, further comprising a receptacle formed at one of the proximal end of said catheter assembly or said safety housing for removably receiving the other of said proximal end or said safety housing by which said safety housing is detachably connected to said catheter assembly.

5. The catheter assembly recited in claim 1, wherein said means to relocate said trocar means includes a position control button interconnected with said trocar means and slidable proximally relative to said catheter assembly to relocate said trocar means from the patient'"'"'s tissue to said safety housing.

6. The catheter assembly recited in claim 5, further comprising a longitudinally extending track through which said position control button is moved for correspondingly relocating said trocar means from the patient'"'"'s tissue to said safety housing.

7. The catheter assembly recited in claim 1, further comprising a breakable area at which said safety housing is detachably connected to said catheter assembly, such that the application of a bending force to said safety housing will cause said safety housing to break away from said assembly at said breakable area.

8. The catheter assembly recited in claim 1, further comprising a flow path fluidically connected between said cannula and said fluid source and means by which to displace said flow path relative to said cannula so as to interrupt the fluid connection between said cannula and said source and thereby prevent blood backflash through said fluid path.

9. The catheter assembly recited in claim 8, wherein said flow path between said cannula and the fluid source is carried by said safety housing, said safety housing being rotatable relative to said cannula to displace said flow path and thereby interrupt the fluid connection between said cannula and said fluid source and prevent blood backflash through said fluid path.

16. The catheter assembly recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one slit located between said safety housing and said catheter assembly to establish a weakened area at which to permit said safety housing to be fractured and detached from said catheter assembly for disposal.

10. A catheter assembly to deliver fluid from a fluid source to a patient, said catheter assembly comprising:

hollow cannula means to penetrate the patient'"'"'s tissue;

flow path means fluidically connected between said cannula means and the fluid source so as to deliver fluid to the patient in a first direction through said flow path means; and

means by which to displace said flow path means relative to said cannula means so as to block the fluid connection between said cannula means and the fluid source and thereby prevent blood backflash from said patient in an opposite direction through said flow path means.

11. The catheter assembly recited in claim 10, wherein said flow path means is rotatable relative to said cannula means to block the fluid connection between said cannula means and the fluid source.

12. The catheter assembly recited in claim 10, further comprising:

trocar means having a sharpened tip by which to make a veni puncture through the patient'"'"'s tissue through which said cannula means is inserted;

a safety housing; and

means interconnected with said trocar means to retract said trocar means from the patient'"'"'s tissue to said safety housing at which said trocar means is shielded to prevent accidental contact with the sharpened tip thereof.

13. The catheter assembly recited in claim 12, wherein said flow path means extends through said safety housing, said safety housing being rotatable relative to said cannula means so as to thereby displace said flow path means and interrupt the fluid connection between said cannula means and the fluid source to prevent blood backflash through said flow path means.

14. The catheter assembly recited in claim 12, wherein said safety housing is detachably connected to said catheter assembly, so that said safety housing can be detached from said assembly and discarded after said trocar means has been retracted into said safety housing.

15. The catheter assembly recited in claim 14, wherein said safety housing is detachably connected to said catheter assembly at a breakable area, such that the application of a bending force to said safety housing will cause said safety housing to break away from said assembly at said breakable area.

17. A catheter assembly to deliver fluid from a fluid source to a patient, said catheter assembly having distal and proximal ends and comprising:

trocar means located at the distal end of said catheter assembly and having a sharpened tip by which to make a veni puncture through the patient'"'"'s tissue;

means fluidically coupled to the fluid source to deliver fluid from said source to the patient after the veni puncture has been made by said trocar means;

a safety housing detachably connected at the proximal end of said catheter assembly; and

an elongated wire connected at one end thereof to said trocar means and adapted to be pulled proximally so as to relocate said trocar means from the patient'"'"'s tissue to said safety housing so that said housing can be detached from said catheter assembly and discarded with said trocar means shielded therewithin to avoid accidental contact with the sharpened tip thereof.