Catheterization system with universal retention device and method of use

• US 5,314,411 A
• Filed: 05/03/1991
• Issued: 05/24/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Venetec International Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Steven F. Bierman
• Inventors: Bierman, Steven F., Howson, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US07/695,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 604/180, 604/179, 604/178, 604/177, 604/175, 604/905, 604/174, 128/DIG. 22
• US Class Current: 604/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/024 having a clip or clamp system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/32 Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub infusion needles A61M5/158; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body A61M5/42, A61M5/46 take precedence; guide needles for catheters A61M25/065; Devices for protection of needles apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising needles A61M5/001

Abstract

A tubular adaptor releasably interconnects a conventional IV catheter hub to fluid supply tubing. A latching clip slidably mounted on the adaptor cooperates with flange portions on the catheter to secure the interconnection between the proximal end of the catheter and the adaptor. The adaptor is snapped into a base attached to the patient'"'"'s skin by an adhesive pad. After the catheter connection is made, the adaptor, together with the clip, is rotated about 90° on the base into a low profile position, wherein the clip is close to the patient'"'"'s skin.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removably connecting together a fluid supply tube and an intravenous catheter, said apparatus comprising:

an adaptor having a tubular body with a passage extending through said body, the body having a forward end comprising a needle to engage a septum connector disposed on the catheter end, and a rear end adapted to be connected to the tubing; and

a clip slidably mounted on said adaptor for movement in a direction generally parallel to an axis through said passage, said clip including a latch adapted to cooperate with said catheter end to hold the catheter end on said forward end, said clip and said adaptor having an interengaging element to hold said latch in a manually selected position on said adaptor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adaptor additionally comprises a support arm extending outwardly from said adaptor body and a clip support element mounted on said arm, said clip is slidably mounted on said clip support element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said interengaging element includes a plurality of ratchet teeth positioned on said clip support element, and a pawl positioned on said clip and flexibly biased against and slidable over said teeth, said pawl cooperating with said teeth to hold said clip in said selected position.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said clip support element has a generally flat elongated shape and said clip comprises lugs which cooperate with edges of said clip support element to guide the movement of said clip on said clip support element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said lugs are positioned on edges of said clip and slidably fit under the edges of said clip support element.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said interengaging element includes a plurality of ratchet teeth on an upper surface of said clip support element, and said clip has a flexibly mounted pawl which cooperates with said teeth to hold the clip in said selected position.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said clip support element and said support arm are constructed in a manner to enable said clip support element, together with said clip, to be manually pivotable to move said latch away from said forward end of said adaptor so as to permit connection and disconnection between the septum connector and said forward end.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said clip support element generally has an elongated shape symmetrically connected on the outer end of said support arm, the connection between said support arm and said clip support element permitting pivoting movement of said clip support element in a manner such that depressing a rear end of said clip support element moves a forward end of said clip support element away from said adaptor body.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said clip support element includes a depending stop formed on the forward end of the clip support element, the stop being located to limit the movement of the forward end of said clip support element towards said tubular body.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising an elongated, generally semi-circular shield disposed about said needle proximate to said forward end to prevent unintentional engagement of said needle with other objects.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a needle clip removably covering said needle to prevent accidental self-injection, said needle clip having a generally semi-circular body formed by the rotation of a U-shaped cross section through approximately 90°

, and at least two edges at an open end of said needle clip, said adapter body comprising at least two grooves disposed about said forward end and adapted to engage said needle clip edges to removably secure said needle clip to said adapter body.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said needle clip edges form an annular flange circumscribing said open end and said adapter body grooves form an annular groove positioned to mate with said needle clip annular flange.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interengaging element includes ratchet teeth and a pawl adapted to cooperate with said teeth to hold said clip in said selected position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, including a base adapted to be mounted on a patient and to support said adaptor, said base and said adaptor having structure providing a releasable snap-fit engagement that permits said adaptor to be moved about an axis through said body from an operative position wherein said arm extends outwardly on a side remote from said base to a stored position wherein said arm is located close to said base.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said base includes a pair of upwardly extending legs which are spaced to define a space for receiving said adaptor body, said legs each having a detent on an upper end of said leg which extends inwardly into said space, said adaptor body having a groove on its exterior which is adapted to receive said detents, the spacing and location of said detents in relation to the diameter of said groove being such that the tubular body may be manually pressed into said space and said detents cooperate with said groove to hold the tubular body in position on said base.

16. An apparatus for removably connecting a fluid supplied tube to an intravenous catheter, said apparatus comprising:

an adaptor having a body having a forward end configured to engage an end of the catheter and a rear end configured to receive an end of the fluid supply tube, said body having longitudinal axis; and

an auxiliary connector mounted on said adaptor for securing said engagement between said forward end and said catheter end, said auxiliary connector comprising;

a support arm mounted on said adaptor;

a clip support element mounted on said support arm, said support arm being fixedly mounted to said clip support element generally transverse to a clip, said clip comprising a forward latch configured to engage the catheter end, said clip being mounted on said clip support element so as to be movable thereon such that said latch engages the catheter end, said support arm being relatively more flexible than said clip support element such that pressure applied to said auxiliary connector causes said support arm to flex, whereby said latch is moved outwardly away from the catheter connector in order to disconnect said adaptor from the catheter end.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 additionally comprising a flexible anchor pad having an self-adhesive backing, said anchor pad supporting an adaptor base comprising a pair of upstanding projections spaced apart to receive said adaptor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said forward end of said adaptor is configured to engage a luer-type connector disposed on the catheter end.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said forward end of said adaptor is configured to engage a septum connector disposed on the catheter end.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said adaptor comprises a tubular body defined between said forward end and said rearward end, said forward end comprising a needle cantilevering from said tubular body and being in fluidic communication with said tubular body, said forward end further comprising a shield disposed about said needle.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 additionally comprising a base for mounting on a patient'"'"'s skin, said base having a pair of upstanding legs spaced apart to receive said adaptor, said base legs having detents which fit within an annular groove on said adaptor to permit rotation of said adaptor about a longitudinal axis of said adaptor while remaining captured on said base.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said adaptor additionally comprises an interengaging element disposed between said clip support element and said clip to hold said clip in a manually selected positioned on said clip support element.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said interengaging element comprises a plurality of ratchet teeth and a pawl which cooperates with said teeth to hold said clip in said selected position.

24. An apparatus for removably interconnecting a fluid supply tube to an intravenous catheter, said apparatus comprising:

an adaptor having a body having a forward end configured to engage an end of the catheter and a rear end configured to engage an end of the fluid supply tube, said body having longitudinal axis; and

an auxiliary connector mounted on said adaptor for securing said engagement between said forward end and a catheter end, said auxiliary connector comprising;

a support arm mounted on said adaptor, said support arm having a width measured in a direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said adaptor; and

a clip element comprising a forward latch configured to engage the catheter end, said latch being coupled to said support arm so as to move with respect thereto such that the latch engages the catheter end, said clip element having a thickness measured in a direction generally normal to said longitudinal axis, said thickness of said clip element being larger than said width of said support arm such that said support arm is relatively more flexible than said clip element, whereby pressure applied to said auxiliary connector causes said support arm to flex to move said latch outwardly from the catheter connector in order to disconnect said adaptor from the catheter end.

25. A method of connecting a fluid supply tubing to a catheter comprising the steps of:

inserting a forward end of an adaptor into a rear end of a catheter;

engaging the catheter end with a clip which is slidably mounted on said adaptor;

sliding said clip rearwardly on said adaptor to grip the catheter end in a gripping position;

locking said clip to maintain said clip in said gripping position by means of interengaging structure; and

disconnecting said adaptor from the catheter end by deflecting a support arm supporting said clip such that a forward end of said clip is moved outwardly away from the catheter end.

26. A method of supporting and facilitating the changing of tubing connected to a catheter, comprising:

inserting a needle of a forward end of a tubular adaptor body into a septum of a catheter end having a tapering exterior decreasing in diameter in a direction remote from said adaptor, and connecting the rear end of the adaptor to a supply tubing;

engaging said septum with a slidably latch mounted on said adaptor;

sliding said latch towards said septum to- grip the catheter septum in a gripping position; and

locking said latch in said gripping position by interengaging structure on said latch and adaptor.

27. The method of claim 26, additionally comprising the steps of:

providing said latch comprising a clip having a forward latching portion engaging said catheter septum and a rear portion slidably mounting on said adaptor; and

depressing said clip rear portion about a support element on said adaptor to raise said clip forward end to release said latching portion from said catheter septum.

28. The method of claim 26, additionally comprising the steps of:

mounting said adaptor body in a base;

attaching said base to the patient'"'"'s skin; and

rotating the adaptor body from a high profile position wherein said latch extends upwardly to a low profile position wherein said latch structure lies close to the patient'"'"'s skin.