Catheter placement system utilizing a handle, a sharp, and a releasable retainer mechanism providing retraction of the sharp upon disengagement of the catheter from the handle

• US 5,562,629 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CPD, LLC
• Original Assignee: Anton H. Clemens, Victor M. Haughton
• Inventors: Clemens, Anton H., Haughton, Victor M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US08/363,127
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 604/192, 604/198, 604/110, 604/263, 604/164-171, 604/158, 604/272-274, 604/900
• US Class Current: 604/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1583 Needle extractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3223 Means impeding or disabling repositioning of used needles at the syringe nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3224 Means to disalign the needle tip and syringe nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle
• 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 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3232 Semi-automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle retraction requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased retraction means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3257 Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means

Abstract

A trocar and catheter assembly for automatically disarming the trocar after placement of the catheter into a patient'"'"'s blood vessel includes a spring urging retraction of the trocar and a releasable retainer mechanism for maintaining the trocar in an extended position during insertion of the catheter into the blood vessel. The catheter is removably mounted to a handle which defines an internal passage. Disengaging the handle from the catheter after placement of the catheter into the blood vessel actuates the releasable retainer mechanism for allowing the trocar to be drawn into the handle passage under the influence of a spring, to enclose the sharpened end of the trocar after use.

Claims

1. In an intravenous catheter system including a catheter defining an internal passage and a catheter insertion member having an exposed sharpened end extending from the catheter passage when in an extended position, for use in placing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient, the improvement comprising:

an insertion device releasably connected to the catheter for manual engagement by a user for use in inserting the sharpened end of the catheter insertion member into the patient'"'"'s blood vessel to establish communication therewith by the catheter, the insertion device including structure defining an internal passage, wherein the catheter insertion member is releasably engaged with the insertion device when in its extended position so as to extend outwardly from the internal passage and through the catheter passage;

bias means interconnected between the insertion device and the catheter insertion member for urging retraction of the catheter insertion member from its extended position toward the insertion device internal passage; and

a releasable retainer mechanism interposed between the catheter and the catheter insertion member for retaining the catheter insertion member in its extended position prior to and during insertion of the catheter and the catheter insertion member sharpened end into the blood vessel, and for releasing engagement between the catheter insertion member and the insertion device in response to disengagement of the catheter from the insertion device after placement of the catheter into the blood vessel, to provide retraction of the catheter insertion member from its extended position into the insertion device passage under the influence of the bias means.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the bias means comprises a spring interconnected between the catheter insertion member and the insertion device so as to urge withdrawal of the catheter insertion member into and through the catheter passage and into the passage of the insertion device upon disengagement of the insertion device from the catheter.

3. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the insertion device comprises a handle having an internal wall defining the passage, wherein the handle defines first and second ends and wherein the handle passage opens onto the first end of the handle, and wherein the handle further includes a plug member mounted within the handle passage at the first end of the handle, the plug member defining a passage through which the catheter insertion member extends when in its extended position, and wherein the bias means is interposed between the catheter insertion member and the plug member to draw the catheter insertion member through the plug member passage and into the handle passage upon disengagement of the handle from the catheter.

4. The improvement of claim 3, wherein the catheter insertion member is mounted to a retraction head disposed within the handle passage, and wherein the bias means is interposed between the plug member and the retraction head for urging the catheter insertion member into the handle passage.

5. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the catheter includes an enlarged rear end portion defining an open outer end leading to an internal cavity, and a forward tubular end portion defining an open forward end and an internal passage extending between the internal cavity and the open forward end, and wherein the insertion device is removably engaged within the internal cavity defined by the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter.

6. The improvement of claim 5, wherein the insertion device comprises a handle having an internal wall defining the passage, the handle defining first and second ends, and wherein the handle passage opens onto the first end of the handle, wherein the handle further includes a plug member mounted at the first end of the handle and extending therefrom, wherein the plug member is removably engageable within the internal cavity defined by the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter, and wherein the releasable retainer mechanism is mounted to the plug member and interposed between the catheter insertion member and the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter, and functions to release engagement between the handle and the catheter insertion member upon removal of the plug member from the internal cavity defined by the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter.

7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein the catheter insertion member extends through a passage formed in the plug member and includes a detent disposed within the plug member passage, and wherein the releasable retainer mechanism is engaged with the catheter insertion member detent when the plug member is engaged within the internal cavity defined by the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter to retain the catheter insertion member in its extended position, and wherein the releasable retainer mechanism is disengaged from the catheter insertion member detent upon removal of the plug member from the internal cavity to provide retraction of the catheter insertion member from its extended position under the influence of the bias means.

8. The improvement of claim 7, wherein the plug member passage comprises a slot, and wherein the releasable retainer mechanism comprises a pair of retainer wings mounted within the slot and engageable between the catheter and the catheter insertion member detent when the plug member is engaged within the internal cavity defined by the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter, and wherein removal of the plug member from the internal cavity functions to release engagement of the retainer wings between the catheter and the catheter insertion member detent.

9. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the releasable retainer mechanism includes a detent associated with the catheter insertion member and a release mechanism mounted to the handle and movable between a retaining position in which the detent is engaged and a release position in which the detent is disengaged, and wherein disengagement of the catheter from the handle causes the release mechanism to move from its retaining position to its release position to disengage the detent and to enable retraction of the catheter insertion member under the influence of the bias means.

10. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the catheter is releasably connected to the insertion device by interlocking structure provided on the insertion device and on the catheter.

11. The improvement of claim 10, wherein the insertion device comprises a handle defining first and second ends and includes an internal wall defining the passage, and wherein the handle passage opens onto the first end of the handle.

12. The improvement of claim 11, wherein the interlocking structure comprises bayonet-type connection structure interposed between the catheter and the handle first end for disengaging the catheter from the handle by a rotating motion.

13. The improvement of claim 11, wherein the interlocking structure comprises a flange formed on the catheter, a recess formed at the handle first end for receiving the flange, and one or more protrusions extending inwardly into the recess for engaging the flange to retain the catheter in engagement with the handle, and wherein the flange is movable over the protrusions with a pull-off motion to disengage the catheter from the handle.

14. The improvement of claim 11, wherein the interlocking structure comprises a flange formed on the catheter and a manually actuable latch mechanism movable to a latching position for engaging the flange to retain the catheter in engagement with the handle, and a release position for disengaging the flange to disengage the catheter from the handle.

15. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the catheter includes an enlarged rear end portion defining an open rear end leading to an internal cavity, and a forward tubular end portion defining an open forward end and an internal passage extending between the internal cavity and the open forward end, and wherein the handle is removably engaged within the internal cavity defined by the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter, wherein the release mechanism includes two or more fingers resiliently movably mounted to the handle and engaged with the wall defining the internal cavity of the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter when the release mechanism is in its retaining position for engaging the detent associated with the catheter insertion member, wherein the fingers are biased toward a release position and are retained in a retaining position by engagement with the catheter wall, and wherein disengagement of the catheter from the handle results in the fingers moving to their release position to disengage the detent and enable withdrawal of the catheter insertion member under the influence of the bias means.

16. The improvement of claim 15, wherein the insertion device comprises a handle having an internal wall defining the passage, and wherein the handle defines first and second ends, wherein the handle passage opens onto the first end of the handle, and wherein the release mechanism is mounted to the handle such that the fingers extend from the handle first end.

17. The improvement of claim 16, wherein the fingers extend from a release mechanism base disposed within the handle passage and mounted to the handle.

18. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the insertion device comprises a handle having an internal wall defining the passage, wherein the handle defines first and second ends, and wherein the handle passage opens onto the first end of the handle, wherein the release mechanism includes a base mounted to the handle via an internal slot formed in the handle adjacent the handle first end.

19. The improvement of claim 18, wherein the handle includes a tapered internal wall extending inwardly to the internal slot from the handle first end, and wherein the release mechanism base is engageable with the internal slot via push-on engagement with the tapered wall.

20. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the catheter insertion member is mounted to a retraction head, wherein the bias means acts on the retraction head for urging retraction of the catheter insertion member, wherein the retraction head includes a cavity for receiving blood from the patient after the catheter insertion member is placed into the patient'"'"'s blood vessel, and wherein the insertion device and the retraction head are constructed such that the presence of blood within the cavity provides a visual indication to the operator that the catheter insertion member has been placed into the patient'"'"'s vein.

21. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the catheter insertion member comprises an elongated needle and wherein the releasable retainer mechanism includes a passage through which the needle is withdrawn under the influence of the bias means during movement into the insertion device passage, and wherein the needle is constructed and arranged such that, when the needle is withdrawn into the insertion device passage, the sharpened end of the needle is moved out of alignment with the releasable retainer mechanism passage.

22. In an intravenous catheter system including a catheter defining an internal passage and a catheter insertion member having an exposed sharpened end and extending from the catheter passage when in an extended position, for use in placing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient, a method of retracting the sharpened end of the catheter insertion member after placement of the catheter into the blood vessel, comprising the steps of:

providing an insertion device including structure defining an internal passage, wherein the catheter insertion member is associated with the insertion device;

releasably engaging the catheter with the insertion device when the catheter insertion member is in its extended position so that the catheter insertion member extends outwardly from the internal passage and through the catheter passage;

urging retraction of the catheter insertion member from its extended position into the catheter passage while maintaining the catheter insertion member in its extended position;

inserting the sharpened end of the catheter insertion member into the blood vessel to establish communication therewith via the catheter, by manual operation of the insertion device; and

manually disengaging the catheter from the insertion device after placement of the catheter into the blood vessel, in order to release maintenance of the catheter insertion device in its extended position and to retract the catheter insertion member from its extended position into the catheter passage.