Slotted regional anesthesia needle

• US 6,004,293 A
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medcare Medical Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Medcare Medical Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Bell, Craig J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/991,472
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 604/160-161, 604/272, 604/506, 604/512, 604/117
• US Class Current: 604/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3401 Puncturing needles for the peridural or subarachnoid space or the plexus, e.g. for anaesthesia local anaesthesia A61M19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/065 Guide needles

Abstract

A hypodermic needle device for administration of anesthesia to a patient'"'"'s epidural space comprising a hypodermic needle having a barrel portion with opposed distal and proximal ends, a hub assembly located at the proximal end of the barrel portion of the needle, through which instruments such as a rigid stylet, or a flexible catheter having a pre-affixed connector, may be introduced into the needle, and a slot formed axially along the length of the needle from the distal end through the hub at the proximal end of the needle. The slot has a minimum width dimension not greater than the outer diameter of a stylet or epidural catheter such that during location of the epidural space, and placement of a catheter in the epidural space, the stylet and catheter will not come out of the needle, yet the needle may be easily removed from the catheter once the catheter is in place, by pulling the catheter through the slot in the needle.

Claims

1. A method of administering anesthesia comprising:

inserting a hypodermic needle device into the epidural space of a patient, said hypodermic needle device comprising;

a hypodermic needle having a barrel portion with inner and outer walls and a distal end and an opposed proximal end;

a slot axially directed along the length of said hypodermic needle from said distal end to said opposed proximal end, said slot having a minimum width dimension said slot minimum width dimension being less than an outer diameter of a flexible epidural catheter and a hollow cannulated stylet and not less than a dimension through which said flexible epidural catheter can pass therethrough;

identifying and locating said epidural space by observing a loss of resistance using a syringe attached to a female luer fitting attached at a proximal end of said hollow, cannulated stylet positioned within said inner wall of said hypodermic needle;

removing said hollow cannulated stylet from said hypodermic needle;

introducing said flexible epidural catheter through said hypodermic needle device and into the epidural space of a patient;

withdrawing said hypodermic needle device from said patient along said catheter;

securing said flexible epidural catheter in place; and

removing said hypodermic needle device from said flexible epidural catheter by pulling said flexible epidural catheter out of said hypodermic needle device through said slot in said hypodermic needle.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said flexible epidural catheter has a catheter distal end and a catheter proximal end and wherein said hypodermic needle device further comprises a hub assembly located at said opposed proximal end having a hub slot therethrough continuous with said slot and having a hub width dimension substantially the same as said slot minimum width dimension.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said flexible epidural catheter has a pre-affixed means for removably connecting said flexible epidural catheter to a syringe attached at said proximal end, whereby said flexible epidural catheter is placed in fluid communication with a source of liquid anesthesia for administration to a patient and wherein said removing said hypodermic needle device from said flexible epidural catheter by pulling said flexible epidural catheter out of said hypodermic needle device through said slot in said hypodermic needle further comprises pulling said flexible epidural catheter through said hub slot.