Method and apparatus for locking of central-vein catheters

• US 6,423,050 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zbylut J. Twardowski
• Original Assignee: Zbylut J. Twardowski
• Inventors: Twardowski, Zbylut J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US09/595,611
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 604/181, 604/187, 604/72, 604/68, 604/218, 604/235, 604/82, 604/90, 604/91, 604/199, 604/191, 604/264, 604/266, 604/269, 604/500, 604/36, 604/38, 604/47, 604/508, 604/890.1, 604/93.01, 604/173, 604/288-1-2, 604/523, 604/81, 604/80, 604/158, 604/163, 604/164.01, 604/164.08, 604/167.01, 604/167.06, 604/170.01, 222/129, 222/132, 222/135-138, 222/142.5, 222/142.9, 222/386, 514/21, 514/822, 424/529, 424/532, 424/409, 424/405, 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.18
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/342 Off-center needles, i.e. needle connections not being coaxial with the longitudinal symmetry axis of syringe barrel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491

Abstract

A central-vein cathether is locked by anticoagulant and bactericidal solutions separated by an air bubble. The anticoagulant is injected first, then the air bubble, and then the bactericidal solution, so that the anticoagulant is located close to the catheter tip in contact with the blood and the bacterial solution is located close to the catheter hub, where bacteria contamination is common. The air bubble prevents mixing of the solutions. A multi-chamber syringe facilitates sequential injection of the anticoagulant, air and bactericidal agent with only one connection, decreasing chances of contamination. The syringe includes internal and external coaxial barrels separated by seals, the external barrel having a discharge opening located off center in the barrel bottom, and the internal barrel having two or three chambers, each with an outlet opening. The internal barrel is rotatable relative to the external barrel to consecutively align the outlet openings with the discharge opening, allowing sequential injection of the contents. The syringe may also be used for aspiration of the locking fluid from the catheter with only one connection.

Claims

1. A method of preserving the operative condition of an implanted vascular access catheter having inner and outer ends, between the uses of gaining access to the vascular system of a patient, the method of comprising:

inserting an anticoagulant agent through the catheter outer end to drive any blood in the catheter back into the patient vascular system and to fill an inner portion of the catheter with the anticoagulant agent;

then inserting a seperating substance into the catheter to fill a central portion of the catheter; and

then inserting an antimicrobial agent into the catheter to fill an outer portion of the catheter,

the preceding insertion steps being performed without discharging the agents or the substance from the inner end of the catheter,

whereby the separating substance separates the anticoagulant agent from the antimicrobial agent.

2. The method of claim 1, which comprises the subsequent step of closing off the catheter outer end.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the agents is a liquid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the separating portion is a gas.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the gas is air.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating portion is a gas.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gas is air.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial agent is a bactericidal agent.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the bactericidal agent is acidified concentrated saline solution.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the agents and the separating substance are sequentially inserted into the catheter using a multiple-chamber syringe.

11. A method of preserving the operative condition of an implanted vascular access catheter having inner and outer ends, between uses of gaining access to the vascular system of a patient, the method comprising:

providing a syringe having plural separated chambers each having an outlet opening and a plunger and movable among injection conditions wherein the outlet openings respectively communicate with a discharge opening,

filling the chambers respectively with plural locking fluids,

connecting the discharge opening to the outer end of the catheter, and

sequentially injecting the fluids from the chambers into the catheter without discharging the fluids from the inner end of the catheter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the locking fluids include an anticoagulant agent and an antimicrobial agent.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the locking fluids include a separating substance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the syringe has two chambers.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the syringe has three chambers.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the separating substance is a gas.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the gas is air.