Catheter having a wing with a stiffening member therein

• US 6,719,727 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Brimhall, Greg L., Thoresen, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desanto, Matthew F
• Application Number:
  US09/865,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 604/177, 604/179, 604/165.01, 604/165.07, 604/165.03, 604/174, 604/164.04, 604/180, 604/161, 604/165.02, 604/178, 604/533, 604/538, 604/539, 604/535, 604/171, 604/175, 604/176, 604/523, 128/DIG.26
• US Class Current: 604/177
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0286 anchored in the skin by suture or other skin penetrating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle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

Abstract

A catheter assembly is disclosed having wings extending from the catheter adapter wherein each of the wings includes a stiffening member located therein. Each of the stiffening members may also define a means for maintaining the position of the stiffening members during the molding process to ensure that the stiffening member is properly located in the wing.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly, comprising:

a translucent catheter; and

a catheter adapter defining a main body portion having a translucent top portion and having at least one wing extending from a bottom portion of the catheter adapter and a stiffening member disposed in the wing, wherein the wing defines a suture hole extending through the wing and the stiffening member and wherein the stiffening member resists flexing of the wing with respect to the catheter adapter.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the stiffening member is formed from a first material and the wing is formed from a second material.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 2 wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein a first support extends upwardly from the stiffening member.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein a second support extends downwardly from the stiffening member.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the stiffening member is formed from a first material and the wing is formed from a second material.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 6 wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the suture hole extends through an end portion of the stiffening member that is remote from the main body portion of the catheter adapter.

9. A catheter assembly including:

a catheter;

a catheter adapter attached to the catheter and defining a main body portion;

a stiffening member attached to the main body portion; and

a flexible wing, separate from the stiffening member, enveloping the stiffening member wherein the stiffening member is permanently disposed within the flexible wing and the flexible wing is adapted to be bent to match the contour of the patient'"'"'s skin.

10. The catheter assembly of claim 9 wherein the flexible wing defines a suture hole extending therethrough.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 10 wherein the suture hole extends through the stiffening member.

12. The catheter assembly of claim 11 wherein the suture hole extends through an end portion of the stiffening member that is remote from the main body portion of the catheter adapter.

13. The catheter assembly of claim 9 wherein the stiffening member is formed from a first material and the flexible wing is formed from a second material, and wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

14. The catheter assembly of claim 9 further comprising a support extending from the stiffening member.

15. An assembly including:

a catheter adapter defining a main body portion;

a stiffening member attached to the main body portion; and

a flexible wing completely enveloping the stiffening member;

wherein the flexible wing is less rigid than the stiffening member and wherein the flexible wing is adapted to be bent to match the contour of the patient'"'"'s skin.

16. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising at least one radially extending support attached to the stiffening member.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the at least one radially extending support is integrally formed with the stiffening member.

18. The assembly of claim 15 in which the stiffening member is integrally formed with the main body portion of the catheter adapter.

19. A catheter assembly including:

a catheter;

a catheter adapter fixedly attached to the catheter and defining a main body portion;

a stiffening member integrally formed with the main body portion, wherein the stiffening member is made of a first material; and

a flexible wing attached to the catheter adapter and completely enveloping the stiffening member;

wherein the flexible wing is separate from the stiffening member and made of a second material that is less rigid than the first material.