Urinary catheter system with a releasable connector

• US 6,793,651 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Foss, Evelyn L., Bennett, Rita Latterman, Fangrow, Thomas F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kidwell, Michele
• Application Number:
  US09/511,555
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 604/544, 604/327-331, 604/264, 604/523, 604/257, 604/262, 604/533, 604/534, 604/535, 604/537, 604/540, 604/541, 604/538, 604/543, 604/256, 604/904, 251/149.1
• US Class Current: 604/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4405 Valves or valve arrangements specially adapted therefor A61F5/441 takes precedence; Fluid inlets or outlets A61F5/4407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24

Abstract

The urinary catheter system includes a urinary catheter, a connector and a medical implement which is readily attached to or removed from the connector. When a medical implement such as a collection appliance is attached to the connector, fluid such as urine can flow from the patent and into the collection appliance. Alternatively, when a syringe is attached to the connector, the catheter system may be irrigated to remove debris and other foreign matter, or the syringe may be used to provide medication to the patient. The system is preferably a closed system in which the connector includes a resealable valve which prevents the flow of fluid through the connector if a medical implement is not attached.

Claims

1. A urinary catheter system, comprising:

a catheter set, comprising;

(a) a urinary catheter;

(b) a connector including a wall structure defining an internal cavity, said connector having an upstream end in fluid communication with said urinary catheter, said connector having a downstream end configured to connect with an adapter and configured to mate with a syringe; and

(c) a resealable valve located in said internal cavity of said connector movable between an open position and a closed position, said resealable valve in said closed position having an outer surface substantially flush with a flat surface of the second end of the connector thereby presenting a continuous swabbable surface without substantial externally opening gaps between said resealable valve and the wall structure to provide a sterile area, said resealable valve in said closed position being adapted to prevent fluid flow in a direction from said upstream end to said downstream end and to prevent fluid flow in a direction from said downstream end to said upstream end, said resealable valve being adapted to be moved into said open position by insertion of an adapter into the downstream end of said connector, said resealable valve in said open position being adapted to allow fluid flow from the catheter into an adapter, said resealable valve being adapted to be moved into said open position by insertion of a syringe into the second end of said connector, said resealable valve in said open position being adapted to allow fluid flow from a syringe into the catheter;

a collection set adapted to be removably coupled to the catheter set, the collection set comprising;

(a) an adapter comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end configured to connect with the downstream end of the connector of the catheter set;

(b) a collection appliance in fluid communication with the downstream end of the adapter, the collection appliance comprising a chamber to receive fluid from a catheter; and

(c) a one-way valve disposed proximate the adapter in a fluid-flow path between the adapter and the collection appliance, the one-way valve configured to permit fluid flow from the adapter, through said one-way valve, and to the collection appliance, and to impede fluid flow from the collection appliance to the adapter;

wherein, upon disconnection of the catheter set from the collection set, essentially no fluid leaks out of the adapter of the collection set.

2. The urinary catheter system of claim 1, wherein said resealable valve further comprises a seal and a spike, and said seal adapted to be compressibly moved in a direction from said second end to said first end.

3. The urinary catheter system of claim 2 further comprising a syringe adapted to compressibly move said seal.

7. The urinary catheter system of claim 1 wherein the one-way valve is integral with the adapter.

4. A urinary catheter system, comprising:

a catheter set, comprising;

(a) a urinary catheter;

(b) a connector in fluid communication with the urinary catheter, the connector comprising;

a wall structure defining an internal cavity;

an upstream end attached to the urinary catheter; and

a downstream end with an opening adapted to receive a delivery end of a medical implement adapted to transfer fluid through the delivery end;

(c) a first valve located in the internal cavity of the connector, the first valve comprising;

a spike having a tip, at least one hole located at or near the tip, and a passageway in fluid communication with the hole and with the first end of the connector; and

a seal element adapted to be moved into a compressed, open position upon insertion of the medical implement into the opening of the connector, the seal element being adapted to return to a decompressed closed position upon removal of the medical implement, and in the closed position the seal element having an outer surface, the outer surface being substantially flush with a flat surface of the second end and continuously swabbable absent externally opening gaps between the seal element and the wall structure; and

a collection set comprising an adapter including an upstream end and a downstream end, the adapter in fluid communication with a one-way valve adapted to permit fluid flow from the upstream end of the adapter and then through the one-way valve to a collection appliance, the upstream end of the adapter being connectable to the downstream end of the connector and adapted to compressibly move the seal element to the compressed open position upon insertion of the upstream end of the adapter into the opening of the downstream end of the connector.

5. The urinary catheter system of claim 4 further comprising a syringe adapted to compressibly move the seal to the compressed open position upon insertion of the syringe into the opening of the connector.

6. The urinary catheter system of claim 4 further comprising:

a collection appliance to receive fluid from the catheter.

8. A urinary catheter system, comprising:

a urinary catheter;

a connector coupled to the urinary catheter, the connector comprising;

a wall structure defining an internal cavity;

an upstream end coupled to the urinary catheter;

a downstream end with an opening adapted to receive an adapter; and

a seal element located in the internal cavity of the connector, the seal element adapted to be moved into a compressed, open position upon insertion of an adapter into the opening of the connector, and the seal element being adapted to return to a decompressed closed position upon removal of the adapter; and

an adapter with an upstream end removably coupled to the downstream end of the connector, and a one-way valve in fluid communication with the adapter and in a fluid-flow path between the adapter and a collection appliance to permit fluid flow from the adapter and through the one-way valve to the collection appliance, and to impede fluid flow from the collection appliance to the adapter.

9. The urinary catheter system of claim 8 wherein the one-way valve is integral with the adapter.