Low profile adaptor for use with a medical catheter

• US 6,976,980 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Weststrate, Patrice A., Churchill, William L., Brenner, Laurence D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeSanto, Matthew F.
• Application Number:
  US10/141,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20030212385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 604/104, 604/105, 604/174, 604/250, 604/264, 604/910, 604/175, 604/533, 604/535, 604/538, 604/539, 604/256, 604/246, 604/247, 604/108
• US Class Current: 604/535
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0015 Gastrostomy feeding-tubes insertion tools or methods A61B17/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0026 Parts, details or accessories for feeding-tubes external tubes from medical containers to a connector outside of the body A61M39/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0057 fixing a tube end, i.e. tube not protruding the fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/12 for joining a flexible tube to a rigid attachment

Abstract

Low profile adaptor for use with gastrostomy feeding tube. In a preferred embodiment, the adaptor comprises a disc-shaped housing, the housing being provided with a bottom opening and a side slot, the side slot having a uniform width, except for an enlarged area at one end thereof. A tube is disposed within the housing, the tube having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal bore. The first end is aligned with the bottom opening and is adapted to be inserted into the proximal end of a gastrostomy feeding tube. A ratchet-type clamp is disposed within the housing and is used to secure the gastrostomy feeding tube to the first end of the tube. A lateral slot is formed in the tube at its second end and is in fluid communication with the longitudinal bore. A dial is disposed within the housing and is rotatably mounted on the second end of the tube, the dial including a radial channel. When the outer end of the channel is aligned with the enlarged end of the side slot, the inner end of the channel is not in fluid communication with the lateral slot of the tube. When, however, the outer end of the channel is aligned with the opposite end of the slot, the inner end of the channel is in fluid communication with the lateral slot. Movement of the channel between these two positions is effected with an adaptor fitting. The adaptor fitting has a first end insertable into a food delivery tube and a second end insertable into and removable from the outer end of the channel only when the outer end of the channel is aligned with the enlarged end of the side slot.

Claims

1. An adaptor well-suited for use with a medical catheter, the medical catheter having a proximal end, said adaptor comprising:

(a) a first tube, said first tube having a first end adapted for insertion into the proximal end of a medical catheter;

(b) a second tube, said second tube having a first end and a second end, said first end being adapted for connection to the distal end of an external tube for fluid communication therewith, said second end being switchable between an open position in which said second tube is in fluid communication with said first tube and a closed position in which said second tube is not in fluid communication with said first tube; and

(c) a clamp adapted to be tightened around said first end of said first tube and the proximal end of a medical catheter inserted therebetween, wherein said clamp comprises a pair of identical clamp halves fitted together in a ratchet-type manner to jointly define a quasi-circular opening through which said first end of said first tube and the proximal end of the medical catheter may be inserted, wherein each of said identical clamp halves comprises a pair of curved inner legs and a pair of curved outer legs, one of said inner legs being bent slightly outwardly at its outer end, the other of said inner legs having a plurality of teeth formed along its outside surface, one of said outer legs having a plurality of teeth formed along its inside surface adapted to engage the teeth on the outside surface of the inner leg of the other clamp half.

2. The adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein a longitudinal groove is continuously provided along the inside surface of said inner legs and wherein an external flange is formed on said first tube proximate to said first end thereof, said external flange being receivable in said longitudinal groove of said clamp.

3. An adaptor well-suited for use with a medical catheter, the medical catheter having a proximal end, said adaptor comprising:

(a) a tube, said tube having a first end adapted for insertion into the proximal end of a medical catheter; and

(b) a clamp adapted to be tightened around said first end of said tube and the proximal end of a medical catheter inserted therebetween, said clamp comprising a pair of identical clamp halves fitted together in a ratchet-type manner to jointly define a quasi-circular opening through which said first end of said tube and the proximal end of the medical catheter may be inserted wherein each of said identical clamp halves comprises a pair of curved inner legs and a pair of curved outer legs, one of said inner legs being bent slightly outwardly at its outer end, the other of said inner legs having a plurality of teeth formed along its outside surface, one of said outer legs having a plurality of teeth formed along its inside surface adapted to engage the teeth on the outside surface of the inner leg of the other clamp half.

4. The adaptor as claimed in claim 3 wherein a longitudinal groove is continuously provided along the inside surface of said inner legs and wherein an external flange is formed on said first tube proximate to said first end thereof, said external flange being receivable in said longitudinal groove of said clamp.