Slotted catheter guide for perpendicular insertion into a cranium orifice

• US 7,033,367 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neurodynamics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neurodynamics Incorporated
• Inventors: Ghajar, Jamshid, Ghahremani, Fathali
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US10/135,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/129, 606/96, 606/102, 606/185, 606/130, 128/DIG.26, 600/424, 600/434, 600/585, 604/19, 604/158, 604/160, 604/164.01, 604/171, 604/198, 604/264, 604/523, 604/533, 408/72.R, 408/72.B, 30286-295, 248/163.1, 248/432, 248/176.1, 248/186.1, 248/346.01, 248/346.05, 248/351
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1695 Trepans or craniotomes, i.e. specially adapted for drilling thin bones such as the skull
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/26 Cannula supporters

Abstract

A catheter guide for controlling an angle of entry of a catheter into a human cranium at an angle of 90 degrees to the surface and allowing for easy removable of the catheter guide from the catheter after use. A tubular member defines a catheter guide lumen to permit the passage therethrough of a catheter. A base supports the tubular member. In a two piece assembly, the tubular member may have a fracture line allowing the catheter guide to be separated from the catheter. In an integrated, break-away assembly, the catheter guide may be broken apart to allow for the removal of the catheter guide from the catheter. Alternatively, in an integrated assembly or in a two piece assembly, the catheter guide may be removed from a catheter through a slot in the catheter guide.

Claims

1. A catheter guide for controlling an angle of entry of a catheter into a cranium and allowing for ease in removal of the catheter guide from the catheter, said catheter guide comprising a non-deformable tubular member defining a central lumen to permit the passage there through of a catheter, wherein said tubular member has a catheter guide slot along its entire length contiguous with said central lumen, and said catheter guide further comprises a base, said base defining a central lumen for holding the tubular member, whereby the tubular member may be removably inserted in said base, said base has a base slot that may be aligned with the catheter guide slot, whereby said catheter guide may be removed from the catheter through the catheter guide slot, and wherein said base defines a triangle lying within a defined plane, such that when said base and said tubular member are connected and said catheter guide is placed on said cranium, the plane of said triangle is parallel to a plane tangent to said cranium below said tubular member, such that when the tubular member is inserted into said base, said tubular member is in a direction perpendicular to said defined plane and wherein said catheter guide directs an angle of entry of the catheter as substantially 90 degrees into the cranium.

2. A catheter guide, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular member has a platform, whereby the tubular member is prevented from further descending into the central lumen of said base.

3. A catheter guide, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular member has a grip, whereby a user may hold the tubular member.

4. A catheter guide, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base has a protrusion and said tubular member defines a space for mating with said protrusion whereby said base may be snapped together to said tubular member.

5. A catheter guide, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base has a cone-shaped support.

6. A catheter guide, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the triangle is equilateral.

7. A catheter guide for controlling an angle of entry of a catheter into a cranium and allowing for ease in removal of the catheter guide from the catheter, said catheter guide comprising a non-deformable tubular member defining a central lumen to permit the passage there through of a catheter, wherein said tubular member has a catheter guide slot along its entire length contiguous with said central lumen, and said catheter guide further comprises a base, said base defining a central lumen for holding the tubular member, whereby the tubular member may be removably inserted in said base, said base has a base slot that may be aligned with the catheter guide slot, whereby said catheter guide may be removed from the catheter through the catheter guide slot, said base has three and only three legs extending therefrom in diverging manner, and said legs define a triangle lying within a defined plane, such that when said base and said tubular member are connected and said catheter guide is placed on said cranium, the plane of said triangle is parallel to a plane tangent to said cranium below said tubular member, such that when the tubular member is inserted into said base, said tubular member is in a direction perpendicular to said defined plane and wherein said catheter guide directs an angle of entry of the catheter as substantially 90 degrees into the cranium.