Modular catheter system

• US 7,846,137 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2003
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Chong, Colin, Bikovsky, Rafael, Mounce, Ronnie Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall; Deanna K
• Application Number:
  US10/746,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20050148955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,538 Days
• Field of Search: 604/534, 604/502, 604/103.09, 604/167.06, 604/243, 604/526, 604/891.1, 604/533, 604/284
• US Class Current: 604/243
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A modular catheter system. The modular catheter system may include a first tubular member, a first catheter tubing, a second tubular member, a second catheter tubing and a plurality of concentric seals. The first catheter tubing may be disposed within an interior portion of the first tubular member while the second catheter tubing may be disposed within an interior portion of the second tubular member. The first tubular member and the second tubular member are removably attachable to each other. The plurality of concentric seals may encircling the first catheter tubing and the second catheter tubing, and the first catheter tubing and the second catheter tubing form a continuous path when the first tubular member and the second tubular member are removably attached to each other. The catheter system may also be formed as a dual lumen catheter.

Claims

1. A modular catheter system comprising:

a first tubular member comprising a first outer housing and a first header portion having a protrusion, the first tubular member having an axial dimension;

a second tubular member comprising a second outer housing and a second header portion having a recess, the second tubular member having an axial dimension, the second tubular member configured to be movable relative to the first tubular member along the axial dimension of the second tubular member to removably attach the second tubular member to the first tubular member by receiving the protrusion of the first tubular member in the recess of the second tubular member;

a first catheter tubing disposed within an interior portion of the first outer housing, the first catheter tubing defining a first linear fluid flow path extending along the axial dimension of the first tubular member; and

a second catheter tubing disposed within an interior portion of the second outer housing, the second catheter tubing defining a second linear fluid flow path extending along the axial dimension of the second tubular member;

wherein the second tubular member is configured such that a portion of the second catheter tubing extends along the axial dimension of the second tubular member into the first tubular member to position the second linear fluid flow path to be transverse to the first linear fluid flow path to form a continuous path when the second tabular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

2. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of concentric seals surrounding at least a portion of the first catheter tubing and the second catheter tubing.

3. The modular catheter system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of concentric seals is formed when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

4. The modular catheter system according to claim 1,

wherein, in a case where the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member, the second tubular member and the first tubular member are disposed at an angle relative to each other, the angle being greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees, and an end portion of the first catheter tubing defining the first linear fluid flow path and an end portion of the second catheter tubing defining the second linear fluid flow path are disposed relative to each other at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

5. The modular catheter system according to claim 4, wherein, when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member, the angle at which the second tubular member and the first tubular member are disposed relative to each other is substantially a right angle.

6. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, further comprising

a first coil surrounding at least a portion of the first catheter tubing;

and

a second coil surrounding at least a portion of the second catheter tubing,

wherein the first coil maintains a position of first catheter tubing and the second coil maintains a position of second catheter tubing.

7. The modular catheter system according to claim 6, wherein the first coil and the second coil are springs.

8. The modular catheter system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a third catheter tubing, the third catheter tubing disposed within an interior portion of the first tubular member and adjacent the first catheter tubing; and

a fourth catheter tubing, the fourth catheter tubing disposed within an interior portion of the second tubular member and adjacent the second catheter tubing,

wherein the third catheter tubing and the fourth catheter tubing form a continuous path in a case where the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

9. The modular catheter system according to claim 8, wherein the first catheter tubing is concentric with the third catheter tubing and the second catheter tubing is concentric with the fourth catheter tubing.

10. The modular catheter system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of concentric seals formed when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member encircles the third catheter tubing and the fourth catheter tubing.

11. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the first tubular member fits into the recess of the second tubular member via friction.

12. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion of the first tubular member fits into the recess of the second tubular member via compression.

13. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the first catheter tubing is a fluoropolymer.

14. The modular catheter system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of concentric seals is titanium.

15. The modular catheter system according to claim 14,

wherein the first catheter tubing is a fluoropolymer, and

wherein the at least one titanium concentric seal abuts and encircles the fluoropolymer first catheter tubing.

16. The modular catheter system according to claim 15, wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member are silicone.

17. The modular catheter system according to claim 16, wherein the silicone first tubular member and the silicone second tubular member abut and encircle at least one titanium concentric seal.

18. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, further comprising a coupling disposed at a distal end of the first tubular member,

wherein the coupling is attachable to an implantable device, and

wherein the second catheter tubing extends out of the second tubular member.

19. The modular catheter system according to claim 18, further comprising a sensor disposed within an interior portion of the second tubular member.

20. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first outer housing has an interior tubular wall that defines that outer periphery of the interior portion of the first outer housing;

the first catheter tubing has an outer wall located within the outer periphery of the interior portion of the first outer housing;

the second outer housing has an interior tubular wall that defines that outer periphery of the interior portion of the second outer housing; and

the second catheter tubing has an outer wall located within the outer periphery of the interior portion of the second outer housing.

21. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the second catheter tubing extends along and beyond the entire length of the second tubular member and into the first tubular member when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

22. The modular catheter system according to claim 4, wherein, when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member, the protrusion of the first tubular member protrudes from the first header portion along the axial dimension of the second tubular member such that the first header portion and the second tubular member are disposed at the angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees, relative to each other.

23. The modular catheter system according to claim 22, wherein, when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member, the angle at which the second tubular member and the first header portion are disposed relative to each other is substantially a right angle.

24. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the second catheter tubing extends along at least the entire length of the second tubular member and into the first tubular member when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

25. The modular catheter system according to claim 1,

wherein, when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member, the protrusion protrudes from the first tubular member generally along the axial dimension of the second tubular member into the recess of the second tubular member.

26. The modular catheter system according to claim 4, wherein, when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member, the angle at which the end portion of the first catheter tubing and the end portion of the second catheter tubing are disposed relative to each other is a right angle.

27. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the first tubular member and the second tubular member contact each other such that the first linear fluid flow path and the second linear fluid flow path meet perpendicularly to form a continuous path when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

28. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the first catheter tubing is fixed relative to the first tubular member at all times during use of the modular catheter system.

29. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the first catheter tubing is not moveable relative to the first tubular member at all times during use of the modular catheter system.

30. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the first linear fluid flow path and the second linear fluid flow path meet each other in perpendicular directions in at least one of the first tubular member and the second tubular member when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

31. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the second tubular member is configured such that a portion of the second linear fluid flow path extends along the axial dimension of the second tubular member into the first tubular member to meet the first linear fluid flow path perpendicularly, when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.

32. The modular catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the first linear fluid flow path and the second linear fluid flow path meet each other perpendicularly when the second tubular member is removably attached to the first tubular member.