Apparatus for peripheral vascular access

• US 9,775,973 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-V Access Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I-V Access Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Keyser, Stephen Richard, Miller, III, James Edgerly
• Primary Examiner(s): FLICK, JASON E
• Application Number:
  US14/062,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 6041641
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/02 characterised by a particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0625 with a permanent connection to the needle hub, e.g. a guiding rail, a locking mechanism or a guard advancement mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle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 25/0693 Flashback chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3234 Fully automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle does not require a deliberate action by the user

Abstract

This invention provides devices and methods for insertion of a catheter into a vessel. The devices include coaxial slidably mounted needle, dilator and catheter components. The methods include piercing a vessel with the needle component, dilating the pierced hole with the dilator component, retraction of the needle component, insertion of the catheter and withdrawal of the dilator.

Claims

1. A method of confirming placement of a catheter within a vessel, the method comprises:

providing a needle slidably mounted within a dilator, where the dilator is slidably mounted through the catheter and extends from a distal end of the catheter, where the needle is spring biased in a proximal direction against a retaining material to allow a piercing end of the needle to extend out of a distal end of the dilator;

advancing the piercing end of the needle through a wall of a vessel into a lumen of the vessel such that a fluid within the vessel travels through the needle to contact the retaining material causing weakening of the retaining material allowing proximal movement of the needle within the dilator such that the piercing end of the needle retracts into the dilator; and

advancing the catheter over the dilator into the vessel lumen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising advancing the dilator within the lumen of the vessel after the piercing end of the needle retracts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the dilator from within the catheter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter is advanced into the vessel lumen before removing the needle from the dilator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the piercing end of the needle retracts before the catheter is fully advanced into the vessel.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a catheter body at the proximal end of the catheter, and providing rigidity along the needle at least from the piercing end to the catheter body.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising advancing the catheter within the vessel lumen after the piercing end of the needle retracts.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein advancing the catheter over the dilator into the vessel lumen occurs prior to retracting of the piercing end of the needle into the dilator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein advancing the catheter over the dilator into the vessel lumen occurs after retracting of the piercing end of the needle into the dilator.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising trapping the fluid contacting the retaining material within a flash reservoir to prevent the fluid from leaking out of the flash reservoir.