Systems and methods for anchoring medical devices
First Claim
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1. A method of using a medical anchor system, the method comprising:
- advancing an anchor device toward a skin penetration point while the anchor device is in a folded condition so that a plurality of subcutaneous tines of the anchor device are generally adjacent to each other and oriented to extend in substantially the same direction;
inserting the subcutaneous tines through the skin penetration point and into a subcutaneous region adjacent to an underside of a skin layer while the anchor device is in the folded condition, wherein each of the subcutaneous tines has a shape which terminates at a tip of a free end during insertion through the skin penetration point;
adjusting the anchor device to a non-folded condition after the subcutaneous tines are inserted into the subcutaneous region so that the subcutaneous tines are in an anchored position in which the free ends of the subcutaneous tines extend generally away from one another; and
adhesively securing a medical instrument to the anchor device after the subcutaneous tines are adjusted to the anchored position in the subcutaneous region, wherein the adhesively securing comprises coupling one or more flexible adhesive members of the anchor device with one or more exterior surfaces of the medical instrument by folding at least one of the one or more flexible adhesive members onto itself about an adhesive member fold axis and around an exterior surface of the medical instrument.
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Abstract
Some embodiments of a medical device anchor system include an anchor device that secures a medical instrument (such as a catheter or the like) in place relative to a skin penetration point using subcutaneous anchors.
111 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of using a medical anchor system, the method comprising:
- advancing an anchor device toward a skin penetration point while the anchor device is in a folded condition so that a plurality of subcutaneous tines of the anchor device are generally adjacent to each other and oriented to extend in substantially the same direction;
inserting the subcutaneous tines through the skin penetration point and into a subcutaneous region adjacent to an underside of a skin layer while the anchor device is in the folded condition, wherein each of the subcutaneous tines has a shape which terminates at a tip of a free end during insertion through the skin penetration point;
adjusting the anchor device to a non-folded condition after the subcutaneous tines are inserted into the subcutaneous region so that the subcutaneous tines are in an anchored position in which the free ends of the subcutaneous tines extend generally away from one another; and
adhesively securing a medical instrument to the anchor device after the subcutaneous tines are adjusted to the anchored position in the subcutaneous region, wherein the adhesively securing comprises coupling one or more flexible adhesive members of the anchor device with one or more exterior surfaces of the medical instrument by folding at least one of the one or more flexible adhesive members onto itself about an adhesive member fold axis and around an exterior surface of the medical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- advancing an anchor device toward a skin penetration point while the anchor device is in a folded condition so that a plurality of subcutaneous tines of the anchor device are generally adjacent to each other and oriented to extend in substantially the same direction;
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14. A method of using a medical anchor system, the method comprising:
advancing an anchor device toward a skin penetration point while the anchor device is in a folded condition so that a plurality of subcutaneous tines of the anchor device are generally adjacent to each other and oriented to extend in substantially the same direction, the anchor device comprising a retainer body having a first body portion that is coupled to a second body portion about a longitudinal fold region having a longitudinal fold axis;
inserting the subcutaneous tines through the skin penetration point and into a subcutaneous region adjacent to an underside of a skin layer while the anchor device is in the folded condition, wherein each of the subcutaneous tines has a shape which terminates at a tip of a free end during insertion through the skin penetration point;
adjusting the anchor device along the longitudinal fold axis of the longitudinal fold region to a non-folded condition after the subcutaneous tines are inserted into the subcutaneous region so that the subcutaneous tines are in an anchored position in which the free ends of the subcutaneous tines extend generally away from one another; and
adhesively securing a medical instrument to the anchor device after the subcutaneous tines are adjusted to the anchored position in the subcutaneous region by coupling a flexible adhesive strip of the anchor device with one or more exterior surfaces of the medical instrument;
wherein coupling the flexible adhesive strip of the anchor device with one or more exterior surfaces of the medical instrument comprises folding the flexible adhesive strip about an adhesive strip fold axis that is substantially parallel to and offset from the longitudinal fold axis of the longitudinal fold region.- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of using a medical anchor system, the method comprising:
advancing an anchor device toward a skin penetration point while the anchor device is in a folded condition so that a plurality of subcutaneous tines of the anchor device are generally adjacent to each other and oriented to extend in substantially the same direction;
inserting the subcutaneous tines through the skin penetration point and into a subcutaneous region adjacent to an underside of a skin layer while the anchor device is in the folded condition, wherein each of the subcutaneous tines has a shape which terminates at a tip of a free end during insertion through the skin penetration point;
adjusting the anchor device to a non-folded condition after the subcutaneous tines are inserted into the subcutaneous region so that the subcutaneous tines are in an anchored position in which the free ends of the subcutaneous tines extend generally away from one another; and
adhesively securing a medical instrument to the anchor device after the subcutaneous tines are adjusted to the anchored position in the subcutaneous region, wherein the adhesively securing comprises coupling one or more flexible adhesive members of the anchor device with one or more exterior surfaces of the medical instrument;
wherein adjusting the anchor device to a non- folded condition comprises adjusting the anchor device along a longitudinal folding region positioned generally centrally between a first body portion of the anchor device and a second body portion of the anchor device;
wherein a longitudinal fold axis is defined along the longitudinal folding region, the first body portion movable relative to the second body portion about the longitudinal fold axis to adjust the anchor device to the non-folded condition;
wherein the one or more flexible adhesive members comprises a flexible adhesive strip; and
wherein coupling the one or more flexible adhesive members of the anchor device with one or more exterior surfaces of the medical instrument comprises folding the flexible adhesive strip about an adhesive strip fold axis that is substantially parallel to and offset from the longitudinal fold axis.- View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
Specification