Catheter

Claim 1

An indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising a catheter tube of synthetic material, the catheter tube comprising a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and wall means defining a plurality of independently usable lumens extending substantially the entire length of the catheter tube, the lumen-defining wall means being internally located at the distal end portion, the distal end portion comprising externally exposed covering means which surrounds the internal lumen defining wall means, the exposed covering means having a substantially smooth uniform exterior surface without traverse protrusion terminating in a closed distal tip; characterised by a plurality of spaced normally sealed selectively operable laterally disposed three position influent and effluent flow control means, each flow control means being integrally disposed within the exposed covering means in superposition over the distal end of each lumen for selective influent and effluent flow into and out of the associated lumen means through the covering means in opposed directions essentially normal to the axis of the catheter tube, each influent and effluent flow control means comprising linear slit means extending essentially parallel to but offset from the axis of the catheter tube, each slit means being defined by opposed aligned abutting normally sealed contiguously tight parallel wall edge means, the slit edge means respectively being integral with oppositely disposed slit wall segments forming a continuation of the covering means, at least one of the slit wall segments comprising double acting hinge means by which said slit wall segment is flexed in either direction responsive to predetermined liquid pressure differentials to thereby relatively rotate the slit wall edge means away from each other into an open spaced relationship; whereby by controlling the liquid pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the indwelling distal end portion of the catheter tube the user can selectively place any desired slit means in any one of three positions comprising (a) a normally closed normally sealed position with the slit edge means disposed in opposed aligned abutting normally sealed tight contiguous relation, (b) an outwardly flexed open condition where the at least one slit wall means is pivoted about the associated integral hinge means to place the wall edge means in an outwardly flexed open position to accommodate effluent liquid discharge therethrough solely from the associated lumen means to the body cavity in which the distal end portion of the catheter tube is disposed, and (c) an inwardly flexed open condition where the at least one slit wall means is pivoted about the associated integral hinge means to place the port wall edge means in an inwardly flexed open condition to accommodate influent blood flow across the slit valve means from the body cavity in which the distal end portion of the catheter tube is disposed solely into the associated lumen means, the slit valve means automatically returning to position (a) due to the memory of the material from which it is formed when said pressure differential falls below a predetermined amount.

Claim 19

A method of using an indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising the steps of: providing a catheter tube having a distal end portion comprising exterior distal end covering means and wall means at the distal end within the covering means defining at least in part a plurality of internal independently operable lumens, the distal end of each lumen essentially laterally interfacing with the distal end covering means, the covering means being characterised at each lumen interface by flow control means, a proximal end portion comprising exterior proximal end covering means terminating in a single hub at the trailing end thereof, the portion of the catheter tube between the distal end covering means and the proximal end covering means being sheathless and comprising separate exposed transversely severable wall means defining each lumen; placing the distal end portion of the catheter tube within the body cavity of a medical patient; unitarily manipulating the proximal end of the catheter tube to a desired exposed site on the patient; transversely severing the separate lumen-­defining wall means; discarding the severed distal end portion of the catheter tube; attaching a proximal connector to each lumen-defining wall means; selectively causing influent or effluent liquid flow independently along at least one lumen across the associated port means and across the associated proximal connector.

Claim 20

A method of using an indwelling multi-lumen catheter comprising the steps of: providing a catheter tube having a distal end portion comprising exterior distal end covering means and wall means at the distal end within the covering means defining at least in part a plurality of internal independently operable lumens, the distal end of each lumen essentially laterally interfacing with the distal end covering means, the covering means being characterised at each lumen interface by flow control means, a proximal end portion comprising exterior proximal end covering means terminating in a single hub at the trailing end thereof, the portion of the catheter tube between the distal end covering means and the proximal end covering means being sheathless and comprising separate exposed transversely severable wall means defining each lumen; placing the distal end portion of the catheter tube within the body cavity of a medical patient; unitarily manipulating the proximal end of the catheter tube to a desired exposed site on the patient; transversely severing the separate lumen-­defining wall means; discarding the severed distal end portion of the catheter tube; attaching a proximal connector to each lumen-defining wall means; selectively causing influent or effluent liquid flow independently along at least one lumen across the associated port means and across the associated proximal connector.