Catheter delivery device

Claim 2

In a medical device for injecting an elongated member into a passageway of the body of an animal or human, the device including a housing having a feeding nose portion with means for emplacing the feeding nose portion in said passageway and from which feeding nose portion said elongated member is to be ejected into said passageway after the feeding nose portion has been inserted therein, said feeding nose portion having an open-ended lumen communicating with a fluid-holding space within said housing, said housing to contain fluid to be pressurized and including means for effecting the pressurizing of said fluid so as to cause a flow of fluid through said lumen and around an elongated member therein with sufficient velocity to impel the elongated member therethrough, the improvement comprising: an elongated member contained within said housing space, said elongated member having limp and elastic consistency and extending into or in close proximity to said lumen of said feeding nose portion, said elongated member having an outside diameter at least about the size of the minimum diameter of the lumen of said feeding nose portion so as not to be freely passable through the lumen when the elongated member is in its initial state, said elongated member being sufficiently compressible that under said fluid pressurization the elongated member compresses to a size less than said minimum diameter of said lumen where fluid is forced by said pressure around the elongated member in said lumen to eject the same therefrom, and means for preventing the ejection of the rear end portion of the elongated member from said feeding nose portion lumen.

Claim 3

The medical device of claim 1 wherein the portion of the elongated member to be ejected from the lumen is at least about the size of substantially all portions of the lumen of said feeding nose portion.

Claim 4

The medical device of claim 1 wherein the lumen of said feeding nose portion has a construction therein and the portion of the elongated member to be ejected from the lumen is at least about the size of said construction but smaller than the size of the rest of the lumen.

Claim 5

The medical device of claim 1 wherein the portion of the elongated member to be ejected from the lumen is initially slightly larger than substantially all portions of the lumen of said feeding nose portion.

Claim 6

The medical device of claim 1 wherein said pressure effecting means is a manually movable means which is a part of said medical device, said elongated member being so compressible that a modest application of force applied to said movable means is sufficient to create the pressure in said housing which compresses the elongated member to a size less than said minimum diameter of the feeding nose portion lumen.

Claim 7

The medical injection device of claim 2 wherein said pressure effecting means is a manually movable means incorporated in said medical device, said elongated member being so compressible that a modest application of force applied to said movable means is sufficient to create said pressure In said housing which compresses the elongated member to a size less than said minimum diameter of the feeding nose portion lumen.

Claim 8

The medical device of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is a catheter having a passageway extending therethrough.

Claim 9

The medical device of claim 7 wherein said fluid is a sterile liquid but said housing is initially free of such liquid, there is provided connector means for filling said housing with said sterile liquid from a source of such liquid which may have only a few feet of head pressure, the rear end of said catheter is permanently completely open, and said catheter having such a length such that the resistance to liquid flow through said passageway thereof reduces the pressure therein at the points where the catheter engages the walls of said feeding nose portion lumen, so that filling said housing with said liquid at said head pressure provides sufficient pressure around the catheter at said points that the catheter will compress so said liquid and air ahead of the same pass around the catheter.

Claim 10

The medical device of claim 7 wherein said fluid is a sterile liquid but said housing is initially free of such liquid, there is provided connector means for filling said housing with said sterile liquid from a source of such liquid which may have only a few feet of head pressure, said catheter is of insufficient length that liquid flow through the same under said head pressure will cause a sufficient pressure drop at the points where the catheter engages the walls of said feeding nose portion lumen to enable said head pressure to compress the catheter to permit flow of air and fluid flow around the catheter, and there is provided catheter closure means for obstructing the open rear end of said catheter to produce said pressure drop at said points where the catheter engages the walls of the feeding nose portion lumen.

Claim 11

The medical injection device of claim 9 wherein said feeding nose portion is a cannulated needle, said means for preventing the ejection of the rear end of said catheter including an enlargement on the end thereof which is not compressible by said fluid pressurization to the degree to pass through said lumen of said needle under the fluid pressure and which becomes frictionally locked in the needle lumen when it reaches the same, the fluid pressure in the catheter then expanding the catheter outwardly to lock the same in the lumen, and said catheter closure means temporarily initially obstructs said rear open end of said catheter so that the ejection of said catheter through said feeding nose portion lumen separates the rear end of the catheter from said catheter closure means.

Claim 12

The medical device of claim 10 wherein said catheter closure means includes a portion projecting loosely within the rear end of the catheter.

Claim 13

The medical device of claim 11 wherein said device is provided with a compressible tubular extension having a passageway for making connection between an external source of liquid to constitute said fluid in said device and the interior of said housing, there being a plug-forming member snugly fitted within said passageway to close the same off from the exterior of the device, said tubular extension when pinched between the user''s fingers elongates in a given direction to separate the same from said plug-forming member at the points of elongation thereof to form clearance spaces for the passage of said liquid into said housing, and said portion projecting into said rear end of the catheter being a forwardly projecting extension on said plug-forming member.

Claim 14

The medical device of claim 4 wherein the front end of the elongated member is initially positioned immediately contiguous to the inlet end of the lumen of said feeding nose portion.

Claim 15

The medical device of claim 13 wherein the front end of said elongated member is tapered readily to be guided into said feeding nose portion lumen.

Claim 16

In a medical device for feeding a catheter into a blood vessel Or other passageway, the device comprising a housing defining a catheter holding space and including a feeding nose portion through which the catheter is to be guided into said passageway, a catheter in said space, the catheter being made of a resilient readily manually stretchable material and having an enlarged portion at the rear end portion thereof which blocks the complete passage thereof from said space so the rear end portion of the catheter cannot be ejected from the device, said enlarged portion at the rear end of the catheter being such that by manually pulling on the portion of the catheter projecting from the feeding nose portion the enlarged portion will distend to a point where the catheter slips from said space through said feeding nose portion, and a liquid-passing adapter means adapted to fit a complimentary liquid-passing connector communicating with a liquid-holding container, said adapter means having an open-ended passageway the defining walls of which are initially in spaced surrounding relation to said catheter but slidably frictionally fits around said feeding nose portion, said adapter means and catheter, on the one hand, and at least said feeding nose portion of said housing on the other hand, being manually separable after the catheter has been injected into said passageway by pulling the same relatively apart, said adapter means passageway having at least one portion within which the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter sealingly fits, the improvement comprising: pull tab means attached to said adapter means and extendable to a point beyond the end of said feeding nose portion where the pull tab means and an ejected portion of the catheter can be held together with one hand while a part of said housing is grasped with the other hand, so that by pulling one hand away from the other the adapter means and catheter can be separated from the feeding nose portion.

Claim 17

In a medical device for feeding a catheter into a blood vessel Or other passageway, the device comprising a housing defining a catheter holding space and including a feeding nose portion through which the catheter is to be guided into said passageway, a catheter in said space, the catheter being made of a resilient readily manually stretchable material and having an enlarged portion at the rear end portion thereof which blocks the complete passage thereof from said space so the rear end portion of the catheter cannot be ejected from the device, said enlarged portion at the rear end of the catheter being such that by manually pulling on the portion of the catheter projecting from the feeding nose portion the enlarged portion will distend to a point where the catheter slips from said space through said feeding nose portion, and a liquid-passing adapter means adapted to fit a complimentary liquid-passing connector communicating with a liquid-holding container, said adapter means having an open-ended passageway the defining walls of which are initially in spaced surrounding relation to said catheter but slidably frictionally fits around said feeding nose portion, said adapter means and catheter, on the one hand, and at least said feeding nose portion of said housing on the other hand, being manually separable after the catheter has been injected into said passageway by pulling the same relatively apart, said adapter means passageway having at least one portion within which the enlarged rear end portion of the catheter sealingly fits, the improvement comprising: pull tab means attached to said adapter means and extendable to a point beyond the end of said feeding nose portion where the pull tab means and an ejected portion of the catheter can be held together with one hand while a part of said housing is grasped with the other hand, so that by pulling one hand away from the other the adapter means and catheter can be separated from the feeding nose portion.

Claim 18

The medical device of claim 15 wherein said pull tab means is a flexible elongated member extendable to a point substantially beyond the end of said feeding nose portion, the initial inlet end of said adapter means is positioned forwardly of said enlargement on said catheter when the enlargement is in said locked portion in said housing, said flexible elongated pull tab member being adapted initially to be positioned against a portion of the ejected catheter at the end of the feeding nose portion where there is slack in the pull tab member and when pulled outwardly with the catheter from this point until the pull tab is taut the catheter is distended and pulled without movement of said adapter means, the slack in said pull tab member when initially positioned at the end of said feeding nose portion is such that when the catheter and adapter means are finally separated from the feeding nose portion by continuation of the pulling of said pull tab member and catheter, the catheter is at least in the vicinity of said adapter means where it quickly contracts into a position adjacent to or inside of said adapter means passageway to avoiding striking contaminated surface.

Claim 19

The medical device of claim 16 when said slack in said pull tab member is equal to the distance the catheter must be distended to finally release the rear end of the catheter for movement in said housing.

Claim 20

The medical device of claim 15 wherein the initial normal position of said adapter means and the enlarged portion of said catheter in said blocked position is such that upon pulling said pull tab member and catheter to the point where both are separated from said feeding nose portion, the rear end of the catheter is located inside of said adapter means passageway.

Claim 21

The medical device of claim 15 wherein said enlarged portion on the end of said catheter is of a size to become frictionally locked within said feeding nose portion upon catheter ejection, and said adapter means is slidably and frictionally mounted around said feeding nose portion.

Claim 22

The medical device of claim 15 wherein said Adapter means is initially mounted around said feeding nose portion and includes a main body portion made of a relatively rigid material which body portion includes a passageway which loosely surrounds the feeding nose portion, a resilient expandable sleeve anchored in the latter passageway and expanded into frictional engagement around said feeding nose portion, and the enlarged portion of said catheter being pullable into sealing relation with said sleeve when said catheter and adapter means are pulled from said feeding nose portion, the sleeve being expanded by said enlarged portion of the catheter against the defining walls of said adapter means passageway.

Claim 23

The medical device of claim 15 wherein said pull tab means has an opening at the inner end thereof which receives and surrounds said feeding nose portion at a point rearwardly of said adapter means, said housing having a portion projecting outwardly thereof behind said inner end of said pull tab means, said pull tab means being confined between the rear end of said adapter means and said enlarged portion of said housing, a forward pull on said pull tab means bringing the inner end of the pull tab means against the rear end of said adapter means to move the same forwardly along said feeding nose portion.

Claim 24

The medical device of claim 20 wherein said expandable sleeve in said adapter means passageway is anchored to said passageway by a holding member removably anchored within the rear end of said adapter means passageway which holding member includes an open ended passageway the defining walls of which initially loosely fit around said feeding nose portion and upon removal of the adapter means from the feeding nose portion receives and surrounds a portion of the catheter ejected from the device, said holding member being removable from said main body portion of the adapter means to free the rear end portion of said adapter means passageway to receive said complimentary liquid-passing connector.

Claim 25

The medical device of claim 15 wherein said adapter means has a main body portion with a relatively flat side adapted to lay against the skin where the main body portion can be immobilized thereagainst by a strip of adhesive tape applied thereover.

Claim 26

The medical device of claim 23 wherein said main body portion has outwardly extending portions providing substantial surface areas both longitudinally and transversely of the main body portion to stabilize the same when resting against a skin surface.

Claim 27

The medical device of claim 23 wherein said main body portion has outer surfaces meeting the longitudinal side margins of said flat surface at an acute angle thereby forming relatively thin longitudinal edges so adhesive tape enveloping the same makes contact with the skin adjacent the point where it makes contact with the main body portion of the adapter means.

Claim 28

In a device for feeding a catheter through a feeding nose into a blood vessel or other passageway, the device including a body from which the feeding nose extends, the body and feeding nose defining a space, a catheter in said space to be fed through the feeding nose into the passageway involved, the catheter being made of a resilient readily manually stretchable material and having an enlarged portion at the rear end portion thereof which prevents the passage thereof from said space so the rear end portion of the catheter cannot be ejected from the device, said enlarged portion at the rear end of the catheter being such a size that, by manually pulling on the portion of the catheter projecting from the feeding nose, the enlarged portion will distend to a point where the catheter slips from said space through said feeding nose, the improvement comprising a liquid-passing adapter means adapted to fit a complimentary liquid-passing connector communicating with a liquid-holding container, said liquid-passing adapter means including a main body portion made of a relatively rigid material and including a passageway the defining walls of which looSely surround said feeding nose, a resilient expandable seat-forming sleeve anchored in said passageway and frictionally engaging around said feeding nose, said adapter means and catheter, on the one hand, and at least said feeding nose, on the other hand, being manually separable after the catheter has been injected into said passageway, and said enlarged portion of said catheter being pullable into sealing relation with the interior of said sleeve when said catheter and adapter means are pulled from said feeding nose, the sleeve being sized to be expanded by the presence therein of the enlarged portion of said catheter against the defining walls of said adapter means passageway.

Claim 29

In a device for feeding a catheter through a feeding nose into a blood vessel or other passageway, the device including a body from which the feeding nose extends, the body and feeding nose defining a space, a catheter in said space to be fed through the feeding nose into the passageway involved, the catheter being made of a resilient readily manually stretchable material and having an enlarged portion at the rear end portion thereof which prevents the passage thereof from said space so the rear end portion of the catheter cannot be ejected from the device, said enlarged portion at the rear end of the catheter being such a size that, by manually pulling on the portion of the catheter projecting from the feeding nose, the enlarged portion will distend to a point where the catheter slips from said space through said feeding nose, the improvement comprising a liquid-passing adapter means adapted to fit a complimentary liquid-passing connector communicating with a liquid-holding container, said liquid-passing adapter means including a main body portion made of a relatively rigid material and including a passageway the defining walls of which looSely surround said feeding nose, a resilient expandable seat-forming sleeve anchored in said passageway and frictionally engaging around said feeding nose, said adapter means and catheter, on the one hand, and at least said feeding nose, on the other hand, being manually separable after the catheter has been injected into said passageway, and said enlarged portion of said catheter being pullable into sealing relation with the interior of said sleeve when said catheter and adapter means are pulled from said feeding nose, the sleeve being sized to be expanded by the presence therein of the enlarged portion of said catheter against the defining walls of said adapter means passageway.

Claim 30

The device of claim 26 wherein said seat-forming sleeve is anchored within said passageway of said main body portion of the adapter means by a holding member removably anchored within the rear end portion of said passageway, said holding member being made of a relatively rigid material and having an open ended passageway which is initially loosely received around the feeding nose and which when the adapter means is removed from the feeding nose, is removable from the rear end of said passageway of said main body portion of the adapter means to provide clearance for the insertion of said complimentary liquid-passing connector.