Epidural catheter apparatus with an inflation fitting

Claim 1

For use in conjunction with a hollow needle member insertable through a body portion of a patient into the epidural space, epidural catheter apparatus comprising: an elongated catheter structure laterally sized to be longitudinally passed entirely through the hollow needle member and including: an elongated flexible catheter body having distal and proximal end portions, an inflatable balloon element secured to and laterally circumscribing said distal end portion, first lumen means extending longitudinally through said catheter body for flowing a pressurized first fluid from a source thereof into said balloon element to inflate it after said distal end portion has been passed through the inserted needle member into the epidural space, said first lumen means having an inlet opening extending outwardly through said proximal end portion of said catheter body, and second lumen means extending longitudinally through said catheter body for flowing a second fluid from a source thereof into the epidural space through said catheter body distal end portion positioned therein, said second lumen means having an inlet opening extending outwardly through said proximal end portion of said catheter body; and inlet fitting means, removably securable over said proximal end portion of said catheter body with a selectively variable frictional retention force after the inserted needle member has been withdrawn and pulled longitudinally off said catheter body, past its proximal end portion, while said distal end portion remains in the epidural space, for defining separated outward extensions of said first and second lumen means inlet openings through which the first and second fluids may be operatively flowed into and through said first and second lumen means, said inlet fitting means including: a hollow, generally tubular body having an end opening formed therein, and first and second inlet openings formed therethrough, first and second hollow tubular resilient compression members coaxially disposed within said inlet fitting means body, rigid spacing means positioned between said compression members within the interior of said inlet fitting means body, said proximal end portion of said catheter body being sequentially insertable through said end opening, said first compression member, said spacing means and said second compression member, and cap means tightenable onto said inlet fitting means body to frictionally lock said compression members to said inlet fitting means body and to the inserted proximal end portion of said catheter body, said inlet openings of said first and second lumen means in the frictionally locked proximal end portion of said catheter body being sealingly separated within the interior of said inlet fitting means body, by said compression members, from said end opening and from one another, and respectively communicating with said first and second inlet openings in said inlet fitting means body, said inlet fitting means body having an inlet extension portion circumscribing said first inlet opening of said inlet fitting means body and having an open, threaded outer end, and said epidural catheter apparatus further comprising plunger cap means threadable onto said outer end and operative for pressurizing said first lumen means and inflating said balloon element.