Catheter emplacement apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for inserting catheters an extended distance into a selected human vein comprising, in combination an elongated tubular plastic sheath having an external diameter small enough to be readily insertable in a selected vein and a bore having an internal diameter sufficiently large to permit a desired diameter of catheter to be readily passed through the bore of said sheath; said sheath having a distal end and a proximal end; a percutaneous needle insertable through said proximal end of said bore of said sheath to an extent that the sharpened end of said needle projects out of the distal end of said sheath, whereby penetration of a selected vein by said needle permits said distal end of sheath to be moved forwardly relative to said needle to enter the selected vein; said sheath having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending score lines, whereby the application of opposed radial forces to an end of said sheath at locations intermediate said score lines will produce a longitudinal splitting of said tubular sheath; an operating member for said sheath formed from molded plastic material; said operating member comprising a central hub portion having a bore rigidly bonded to the proximal end of said sheath and two diametrically opposed, radially projecting, manually graspable wing portions positioned intermediate said score lines in said sheath; said central hub portion defining a conical recess communicating with the proximal end of said hub bore, thereby facilitating the entry of a catheter into said sheath bore; said central hub portion having longitudinal slots respectively disposed in alignment with said score lines in said sheath essentially dividing said hub portion except for a pair of integral, diametrically opposed, thin-walled connecting webs located at the proximal end of said hub; and a pair of longitudinal score lines formed in said connecting webs and respectively aligned with said score lines in said sheath, whereby the application of opposing radial forces to said wing portions effects the shearing of said hub and said sheath along their respective longitudinal score lines to permit the removal of said catheter insertion apparatus from a catheter traversing the bore of said sheath and said central hub portion to enter the selected vein to any desired distance when said needle is removed from the bore of said sheath and said central hub portion.