Intravascular multi-lumen catheter, capable of being implanted by "tunnelling"

Claim 1

Intravascular catheter comprising a multi-aperture pipe intended for perfusion of medicines which are mutually incompatible in pure state and for carrying out several different functions, wherein, in order to permit implantation of said catheter by means of a "tunnelling" method, the multi-aperture pipe (1) forms only a distal part of said catheter, which also comprises: parallel side-by-side tubes (2a, 2b) that are separate from each other and are equal in number to the apertures of said multi-aperture pipe, and which extend back from said pipe to form a middle part (2) of said catheter capable of being passed under skin to carry out tunnelling, a single-aperture pipe (3) forming a proximal end of the catheter, which terminates in a rigid needle (4) suitable for carrying out tunnelling, two connectors (5 and 6) which serve respectively to join each aperture (1a, 1b) of the multi-aperture pipe (1) to one of the separate tubes (2a or 2b) of the middle part (2), and to connect opposite ends of these tubes (2a, 2b) to an adjacent end of the single-aperture pipe (3), each of these connectors being made up of a body made of plastic and moulded onto ends of the pipes (1, 3) and middle part (2) to be joined, each said connector having a tapered outer contour that provides a smooth transition between said connectors and said pipes and tubes.