Hypodermic needle having a differential surface finish

Claim 2

A hypodermic needle comprising: an elongate hollow tube with a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub attached to said proximal end to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device, said distal end including a point; and said tube having an outside surface with a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein said proximal portion has a lubricative coating thereon, said distal portion having a higher coefficient of sliding friction with a patient's tissue than said proximal portion.

Claim 3

The needle of claim 1 wherein said distal portion comprises between about one percent to about forty percent of said outside surface of said tube.

Claim 4

A hypodermic needle comprising: an elongate hollow tube with a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub attached to said proximal end to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device, said distal end having a sharp point for facilitating penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue; and said tube having an outside surface with a lubricated proximal portion and an unlubricated distal portion, said unlubricated distal portion enabling a practitioner to discriminate said needle's penetration of structures in the patient's tissue and said lubricated portion reducing a drag force for passage of said proximal portion through the structures already penetrated.

Claim 5

A hypodermic needle comprising: an elongate hollow tube with a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub attached to said proximal end to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device, said distal end having a sharp point for facilitating penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue; and said tube having an outside surface with a lubricated proximal portion and an unlubricated distal portion, said unlubricated distal portion enabling a practitioner to discriminate said needle's penetration of structures in the patient's tissue and said lubricated portion reducing a drag force for passage of said proximal portion through the structures already penetrated.

Claim 6

The needle of claim 3 wherein said distal portion comprises between about one percent to about forty percent of said outside surface of said tube.

Claim 7

The needle of claim 3 wherein said distal portion comprises about ten percent of said outside surface of said tube.

Claim 8

The needle of claim 3 wherein said needle is an epidural needle having a length between about five to about twenty centimeters.

Claim 9

The needle of claim 6 wherein said distal point comprises an oval opening to said bore formed in said tube at an angle to a longitudinal axis of said elongate tube so that said tube forms a sharp distal point.

Claim 10

The needle of claim 3 wherein said needle has an outside diameter between about 0.7 mm to about 1.5 mm.

Claim 11

The needle of claim 3 wherein said outside surface of said tube further includes a plurality of markings for indicating the depth of penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue.

Claim 12

The needle of claim 3 wherein said lubricated portion has a coating comprising a material that reduces the coefficient of sliding friction between the surface of the needle and a patient's tissue below the coefficient of sliding friction between the surface of the unlubricated portion of the needle and the patient's tissue.

Claim 13

The needle of claim 10 wherein said coating of said lubricated portion comprises organic silicone.

Claim 14

The needle of claim 10 wherein said coating of said lubricated portion comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 15

The needle of claim 12 wherein said coating of said lubricated portion comprising polytetrafluoroethylene is between about 0.5 microns to about 3 microns thick.

Claim 16

A hypodermic epidural needle comprising: an elongate hollow tube having an outside surface and a longitudinal axis, said tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub fixedly attached to said proximal end of said tube to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device, said distal end having a substantially oval opening into said bore at an angle to said axis to form a sharp point for facilitating penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue; and said tube outside surface having a lubricated proximal portion and an unlubricated distal portion, wherein said distal portion comprises between about one to about forty percent of said outside surface, said unlubricated distal portion enabling a practitioner to discriminate the needle's penetration of structures in the patient's tissue and said lubricated portion substantially reducing a drag force for passage of said proximal portion through the structures already penetrated.

Claim 17

A hypodermic epidural needle comprising: an elongate hollow tube having an outside surface and a longitudinal axis, said tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub fixedly attached to said proximal end of said tube to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device, said distal end having a substantially oval opening into said bore at an angle to said axis to form a sharp point for facilitating penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue; and said tube outside surface having a lubricated proximal portion and an unlubricated distal portion, wherein said distal portion comprises between about one to about forty percent of said outside surface, said unlubricated distal portion enabling a practitioner to discriminate the needle's penetration of structures in the patient's tissue and said lubricated portion substantially reducing a drag force for passage of said proximal portion through the structures already penetrated.

Claim 18

The epidural needle of claim 14 wherein said outside surface of said tube further includes a plurality of markings for indicating the depth of penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue.

Claim 19

The epidural needle of claim 15 wherein said hub further includes a removable flange for facilitating the practitioner's advancement of said needle into the patient's tissue, said flange being substantially normal to said axis of said needle.

Claim 20

The epidural needle of claim 15 further including a removable stylet to occlude said bore.

Claim 21

The epidural needle of claim 15 including a shield to cover said distal point, said epidural needle placed in a package formed from materials substantially resistant to the passage of microorganisms and exposed to conditions capable of rendering any microorganisms therein substantially nonviable.

Claim 22

A packaged epidural needle assembly comprising: an elongate hollow tube having an outside surface with a plurality of markings for indicating the depth of penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue and a longitudinal axis, said tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub fixedly attached to said proximal end of said tube to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device; a removable flange for facilitating the practitioner's advancement of said needle into the patient's tissue, said flange being positioned on said hub substantially normal to said axis of said tube, said distal end having a substantially oval opening into said bore at an angle to said axis to form a sharp point for facilitating penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue; a removable stylet positioned within said bore to occlude said bore; a shield positioned over said tube to cover said distal point, said tube outside surface having a lubricated proximal portion and an unlubricated distal portion, wherein said distal portion comprises between about one to about forty percent of said outside surface, said unlubricated distal portion enabling a practitioner to discriminate the needle's penetration of structures in the patient's tissue and said lubricated portion substantially reducing a drag force for passage of said proximal portion through the structures already penetrated; and a sealed package formed from materials substantially resistant to the passage of microorganisms having said epidural needle assembly therein.

Claim 23

A packaged epidural needle assembly comprising: an elongate hollow tube having an outside surface with a plurality of markings for indicating the depth of penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue and a longitudinal axis, said tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; a hub fixedly attached to said proximal end of said tube to releasably connect said needle to a fluid handling device; a removable flange for facilitating the practitioner's advancement of said needle into the patient's tissue, said flange being positioned on said hub substantially normal to said axis of said tube, said distal end having a substantially oval opening into said bore at an angle to said axis to form a sharp point for facilitating penetration of said needle into a patient's tissue; a removable stylet positioned within said bore to occlude said bore; a shield positioned over said tube to cover said distal point, said tube outside surface having a lubricated proximal portion and an unlubricated distal portion, wherein said distal portion comprises between about one to about forty percent of said outside surface, said unlubricated distal portion enabling a practitioner to discriminate the needle's penetration of structures in the patient's tissue and said lubricated portion substantially reducing a drag force for passage of said proximal portion through the structures already penetrated; and a sealed package formed from materials substantially resistant to the passage of microorganisms having said epidural needle assembly therein.