OVER-THE-NEEDLE CATHETER INSERTION DEVICE

DISPOSITIF D'INSERTION DE CATHETER SUR AIGUILLE

English Abstract

There is disclosed a catheter device of the kind referred to comprising a
needle extending from a support means, a catheter extending from a catheter
hub, means for pushing the hub over the needle to advance the catheter
forwardly from the needle and slidable along guide means having stop means at
its forward end, the means for pushing the hub having a shield at its forward
end in which the needle tip locates when the pushing means is arrested by said
stop means.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif de cathéter caractérisé par une aiguille s'étendant à partir du moyen de support, un cathéter s'étendant à partir d'une garde de cathéter, un moyen permettant de pousser la garde sur l'aiguille pour faire avancer le cathéter en avant par rapport à l'aiguille ainsi qu'un moyen guide coulissant doté d'un moyen de butée à son extrémité avant, le moyen permettant de pousser la garde étant doté d'une protection à son extrémité avant dans laquelle la point de l'aiguille vient se placer au moment où le moyens de butée arrête le moyen de poussée.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A catheter device of the kind referred to comprising a needle extending
from a support means, a catheter extending from a catheter hub, and means for
pushing
the hub over the needle from a retracted position to advance the catheter
forwardly
from the needle and slidable along guide means, the guide means extending
forwardly
of the hub when the latter is in the retracted position and having stop means
at its
forward end, and the means for pushing the hub having a shield at its forward
end in
which the needle tip is adapted to locate when the pushing means is arrested
by said
stop means.
2. A catheter device according to claim 1 wherein the support means
comprises a finger grip from which the guide means extends.
3. A catheter device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the guide means
comprises a pair of spaced parallel fingers which pass through apertures in
the means
for pushing the hub.
4. A catheter device of the kind referred to comprising a needle extending
from a support means, a catheter extending from a catheter hub, and means for
pushing
the hub over the needle to advance the catheter forwardly from the needle and
slidable
along guide means, the guide means extending forwardly of the hub and having
stop
means at its forward end, the means for pushing the hub having a shield at its
forward
end in which the needle tip is adapated to locate when the pushing means is
arrested by
said stop means and the guide means comprising a pair of spaced parallel
fingers.
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5. A catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the means
for pushing the hub is adapted to engage the guide means such that reverse
movement
can be prevented.
6. A catheter device according to claim 5 when dependent on Claim 3 or 4
wherein the fingers incorporate ramped teeth which are adapted to engage the
apertures
to prevent reverse movement of the means for pushing the hub.
7. A catheter device according to claim 3, 4 or 6 wherein the forward ends of
the fingers are upwardly bowed to tilt the shield at the end of its forward
stroke
whereby the needle tip locates behind a lip in the shield.
8. A catheter device according to claim 7 wherein the upward bow of the
forward ends of the fingers is such that when they are parallel to the skin
the needle
will be at the correct angle for penetration of a blood vessel.
9. A catheter device according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein there is a single
camped tooth behind the stop means on each finger to prevent reverse movement
of the
pushing means after its forward stroke has been completed.
10. A catheter device according to any preceding claim wherein there is an
aperture in the wall of the needle rearwardly of its tip whereby blood will be
visible
within the catheter when the needle has penetrated a blood vessel.
11. A catheter device according to any preceding claim wherein there is a
sliding fit between the pusher and needle whereby advancement of the pusher
wipes
blood from the needle into a cavity within the pusher.
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12. A catheter device according to any preceding claim wherein means is
provided for visualisation of blood flow to the vicinity of the supported end
of the
hollow needle.
13. A catheter according to any preceding claims in which the needle tip is
located forwardly of the forward end of the guide means.
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Description

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OVER-THE-NEEDLE CATHETER INSERTION DEVICE
This invention concerns a catheter device of the kind (hereinafter termed
"of the kind referred to") wherein a catheter is introduced into a blood
vessel by being
advanced over a needle which has previously penetrated the vessel. After the
catheter
is in position the needle and its support means is removed and discarded.
It is an object of the invention to provide a catheter device of the kind
referred to wherein the tip of the needle is automatically shielded at the end
of the
catheter insertion to minimise the risk of accidental needle-stick injuries
and the
attendant risk of infection of health workers with such as the hepatitis and
AIDS viruses.
According to the present invention there is provided a catheter device of the
kind referred to comprising a needle extending from a support means, a
catheter
extending from a catheter hub, means for pushing the hub over the needle to
advance the
catheter forwardly from the needle and slidable along guide means having stop
means
at its forward end, the means for pushing the hub having a shield at its
forward end in
which the needle tip locates when the pushing means is arrested by said stop
means.
The means for pushing the hub may engage the guide means such that
reverse movement is prevented.
The support means may comprise a finger grip from which the guide means
extends.
The guide means may comprise a pair of spaced parallel fingers which pass
through apertures in the means for pushing the hub.

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The fingers may incorporate ramped tooth means which engage the
apertures to prevent reverse movement of the means for pushing the hub.
The fingers may be upwardly bowed at their forward ends to tilt the shield
at the end of its forward stroke whereby the needle tip locates behind a lip
in the shield.
The invention will be further apparent from the following description with
reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by
way of
example only, two forms of catheter device embodying same.
Of the drawings :-
Figure I shows a perspective view of a first form of device at
an initial position;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 at
an intermediate position;
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the needle of the device
of Figure 1 and its support means after removal from
the catheter hub;
Figures 4 to 6 show perspective views similar to those of Figures 1
to 3, but of a second form of device;
and Figure 7 shows a cross-section through the pushing means on
the line VII-VII of Figure 6.

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Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the
first
form of catheter device comprises a finger grip 10 which mounts a forwardly
extending
hollow needle 11 which passes through a catheter 12 and catheter hub 13 from
which the
catheter 12 extends.
A hub pusher 14 having a forwardly extending cylindrical shield 15 is
slidable over the needle 11 to advance the catheter 12 and hub 13 forwardly.
Spaced parallel guide fingers 16 extend forwardly from the finger grip 10
and pass through apertures 17 in the pusher 14.
Ramped teeth 18 on the fingers 16 co-operate with the apertures 17 to
prevent reverse movement of the pusher 14.
Stops 19 at the forward ends of the fingers 16 arrest forward movement of
the pusher 14 when the hub 13 has cleared the needle 11 and in this position
the shield
15 encloses the needle tip.
In use the finger grip 10 is manipulated to introduce the tip of the needle 11
into a blood vessel. The needle 11 has an aperture in its wall behind its open
forward end
so that blood will be visible within the catheter 12 when the needle 11 has
penetrated the
vessel as an aid to correct insertion of the needle.
The pusher 14 is now moved forwardly to advance the catheter 12 into the
blood vessel.
At the forward end of the stroke the hub 13 is released from the needle and
the needle tip is enclosed by the shield 15 and remains protected since the
pusher cannot

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be retracted. The needle and all parts shown in Figure 3 are removed and
discarded
leaving the catheter and hub in position.
Referring now to Figures 4 to 7 wherein like parts are indicated by like
reference numerals it will be seen that the second form of device is of
generally similar
construction. In this embodiment the fingers 16 are upwardly bowed at their
forward
ends to cause the shield 15 to tilt at the end of its forward stroke to locate
the needle tip
behind a lip 20 at the forward end of the shield 15.
The upward bow of the forward ends of the fingers is such that when they
are parallel to the skin the needle will be at the correct angle for
penetration of a blood
vessel.
Also, in this embodiment, there is a single tooth 18 behind the stop 19 on
each finger 16.
As with the previously described embodiment there is an aperture 30 in the
needle 11 behind its tip as can be seen in Figure 7.
The clearance between the needle 11 and the rearward end of the pusher 14
on both embodiments is no more than to provide a sliding fit whereby
advancement of
the pusher 14 serves to wipe blood from the needle 11 into a cavity 40 within
the pusher
14.
It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the
above examples only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one
skilled in the
art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof as defined by
the appended
claims.

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Thus, for example, a single guide finger may be provided instead of a pair
of parallel fingers.
Each embodiment may include means for indicating that blood has reached
that end of the needle (flash back) proximate the finger grip 10. This may be
implemented by providing the finger grip 10 with a chamber (not shown) into
which the
needle opens so that blood passing along the length of the needle enters into
the chamber.
The chamber may include an observation window, or alternatively it may be
defined at
least in part by a wall composed of material which is sufficiently transparent
that blood
entering the chamber can be observed by the person carrying out the fitting of
the
catheter to a patient.

Representative Drawing