EP1385565A1

EP1385565A1 - Protection device for cannulae

Info

Publication number: EP1385565A1
Application number: EP02740305A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Herwig Fischer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-05
Filing date: 2002-05-01
Publication date: 2004-02-04
Also published as: DE10121949A1; US7160271B2; US20040133170A1; WO2002089877A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a protection device for cannulae (12), comprising a cone-shaped insert element (16) on one end thereof, which is inserted into a cone-shaped insert of a corresponding syringe (10, 11) whereon a sleeve-type partial element (14,17) is fixed. Said element can be guided to an end position as a result of the tension load, whereby the sleeve-type element covers the whole the tip of the cannula in a peripheral manner.

Description

description

Protection device for cannulas

The invention relates to a protective device for cannulas with an end-side conical attachment, which can be attached to a correspondingly adapted conical attachment of a syringe.

For the injection of active substances, syringes are used which uniformly have a plunger which is guided in a cylinder, the front end face of which has a centrally or laterally arranged conical attachment, over which the inner cone of a push-on attachment, in which a metallic cannula is held, can be pushed. Such syringes are widely used as so-called disposable syringes, which are disposed of after their intended use.

The cannulas with an attachment piece, which are welded in sterile packaging, are usually secured by a protective cap, which is a quiver-shaped sleeve that is open on one side, the inner jacket of which is designed towards the open end so that it can be slid over the outer jacket of the conical plug-on attachment , The doctor and the medical auxiliary personnel are thus protected when the cannula is removed and when the cannula attachment piece is placed on the cylinder attachment. Only after the conical attachment attachment is attached to the attachment of the syringe is the protective cap removed, after which an active ingredient to be injected can be applied and then administered subcutaneously, intravenously or intramuscularly, or the patient's own fluid, usually blood, is removed from the patient using the syringe. In order to protect against puncture injuries after use, the cap is often put back onto the front end of the cannula, after which the plug-on attachment of the cannula is detached from the syringe barrel and the cannula covered by the protective cap is disposed of. The protective cap is made of plastic and is designed so that it does not buckle or release the tip of the cannula even under high loads can. However, due to the small inner diameter of the protective cap, there is a risk that the ground end of the cannula will be passed sideways, whereby there is a considerable risk of injury with a high risk of infection.

It is not uncommon for the medical staff to be under a lot of time pressure and are busy treating the patient, so that the syringe is put aside after use. The used syringe lies unprotected on the table and is often thrown into the trash can with an "open needle". If the garbage can is emptied by the cleaning staff, the needle drills easily through the plastic garbage bag and causes injuries, which the cleaning staff in particular cannot protect against, since the syringes or cannulas are not visible from the outside.

To remedy this situation, a protective sleeve for the cannula of a syringe has been proposed in DE 39 04 559 A1, which consists of two pivotable jaw parts which can be locked together and are intended to enclose the syringe needle in a tubular cavity. The cheek parts should be hinged to a syringe barrel, a special adapter or the base of a specially designed syringe needle. Unfortunately, this solution is technically complex and - especially in relation to the other manufacturing costs - expensive. In addition, the handling is relatively complex since the half-shell-shaped jaw parts have to be locked together.

For hypodermic syringes, the proposal has therefore been made to couple the cannula to the piston pushed forward and then to pull the cannula into the interior of the empty cylinder. However, this requires complicated coupling mechanisms that not only make the end product considerably more expensive, but also make the syringes more difficult to use after use, but at least require special care and skill when coupling the cannula attachment to the piston. Furthermore, it has been proposed to arrange a longitudinally axially displaceable sleeve around the syringe barrel, which can be moved forward and locked after use of the syringe, so that the ground cannula end is covered all around. The disadvantage of this construction is that the diameter of the cylinder has to be increased (by twice the sleeve wall thickness), the conical attachment on the cylinder can no longer be positioned at the outermost end edge, and accidental insertion of a finger into the sleeve cannot be avoided. Such an embodiment is also expensive not only because of the considerable material requirement, but in particular because of the locking mechanism.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a protective device of the type mentioned at the outset which is sufficiently safe, simple to use and inexpensive to manufacture.

This object is achieved by the protective device according to claim 1, which is characterized in that a sleeve-shaped section is fastened to the push-on attachment, which can be guided for tensile loading into an end position in which the sleeve-shaped section covers the cannula tip all around. By attaching the sleeve-shaped section to the push-on attachment, the smallest possible diameter is initially ensured, which avoids large-volume front openings. The additional material requirement is relatively small. In addition, non-distracting traction aids can be attached to the aforementioned sleeve-shaped section, which can be gripped at a safe distance from the sharp, sharpened cannula tip without the risk of injury.

Developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

Thus, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sleeve-shaped section is connected to the conical attachment attachment via a predetermined breaking point. The predetermined breaking point consists of a thin-walled ring piece as Lanyard between the conical attachment and the sleeve-shaped section. As an alternative to this, the sleeve-shaped section can also be pushed onto the push-on attachment, so that it can be removed after the frictional force has been overcome. This can be ensured, for example, by means of a mutual frictional conical surface system. It is crucial that the sleeve-shaped section does not interfere with the injection or removal of the body's own fluids and that a sufficient cannula length is left free from the ground tip. After loosening the frictional connection or opening the predetermined breaking point, the sleeve-shaped section is pulled "to the front" in order to securely cover the tip.

A holding means is preferably fastened between the sleeve-shaped section and the push-on attachment, which in particular can be a thread or a cord, the length of which corresponds approximately to the distance by which the sleeve-shaped section can be moved away from the push-on attachment into the end position. The maximum possible elongation of the thread thus serves as a stop with which the sleeve-shaped section is brought into the desired position.

In order to protect the ground cannula tip when it is removed from the packaging until it is pushed onto the conical neck of a syringe, a sleeve-shaped protective cap is used which has lateral slots of a width extending from its open push-on end, which allow the holding means to be passed through. If, for example, two cords fastened diametrically opposite one another are used, the slots of the protective cap are also arranged diametrically opposite one another, so that the cords can be carried out here. In principle, one holding means, ie a thread or a cord, would suffice, but two holding means create increased safety, in which the breaking of a thread is taken into account. Since the push-on attachment acts less stably against lateral bending loads in the case of two (or more) slots, the push-on attachment preferably has at least two external tongues which can be inserted into correspondingly designed pockets arranged on the protective cap at the open end.

According to an alternative solution, the sleeve-shaped section is firmly connected to the push-on attachment and can be flexibly extended inelastically in such a way that the tip of the cannula, which is exposed briefly before and after the intended use, after the body's own liquid has been removed or after the active substance has been injected through the sleeve-shaped one Section can be covered all around. For example, the sleeve-shaped section can be designed as a bellows over at least a portion of its length and thus provide the necessary extension. However, the sleeve-shaped section can also be designed as a small-diameter, extendable telescope. The sleeve-shaped section is preferably flexible and consists of a material that is stable enough to effectively prevent piercing with the needle. If the sleeve-shaped section is pulled over the tip of the cannula, the flexible design leads to a slight deflection from the longitudinal axis, so that the ground end of the cannula, in particular the very sharp tip, bores into the plastic inner jacket of the sleeve-shaped section and thus the section slides back. where the tip would be released is effectively prevented. In order to effectively shield the ground cannula tip from the intended use of the syringe, a sleeve-shaped protective cap is provided for the cannula, which can be plugged onto the free end of the sleeve-shaped section, for example by creating a conical jacket connection.

Preferably, the sleeve-shaped section has tentacle-like extensions which, in the original state, ie before the intended use of the cannula approximately at the level of the exposed cannula tip, preferably projecting slightly beyond the cannula tip, and which are designed as actuating means for applying the tensile load. This can be plastic cords or act as flat profile extensions, which are elastic or flexible, but flexible, so that they do not hinder the actual injection or blood collection process. These tentacle-like extensions represent a handling aid that must be used. After inserting the syringe into the vein, artery or even intramuscularly, a swab is usually used before the puncture wound is taped off, which is then applied to the puncture site by the doctor or medical assistant (nurse, nurse, etc.) by pulling out the cannula. By placing the swab on, however, the tentacle-like extensions there are grasped, so that when the syringe is moved away, the sleeve-shaped section is inevitably pulled over the tip of the cannula. At this point, the tentacle-like extensions have served their purpose. The strength of the tentacle-like extensions or their tensile strength does not have to be too great, since they only have to transmit the tensile load to slip over the sleeve-shaped section along the cannula. The tentacle-shaped extensions are arranged relative to the cannula tip, for example at a distance of 5 mm, so that these extensions (left and / or right) are grasped when a swab is placed on the puncture site.

In order to ensure that the ground plane of the cannula always lies in the desired direction, the push-on attachment and the syringe attachment are rotationally asymmetrical.

The sleeve-shaped section preferably has tongue-shaped spring elements fastened on one side in the inner jacket, which can be sunk into pockets when the section is moved into the end position covering the cannula tip, but form a blocking resistance when the section is moved in the opposite direction. Such "barbs" are known, for example, on the outer surface of dowels for receiving screws. In the present case, however, the spring elements are not effective radially outwards, but radially inwards. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the sleeve-shaped section has annular niches at its end in the inner jacket, into which the cannula tip is inserted when the sleeve-shaped section is returned and thus inhibits a further returning movement.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. Show it

1 and 2 each show a first embodiment of the invention before and after the intended use of the syringe in a partially cut, perspective view,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another invention

embodiment,

4 shows a detailed view of a conical attachment with a sleeve-shaped section, a holding means and tentacle-like extensions,

5 is a perspective view of a protective cap,

6 shows a detailed view A corresponding to FIG. 3,

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view through a sleeve-shaped section

barb

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view through a sleeve-shaped section with an inner circumferential recess.

The syringe shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of a cylinder 10, a piston 11, which on the end face has a cone-shaped projection eccentrically arranged here, onto which a corresponding cone-shaped attachment projection 16 is pushed is in which a cannula 12 is embedded. According to the invention, a sleeve-shaped section designed as a bellows 14 is attached to the plug-on attachment 16, on the front side of which tentacle-like extensions 15 are fastened, which extend parallel to the cannula 12 and protrude beyond it, in the case shown, by a short piece at the end. The cannula tip and the parts not covered are covered by a sleeve-shaped protective cap 13, which is pushed with its open end onto a correspondingly designed cylinder or cone surface of the sleeve-shaped section 14. The cannula is thus covered along its full length. As a rule, the cannula with push-on attachment 16 and protective cap 12 and bellows 14 is packed separately from the cylinder 10 with piston 11. After removal of parts 10 and 11 on the one hand and 12 to 16 on the other hand, the conical plug-on attachment is pushed onto the conical attachment on the syringe, so that the cannula is connected to the cylinder 10. The protective cap 13 is now pulled off, so that the cannula tip is exposed. After the medicament to be injected has been drawn up via the cannula 12, the medicament is injected subcutaneously, intravenously or intramuscularly. In this case, the tentacle-shaped extensions 15 bend slightly to the side on the skin and do not impede the insertion process of the cannula even in the case of complicated intravenous use. After the injection has ended, a swab is applied when the cannula is withdrawn from the puncture parts in order to prevent heavy subsequent bleeding. While the swab is pressed onto the skin, the tentacle-shaped extensions 15 are inevitably held, so that when the syringe is pulled off further, the bellows 14 is pulled apart, so that the position shown in FIG. 2 results, in which the sleeve-shaped section 14 over the Cannula tip is guided. The zone of the sleeve-shaped section, which is flexible due to the bellows, ensures that the sleeve-shaped section 14 bends sideways and cannot be pushed back each time the cannula is loaded. In the event of a lateral kink, as shown in FIG. 2, the cannula tip bores into the inner wall of the sleeve-shaped section, which is made of such stable material that the tip cannot penetrate the wall. Even at extremely high loads, the cannula will bend or break at best, but all pointed, sharp parts remain within the sleeve-shaped section. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the conical attachment attachment 16 is connected to a sleeve-shaped section 17, but the connection point 18 is designed approximately in the form of a thinned wall thickness as a predetermined breaking point. By pulling on the sleeve-shaped section 17, the connection to the conical attachment attachment 16 is broken, so that the sleeve-shaped section 17 can be pushed along the cannula 12 until it covers the tip of the cannula 12. Here too, the tentacle-shaped extensions 15 serve as traction means when or shortly after the cannula 12 is pulled out of the puncture site - first to break open the predetermined breaking point 18 and finally to move the sleeve-shaped section 17 onto the cannula tip. The holding means 19 ensure that the section 17 is only pulled into the area of the cannula tip. In the jacket interior, the sleeve-shaped section 17 has pockets 20 into which spring elements can be lowered, namely when the sleeve 17 is moved in the direction of the tip of the cannula 12. 7 shows a spring element 27 sunk into such a pocket 20 and a spread spring element 21. As an alternative to this and as can be seen in FIG. 8, however, a circumferential depression 28 of the partial inner jacket can be provided, which is adjacent to an undersize of the inner diameter towards the end-side conical extension. If the sleeve-shaped extension 17 is pulled over the cannula tip, the cannula tip will become stuck in the depression 28 when the cannula moves in the opposite direction. In addition, FIG. 7 also shows a conical extension 26 which serves as a centering means when the cannula is inserted into the sleeve-shaped section.

5 shows a protective cap 13 which has two slots 23 on opposite sides through which the holding means 19 and the ends of the tentacles 15 can be passed (see in particular FIG. 6). In addition and as can be seen in FIG. 4, two tongues 24 are also arranged on the push-on extension 16, which can be guided in pockets of the protective cap 13, which are not shown in detail, and ensure better bending stability of this protective cap. In the area of the closed end, the protective cap has a material thickening 25 in order to prevent the sharp cannula tip from being reliably pierced there.

Claims

Expectations'

1. Protection device for cannulas (12), with an end-side, conical attachment (16) which can be attached to a correspondingly adapted, conical attachment of a syringe (10, 11), characterized in that on the attachment (16) a sleeve-shaped section ( 14, 17) is fastened, which can be guided by tensile loading into an end position in which the sleeve-shaped section (14, 17) covers the cannula tip all around.

2. Protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (17) via a predetermined breaking point (18), which is preferably in a thinner ring piece, is connected to the conical plug-on attachment (16), or that the sleeve-shaped section (17) is pushed onto the push-on extension (16), preferably via a mutual frictional conical surface area as a releasable fastening.

3. Protection device according to claim 2, characterized in that between the sleeve-shaped section (17) and the push-on attachment (16) holding means (19), preferably at least one thread or a cord, the length of which corresponds approximately to the path by which the sleeve-shaped Section (17) can be moved away from the push-on extension (16) into the end position.

4. Protection device according to claim 3, characterized by a sleeve-shaped, for covering the cannula (12) formed protective cap (13) detachably attachable by sliding onto the plug-on attachment (16) and having lateral slots (23) of a width extending from its open plug-on end which enable the holding means (19) to be carried out.

5. Protection device according to claim 4, characterized in that the push-on extension (16) has at least two external tongues (24) which can be inserted into suitably designed pockets on the protective cap (13) arranged at the open end.

6. Protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (14) is elastically or inelastically flexibly extendable such that the tip of the cannula (12), which is exposed briefly before and after the intended use, after the removal of the body fluid or after the injection of an active ingredient through the sleeve-shaped section (14) can be covered all around.

7. Protection device according to claim 6, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (14) is designed as an extendable telescope.

8. Protection device according to claim 6, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (14) is formed at least over a portion of its length as a bellows.

9. Protection device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the open end of a sleeve-shaped protective cap (13) for the cannula (12) can be plugged onto the free end of the sleeve-shaped section (14).

10. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (14, 17) has tentacle-like extensions (15) which, in the original state, ie before the intended use of the cannula, approximately at the level of the exposed cannula tip or slightly, preferably projecting up to 1 cm beyond, and which are designed as actuating means for applying the tensile load.

11. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the push-on extension (16) and the syringe extension are rotationally asymmetrical.

12. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section in the inner jacket identifies tongue-shaped spring elements fastened on one side, which in movement of the section (14, 17) into the end position covering the cannula tip in

Pockets (20) are retractable, but with a correspondingly opposite movement of the section (14, 17), they form a blocking resistance.

13. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (14, 17) has at its end in the inner casing annular recesses (28) into which the cannula tip when the sleeve-shaped section (14, 17) is returned. inserts and thus inhibits a further backward movement.

14. Protective device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section snaps into the end position covering the cannula tip in a self-locking manner, so that the cannula tip always remains covered in the event of a pressure load in the longitudinal direction of the cannula.

15. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the sleeve-shaped section (17) has at its end facing the cannula tip a conical inner jacket extension (26).