EP2838599A1

EP2838599A1 - Safety cannula for extracorporeal blood treatment

Info

Publication number: EP2838599A1
Application number: EP13730124.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans Haindl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-04-20
Filing date: 2013-04-19
Publication date: 2015-02-25
Also published as: WO2013156602A1; US20150112281A1; DE102012206557A1; JP2015514488A

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety cannula, in particular for extracorporeal blood treatment, comprising a housing (1) and a puncturing cannula (2) having a ground tip (3), wherein the housing is designed to lie against the skin of a patient during use, and furthermore comprising a safety device, which is suitable for automatically pulling the puncturing cannula back into the housing into a protected position when the housing is removed from the skin.

Description

Safety cant for extracorporeal blood treatment

The present application relates to a safety cannula, in particular a safety cannula for extracorporeal blood treatment such as for dialysis.

The accident prevention regulation TRBA 250 requires that at all medical workplaces, where there is a risk of injury to users from handling cannulas, as far as available, use safety cannulas that are actively or passively protected after use in such a way that they no longer harm the user or third parties can hurt. This requirement also applies to dialysis centers and dialysis centers. In dialysis, an artificially created under the skin vessel, a so-called shunt, usually punctured with two cannulas. These cannulas are großlumig and therefore contain relatively large amounts of blood, so that in the injury of the user with these cannulas, the risk of infection is considered to be particularly high. In addition, the incidence of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B and C and HIV is significantly higher among dialysis patients than the average population.

In order to reduce the risk of infection here, so-called safety cannulas have been proposed for dialysis. The principle of these safety cannulas is based on the fact that after use of the cannula, but before removing the cannula attached to the skin of the patient, the cannula is removed from the blood vessel by pulling on the hose end of the cannula and pulled into the needle hub. There, the cannula engages then, so that the cannula tip can not emerge again from the cannula attachment.

Regrettably, there have been serious incidents with these safety cannulas that have arisen because the tubing on the cannula has not been separately secured to the patient's skin with patch as required by the manufacturer. As a result, for example, movement of the patient caused tensile forces to act on the tube, which could result in the cannula being retracted into its protective device during dialysis. As a result, in the case of the venous cannula, the blood from the dialysis machine was not reclaimed into the patient but into the environment. Since the outflow of the blood is not hindered and there is thus no increase in pressure in the venous leg, the dialysis machine continues to pump in such a case without giving an alarm. In the worst case, this can lead to bleeding of the patient. The incidents involving the safety cannulae illuminate a dialysis problem that has existed since the beginning and has not been resolved to this day. This is the safety monitoring of the venous thigh of dialysis. The dialysis machines are equipped with sensitive sensors that detect malfunctions in the course of dialysis and, if necessary, shut down and / or alarm the machine. If, for example, the arterial cannula slips out, then, as long as the cannula tip is still lying in the tissue, the cannula will no longer be able to suck in blood, and there will be a vacuum in the arterial tube limb. This registers the dialysis machine, it switches off and gives an alarm. If the arterial cannula completely slides out of the tissue, it draws air instead of blood. This is immediately noticed in the machine eg by an ultrasonic air detector, the machine switches off and gives an alarm. In this respect, the arterial leg poses no safety problem.

This is different with the venous leg. When the venous cannula slips and lies with the tip in the tissue, ie between the shunt and the skin, it is immediately ejected completely from the tissue by the pumped blood stream, and the blood stream empties into the environment. As a rule, only such small and short-term pressure changes occur that the pressure sensor of the dialysis machine is often unable to detect them. Therefore, slipping out of the venous cannula has already caused numerous deaths from bleeding of the dialysis patients. At the delivery rates used, the patient may be dead after three to five minutes.

In the prior art, various methods and devices are described, by means of which the correct fit of a cannula can be monitored, see. e.g. DE 10 2009 004 018 A1, US 2006/0130591 A1, DE 199 53 068 A1 and WO 99/24145. However, these methods and devices are extremely complex and in particular require special sensor technology. Accordingly, these known methods and devices are expensive and impractical.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a safety cannula which easily, yet reliably, meets the above safety requirements. It is another object of the present invention to provide a To provide safety cannula, which is inexpensive to produce and easy to handle in their application.

These and other objects are achieved with a safety cannula according to claim 1. Further preferred features are described in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a safety cannula having a housing and a puncture cannula with a ground tip. The housing is intended to rest against the skin of a patient during use. The safety cannula further comprises a safety device adapted to automatically retract the puncture cannula into a protected position in the housing upon detachment of the housing from the patient's skin. In other words, the safety cannula according to the invention is designed in such a way that the cannula can not detach from the patient with an exposed tip, since detachment of the housing from the skin of the patient secures the puncture cannula together with the ground tip in the housing. In this way, the risk of injury can be effectively minimized.

The present invention is fundamentally important to all those cannulas whose housing is temporarily brought into contact with the skin of a patient. In particular, however, the safety cannula of the present invention is suitable for extracorporeal blood treatment.

A particularly preferred field of application is dialysis for the reasons mentioned above.

In the case of dialysis or other extracorporeal blood treatment, the invention is based inter alia on the fact that the automatic retraction of the puncture cannula into the housing obstructs the flow of blood through the cannula. This increases the pressure in the venous inlet, which can be registered by the dialysis machine, so that it shuts off automatically. For this purpose, the safety cannula is preferably configured such that retraction of the puncture cannula into the protected position impedes and / or reduces a fluid flow through the cannula. Particularly preferably, the liquid flow is at least partially prevented. Preferably, this obstruction of the fluid or blood flow is achieved in that in the case of the retracted cannula the Sum of the cross-sectional areas of all openings in the housing of the safety cannula is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the cannula, so that retraction of the cannula into the housing generates an increase in pressure in the cannula or in its inlet.

Preferably, the housing of the safety cannula has at its distal end an opening through which the puncturing cannula extends during use of the cannula, so that the ground tip can be inserted into the tissue of the patient. This opening preferably has approximately the dimensions of the puncture cannula. In other words, the inner diameter of this opening substantially corresponds to the outer diameter of the puncture cannula with play of preferably less than 0.5 mm, more preferably less than 0.2 mm, particularly preferably less than 0.1 mm. Preferably, the safety device is suitable for covering this distal housing opening at least partially, preferably completely, as soon as the puncturing cannula is retracted into the housing. Preferably, the distal housing opening is at least partially, preferably substantially completely, closed by a device of the safety device. As a result, after the withdrawal of the puncture cannula into the housing, a blood congestion is caused which effectively increases the pressure in the puncture cannula or in its inflow.

The automatic retraction of the puncture cannula into a protected position preferably takes place purely mechanically. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device has a first spring for automatically retracting, by means of which the puncturing cannula can be automatically retracted into a protected position in the housing. The distal end of the first spring preferably abuts and / or is connected to the distal end of the housing of the safety cannula. The proximal end of the first spring is preferably connected directly or indirectly to the puncture cannula. During use of the safety cannula, that is as long as the tip of the puncture cannula projects distally out of the housing, the first spring is stretched or compressed. If the housing of the safety cannula is detached from the skin of the patient, the proximal end of the first spring is released, so that the first spring can relax. This results in the proximal end of the first spring connected to the puncture cannula moving in a proximal direction, thereby retracting the puncture cannula proximally into the housing. The automatic release of the proximal end of the first spring when detaching the housing from the skin of the patient can be based on different mechanisms according to the invention. For this purpose, the safety device preferably has an element which is pretensioned in some way and which remains in its pretensioned position as a result of the abutment of the housing against the skin of the patient. However, as soon as the housing separates from the skin of the patient or is detached from this, the prestressed element can relax automatically and release in this way the first spring, which can then also relax automatically. Alternatively, however, it is also possible for an element blocking the first spring to be provided, which easily adheres to the skin of the patient (for example with the aid of an adhesive strip). If the housing separates from the skin of the patient, the adhering to the skin element is moved relative to the housing, so that the blocking of the first spring can be lifted.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device has a second spring which is adapted to automatically relax upon release of the housing from the skin and thereby release the first spring. In other words, the second spring is biased during use of the safety cannula. This bias is maintained by the fact that the housing rests against the skin of the patient. As soon as the pressure exerted by the skin on the second spring subsides, it can relax and thereby release the first spring or its proximal end. In order to initially block the first spring, the second spring preferably has a blocking element which can engage directly or indirectly with the first spring. The blocking element may be part of, be integrally connected to or attached to the second spring. The blocking element may, for example, comprise one or more catch hooks and / or one or more pins, which may or may block the first spring directly or indirectly. Preferably, the proximal end of the first spring has a sleeve with a projection with which the latching hooks or pins of the blocking element engage. When the second spring relaxes, the latching hooks or pins are retracted so that the sleeve or first spring is no longer blocked and can relax in the proximal direction.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device has a covering device which is suitable for, upon or after the withdrawal of the puncture cannula into the housing, the tip of the cannula and / or the distal housing opening at least partially cover. In this case, the covering device is preferably suitable for irreversibly covering the tip of the cannula during or after retraction of the puncture cannula so that the cannula tip is not accessible any further and the risk of injury can be effectively minimized. In particular, the covering device preferably prevents re-application of the cannula tip from the housing.

The covering device preferably has a third spring. The third spring is preferably also biased during use of the safety cannula and can relax only when the cannula tip has been fully retracted into the housing. By then taking place relaxation of the third spring, a cover, which may be part of the third spring or may be attached thereto, pushed in front of the cannula tip. The cover element preferably has a covering surface and / or a preferably elastomeric sealing element, by means of which the cannula tip and / or the distal housing opening can be at least partially covered in order to reduce a fluid flow through the cannula. The distal housing opening is preferably closed by the covering surface and / or the sealing element at least partially, preferably completely, in order to produce a blood accumulation in the interior of the housing which causes a rise in pressure which can be registered by the dialysis machine. In addition, the cover preferably has the function to irreversibly prevent re-emergence of the cannula tip from the housing. If the cover is designed as an elastomeric non-return valve or as a check valve, the irreversible locking of the cannula can preferably be done elsewhere by a latching hook

The first, second and / or third spring may in principle be any springs or spring mechanisms. For the first spring, a helical compression spring is particularly advantageous since the puncture cannula can be passed through it. The second and / or third spring is preferably a leaf spring, since this can be mounted to save space on the inner and / or outer edge of the housing. Particularly preferably, the second and third springs form a one-piece leaf spring with two substantially parallel spring arms, one of which forms the second spring and one the third spring.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device can be blocked manually in order to prevent automatic withdrawal of the puncture cannula. For this purpose, a part of the housing is preferably deformable with finger power, so that By squeezing this deformable housing portion, the first spring and / or puncture cannula can be fixed even when the second spring has relaxed.

It is further preferred that the cannula is rotatable relative to the housing. Preferably, a twisting of the cannula relative to the housing can be blocked manually, preferably by compressing the deformable housing section.

It is further preferred that the safety cannula has fold-out handle wings, which inter alia serve to fix the housing to the skin of the patient. Preferably, the safety device and / or a rotation of the cannula relative to the housing can be blocked by means of these handle wings.

It is further preferred that the housing is formed telescopically to minimize the length of the safety cannula.

According to a preferred embodiment, the housing of the safety cannula on a releasable device, by means of which a triggering of the safety mechanism before use of the safety cannula can be prevented. Prior to use of the safety cannula and during insertion of the puncture cannula into the tissue of the patient, the housing of the safety cannula does not contact the skin of the patient and thus can not, for example, hold the second spring in its biased position. Therefore, it is preferred that the releasable device blocks the safety mechanism, that is, for example, the second spring, until the housing abuts the skin of the patient. Subsequently, the releasable device can be removed to activate the safety mechanism. According to a preferred embodiment, an adhesive strip is provided for this, with the aid of which the second spring is glued to the housing. Once the housing abuts the patient's skin, the adhesive strip can be removed to activate the safety mechanism. Alternatively, a releasable pin or hook could be provided for this purpose, which blocks the second spring and can be removed after setting the cannula.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that automatically retracting the puncture cannula to a protected position upon detachment of the safety cannula housing from the skin after the safety device has been formed, it can take place only at a certain minimum distance between the housing and the skin. Therefore, in the context of the present invention, the term "detachment" is to be understood as meaning that the housing in the area of the safety device (that is to say in the case of the preferred embodiment in the area of the second spring) is removed far enough from the skin of the patient that the corresponding safety device is triggered. This preferably takes place at a distance between the housing and the skin of the patient of at least 2 mm, more preferably of at least 4 mm, particularly preferably of at least 5 mm.

Preferably, the housing has a fitting for a hose or is integrally connected to a hose.

The safety cannula according to the invention can be produced easily and inexpensively, ensures a high degree of safety against injuries and solves the problems mentioned in connection with dialysis cannulas.

Preferred embodiments of the safety cannula according to the invention are described below in detail with reference to the figures. Show it:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the safety cannula according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the safety cannula of Figure 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective sectional view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 1 with retracted needle tip; FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 1 with retracted needle tip;

Figure 9 is a side sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the safety cannula according to the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the safety cannula according to FIG. 9 with retracted needle tip.

Figures 1 to 4 show a preferred embodiment of the safety cannula according to the invention in a perspective view, a plan view, a side view and a front view. The safety cannula has a housing 1, a puncture cannula 2 with a ground tip 3, a tube 4 and two handle wings 5a and 5b. The two handle wings have an annular projection 6 and an annular groove 7, which can engage each other with the handle wings folded up. The housing 1 has two mutually opposite deformable housing sections 9a and 9b, in which the housing wall is made particularly thin and / or consists of a soft material, so that these housing sections can be easily deformed with finger power. If the two gripping wings 5a and 5b are turned upwards so that they engage with each other by means of the rings 6 and 7, then the two projections 8a and 8b on the gripping wings 5a and 5b press against the deformable housing sections 9a and 9b and block the latter safety device.

The safety device can be seen in the sectional views of Figures 5 to 8. The safety device has inter alia a first spring 10 for automatically retracting the puncturing cannula 2, with the aid of which the puncturing cannula 2 can be withdrawn from the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 into a protected position into the housing, as shown in FIGS and 8 can be seen. During use of the safety cannula, the first spring 10 is pretensioned or compressed, as shown in FIG. The distal end of the first spring 10 abuts the distal end of the housing 1 and / or is connected thereto. The proximal end of the first spring 10 is connected to a sleeve 11. Further, the proximal end of the first spring 10 and / or the sleeve 11 is connected to the puncture cannula 2, so that an expansion of the first spring 10th from the state shown in Figure 5 in the state shown in Figures 7 and 8, the sleeve 11 and the puncturing cannula 2 moves in the proximal direction.

The safety device further comprises a second spring 12 and a third spring 13, which are formed in the illustrated preferred embodiment as a one-piece leaf spring with two arms. The second spring 12 has at its distal end two latching hooks 12a, which engage with an annular projection 11a at the distal end of the sleeve 11 (see Figure 6), so that the sleeve 11 in their in Figures 5 and 6 fixed distal position and the first spring 10 is blocked in its compressed state. The fact that the housing rests against the skin of a patient during use of the safety cannula, the second spring 12 is pressed against its spring force against the housing wall, so that the latching hooks 12a engage in the annular projection I Ia. When the housing separates from the skin of the patient, the second spring 12 can spring back from the housing wall, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, so that the Rathaken 12a slide out behind the annular projection 11a of the sleeve 11 and thereby the sleeve 11 and the first spring 10 release. This allows the first spring 10 to expand automatically, so that its proximal end and the sleeve 11 are moved together with the puncturing cannula 2 in the proximal direction until the cannula tip 3 is completely retracted into the housing 1 of the safety cannula.

As soon as the cannula tip 3 has slid past the cover element 13a provided on the third spring 13, the third spring 13 relaxes in such a way that the cover element 13a slides between the cannula tip 3 and a distal housing opening 14, as can be seen in FIGS is. The covering element 13a thus prevents the cannula 2 from emerging again from the housing 1, and at the same time closes off the distal housing opening 14, which leads to a blood accumulation in the interior of the housing 1. Even if the distal housing opening 14 is not completely closed by the cover member 13a, the blood flow is inhibited by the cover 13a, so that within the cannula 2 or within the tube 4, a pressure increase takes place, which can be registered by a connected dialysis machine.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a further preferred embodiment of the safety cannula according to the invention in a sectional view both with the cannula tip extended (FIG. 9) and in the protected state (FIG. 10). While the second spring 12 and the third spring 13 are formed in the case of the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8 as a one-piece leaf spring with two arms, the preferred embodiment of Figures 9 and 10, two separate second and third springs 12 and 13 which are not in one piece or are integrally formed. Rather, the second spring 12 is arranged in the form of a leaf spring below the cannula 2 or the first spring 10 and the third spring 13 in the form of a further leaf spring above the cannula 2 and the first spring 10 is arranged. The leaf spring can also be replaced by another spring type in the case of the second and / or third spring. Alternatively, the second spring 12 could furthermore be arranged above the cannula 2 or the first spring 10 and the third spring 13 could be arranged below the cannula 2 or the first spring 10.

This embodiment, which operates in substantially the same way as the first embodiment, has the advantage that the spring constants and / or reaction times of the second and third springs can be adjusted independently of each other in a simple manner. Further, the area of this embodiment disposed between the tissue of the patient and the cannula can be made narrower.

Claims

claims

A safety cannula, in particular for extracorporeal blood treatment, comprising a housing (1) and a puncture cannula (2) with ground point (3), the housing (1) being intended to rest against the skin of a patient during use, and further comprising a safety device adapted to automatically retract the puncture cannula (2) to a protected position in the housing (1) upon detachment of the housing (1) from the skin.

A safety cannula according to claim 1, wherein the safety means comprises a first automatic retraction spring (10) by means of which the puncturing cannula (2) can be automatically retracted into a protected position in the housing (1).

3. Safety cannula according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the safety device comprises a second spring (12) which is adapted to automatically relax upon detachment of the housing (1) from the skin and thereby release the first spring (10).

4. Safety cannula according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the safety device has a covering device which is suitable for retraction of the puncture cannula into the housing, the tip (3) of the cannula (2) and / or an opening (14) at the distal end of Cover housing (1) at least partially.

5. Safety cannula according to claim 4, wherein the covering device irreversibly covers the tip (3) of the cannula when the puncture cannula (2) is retracted into the housing (1).

6. Safety cannula according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the covering device comprises a third spring (13).

7. Safety cannula according to claim 6, wherein the second and / or third spring has a leaf spring.

8. Safety cannula according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the second and third spring form a one-piece leaf spring.

9. Safety cannula according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the second and third spring each form a separate leaf spring and wherein the second and third spring are arranged on opposite sides of the cannula.

10. Safety cannula according to one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the second spring (12) has one or more latching hooks (12a), which / directly with the first spring (10) engages / engage.

11. Safety cannula according to claim 10, wherein the proximal end of the first spring (10) has a sleeve (11) with which the latching hooks (12a) of the second spring (12) engage.

12. Safety cannula according to one of claims 4 to 11, wherein the covering device has a covering surface (13a) and / or an elastomeric sealing element, by means of which the cannula tip (3) and / or an opening (14) at the distal end of the housing ( 1) can be at least partially covered in order to reduce a liquid flow through the cannula (2), preferably at least partially to prevent it.

13. Safety cannula according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the safety device is manually blocked to prevent automatic retraction of the puncture cannula.

14. Safety cannula according to claim 13, wherein the blocking takes place by means of compression of a deformable housing section (9a, 9b).

15. Safety cannula according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the safety cannula grip wing (5a, 5b), by means of which the safety device can be blocked.

16. Safety cannula according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (1) is formed telescopically.

17. Safety cannula according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the automatic retraction of the cannula (2) at a distance between the housing (1) and skin of the patient of at least 2 mm, preferably at least 4 mm, more preferably at least 5 mm.

18. Safety cannula according to one of the preceding claims, wherein on the housing (1) a releasable device, preferably an adhesive strip, is provided to prevent triggering of the safety mechanism before use of the safety cannula.