MXPA96002224A - Cate liberator mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a catheter insertion device, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a ing for receiving a cannular needle, said cannular needle extends from one end of said ing and is adapted to deliver a catheter to a patient; ) a needle nose guard slidably mounted on said ing, said annular needle extending through the nose guard in the operative position of said cannular needle; (c) a catheter hub support structure that is provided over said protection needle nose; (d) a catheter slidably mounted on said cannular needle, said catheter includes a catheter hub coupled on said catheter hub support structure, and (e) lever-fastener means disposed on said support means of catheter hub, said lever-fastener means being operable in at least one direction to facilitate the locking of said hub of catheter to said catheter hub support structure in the extended operative position of said cannular needle and being operable in at least one direction subsequent to retraction of said cannular needle into a protective environment to release and push said catheter hub out of said cat bundle support structure

Description

CATHETER LIBERATOR MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. - FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, in general, to intravenous catheter insertion devices, and in particular it relates to a catheter insertion device incorporating a simple lever and fastener structure that will securely lock a catheter hub of a catheter assembly to a normally disposable cannula and protective structure and, which, in a simple way, allows the separation of the catheter hub from the cannula assembly or structure by retraction and protection of the used cannula. Specifically, one aspect of the invention resides in the provision of the lever release fastener for a safety catheter, which by unlatching and releasing the catheter hub concurrently pushes the catheter hub out of a nose guard into the cannula assembly, while that allows a clinician or clinician to release the catheter using only one hand. The invention is further adapted to allow the separation between the catheter hub of a flexible catheter and the needle or cannula arrangement of a catheter insertion device by simply manipulating a lever disposed on a cannula structure or nose protection thereof simply pushing against an opposable tongue element. The use of the clinical apparatus where sharp hollow needles or cannulas are used to puncture a patient's skin, and especially catheters that use such needles to puncture veins, is well known in the medical art and is widely practiced by unmanned physicians. for the purpose of injecting fluids and drugs directly into the bloodstream of patients. In addition, during operations or surgical procedures, it may often be required that all blood transfusions and parenteral fluids be administered to a patient undergoing such surgical procedures. Basically, as is well known and has been employed for a long time, the introduction of such fluids into the cardiovascular systems of patients has necessitated the formation of a vein puncture using a hollow rigid needle having a near binding site for a connection of Luido, which is adapted to interconnect the needle with a source of intravenously administered fluids. The previous method of administering fluids to patients through the puncture of the veins has been subjected to some rather breasts problems in the administration of f Luidos to patients in this medical technique. In this way, a primary aspect that has been addressed, lies in the inherent rigidity of the needle, the latter is usually made of surgical quality steel, and while inserted into a patient's vein, the needle needs to be maintained for reasons of safety in a fixed position in the general site of the vein puncture through the duration of the administration or transfusion of fluid, so that said procedure can consume a considerably long time. In addition to the above, it has sometimes been necessary to periodically draw blood samples and / or successively administer intravenous fluids to a patient, thus requiring the patient to undergo one or a plurality of punctures in the vein, each administered to a patient. specific time and in different places on the body, resulting in a relatively traumatic experience for patients in view of such repeated and sometimes painful and unpleasant punctures in the vein. To improve or possibly even eliminate the above problems in medical technology, it has recently been a practice to introduce a flexible tubular catheter of a low friction material, such as a Silastic or Teflon into a patient's vein and allow the catheter tube remain in such a position for longer periods for the same purposes; for example, periodically administering fluids, including parenteral fluids, blood / plasma transfusions, medications in liquid form and also for the collection of blood samples and the like. In this way, the trauma, extraversion and infiltration previously encountered caused by repeated punctures of veins has been greatly avoided, and the damage and discomfort to the patient of leaving a rigid needle in the body for a prolonged period has generally been overcome. In this way, to place the distal end of said flexible catheter tube within the cavity of the patient's body, such as a vascular cavity or vein, a hollow needle or cannula with a sharp tip is usually employed for the purpose of forming the puncture in the vein Next, the flexible catheter tube, which is mounted telescopically and slidable and coaxially on the outer circumference of the hollow needle or cannula to be understood around as a sleeve, is advanced along the length of the needle into the subsequent vein. when the needle has formed a puncture in a vein. Thereafter, the needle is adapted to be withdrawn from the interior of the catheter tube, while allowing the latter to remain inside the patient's body at the site of the vein puncture, and the needle is properly discarded. In view of the fact that the needle, which has previously been placed in the body of the patient when forming the puncture in the vein, may have been exposed to infectious agents, for example, such as a patient infected with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( AIDS), which is frequent or practically pre-fatal by nature, or other dangerous infectious conditions such as hepatitis, there is a danger or the present injury that the clinical staff may be pricked or pricked inadvertently or accidentally with the needle used after removal. of the patient's body, with the possibility of becoming infected or even dying for the same. Until now, to free the structure containing the needle or retracted cannula used from a closure on a catheter hub, the latter remains attached to a flexible catheter tube extending towards the puncture site in the patient's body, it has been necessary often the clinician or physician employs both hands to implement the separation operation between the catheter hub and the cannula structure used to allow the subsequent attachment of a Luer-type locking fixture complementary to the Luer-type locking overhang. the catheter hub to allow the introduction of amounts of a parenteral fluid, deliver blood / plasma, or other medications to the patient in an intravenous procedure. Frequently, this required medical personnel to perform, almost simultaneously or in rapid succession, two or three steps in the procedure, making the steps difficult to implement without the use of both hands, and possibly, on each occasion, still needing one of the steps was delayed depending on the termination of the preceding steps in the separation of the components of the catheter and cannula.e. 2. - DISCUSSION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE Thus, U.S. Patent No. 762,516 to L-uther et al. Describes the retraction of a needle or cannula used to a protective housing. However, this requires the further procedure of releasing a catheter while essentially using both hands. Although other publications describe various structures and methods for releasing catheters and their catheter hub structures from cannula assemblies while the cannulas have been retracted into a protective environment for clinical personnel, none describe the use of a simple operating structure, such as a lever-holder device, which will allow the catheter to lock to the cannula assembly and also facilitate the thrust of the cannula hub out of the housing or nose / protection components for the cannula when the latter is in its retracted position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, to facilitate a one-handed operation and relative manipulation of the catheter and cannula components of the intravenous catheter insertion device, especially the separation of the catheter from the structure and elements containing the hollow needle or cannula used, which it has been previously used in the formation of the puncture in the vein, thus allowing the catheter and the catheter hub attached thereto, the latter comprising a part of a luer-type lug or attachment, to remain in the site of the vein puncture, with respect to the invention, a novel lever or fastener arrangement is used, which is placed intermediate to a housing to contain the cannula or needle, and includes a nose guard projecting towards the catheter hub, through the implementation of a simple one-handed manipulation of the lever and fastener arrangement. This, in essence, makes the separation procedure of the catheter and cannula housing components simple by allowing the user to hold the housing structure containing the retracted used cannula and with one or more fingers of the same hand to manipulate the lever and fastener for effect the release and thrust of the catheter hub in a single movement. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel lever and fastener arrangement that allows separation of a safety catheter hub from a disposable cannula assembly. Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple lever structure and mountable fastener on the components of the intravenous catheter insertion device comprising a catheter hub of a secure catheter assembly and housing a nose protection structure adapted to receive a needle or cannula to form the puncture in the vein in a patient, and by simple manipulation of a fastener or lever on the device, which is A operable with a hand of a user holding the device, it is possible to separate the components thereof to allow the removal of the cannula and related components in a protective state while allowing the release and thrust thereof from the catheter hub and from the catheter attached to it extending toward the puncture of the vein in the body of a patient to remain in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will now be readily understood from the following detailed description of the various embodiments of the device of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a device for intravenous catheter injection incorporating a lever structure and release fastener according to the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the device of Figure 1 in the procedure of being locked in the operative position; Figure 3 illustrates the device of Figure 1 in the procedure in which the catheter hub is being released from the cannula structure by retracting the cannula; Figures 4a to 4f illustrate several successive steps respectively in the operation and assembly of the lever structure and release fastener according to the device of the present invention. Figure 5 illustrates a rear view of the release lever and fastener; Figure 6 illustrates a front view of the lever and release fastener :; Figure 7 illustrates a side view of the lever and release fastener; THE figure & illustrates a sectional view taken along the line & & amp; of figure 5; Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a catheter insertion arrangement in, respectively, its operative and retracted cannula positions; Figure 11 illustrates a modified version of a lever structure and release fastener on a catheter insertion device; Figure 12 illustrates the catheter insertion device of Figure 11 in the procedure of being locked; Figure 13 illustrates the device of Figure 11 in the procedure of being unlocked to separate the catheter hub from a nose protection portion of the device; Figures 14a to 14c illustrate sequential steps in the lever assembly and release fastener of the figure eleven; Figures 15, 16 and 17 illustrate, respectively, front, side and section views of the release lever and fastener used in the embodiment of Figure 11; Figure 17 being a sectional view taken along line 17-17 of Figure 15; Figures 16 and 19 illustrate perspective views of another version of a catheter insertion device according to the invention, in, respectively, its operative and retracted cannula positions; Figure 20 illustrates another embodiment of the catheter insertion device using a lever and fastener structure; Figures 21 and 22 illustrate the device of Figure 20 in, respectively, work modes and catheter unlocking; Fig. 23 illustrates a front view of the combined cannula and lever protection and bracket structure used in the catheter device embodiment of Fig. 20; Figure 24 illustrates a sectional view taken along line 24-24 in Figure 23; Figure 25 illustrates another modified catheter insertion device according to the invention; and Figures 26 and 27 illustrate the catheter device of Figure 25 in, respectively, its working and unclamping modes of the catheter. li DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Referring more specifically to figure 1 of > In the drawings, an intravenous catheter insertion device 10 is illustrated incorporating a catheter (not shown) having a cannular needle 12 projecting therefrom, wherein the needle is generally of a surgical steel construction adapted to be inserted into the catheter. the vein of a patient in his extended position shown. The insertion device 10 includes a shield 14 and a housing 16, and wherein its structure includes a nose section 16 comprising a jump connection nose 20. A lever and release fastener 22 is mounted on the front end of the nose. protection 14 and, as shown in Figure 2 in the drawings, the hub 26 of the catheter is adapted to be attached to the housing 16 in a locked position. To ensure that the locked position has been secured, a "light noise" will be generated when it is locked. At this time, the catheter hub 26 is locked in place, with the extended cannula 12 passing therethrough in an extended position ready to punch the vein, and the catheter hub will not separate from the cannula assembly without imparting actions deliberate to the same by a doctor or clinician. This, in essence, imparts a degree of "fail safe" operation to the catheter insertion device. Once the cannula 12 has been completely retracted towards the protective housing 16, to separate the catheter and its catheter hub 26 from the remainder of the insertion structure, to remain in the patient's vein, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of FIG. In the drawings, a user could push back and then down on the lever-holder 22 with one finger, releasing the catheter hub 26 and concurrently pushing the latter out of the nose guard and the housing. It is also possible that the user of the catheter insertion device 10 merely pushes and releases the catheter hub 26 by pushing a bit harder forward on the grasping tab 30 and, in the event that the user is implementing a difficult catheter insertion. It is possible for a patient to release the catheter hub 26 before locking in order to impart a stronger "feel" to the insertion of the cannula 12 into the patient's vein. Referring to Figures 4a to 4c, successive steps are shown in the assembly of the lever and release fastener 22 of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4a, the lever-holder 22 is placed by jumping on the piece of nose protection 16; and in Figure 4b the appropriately oriented catheter hub 26 is then placed by jump on = 1 lever-fastener and nose protection assembly. Figure 4c illustrates the entire arrangement in its assembled and operatively locked condition. To release the catheter and its catheter hub 26 from the rest of the cannula structure, as discussed with respect to Figure 3 of the drawings, Figure 4d illustrates nose protection 16 locking on the tip of the cannula, with cannula 12 or hollow needle (not shown) being in the fully retracted or protected position Then, as shown in Figure 4e of the drawings, the user or clinician pushes down on the lever-holder 22 in the direction of arrow A, thereby releasing and pushing the hub. of catheter 26, as shown in the directions of the arrows B. Then, with the catheter hub 26 and the catheter tube attached remaining in place, the latter having its leading or free end inserted into the patient's vein, the Cannula assembly comprising nose guard 16, housing 16 and lever-holder 22 is removed and discarded. As shown in Figs. 5 to 6, the release clamp lever 22 is constituted of a molded plastic material, preferably of a relatively soft plastic, such as polyethylene, having the nose guard, formed thereon, to prevent Any damage to the Luer-type locking lugs of the catheter hub during assembly. This catheter insertion device 10, in essence, both releases and pushes the catheter hub 26 when finger pressure is applied to the upper part of the lever-holder 22 although the device is also capable of facilitating slightly modified methods. from? catheter release, for example, such as pushing against and deflecting the lever-your bra. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, perspective views of a catheter insertion device 40 are shown, wherein, as shown in Figure 9, the cannula 42 projects from a nose guard 44 of a unitary structure, and extends from a housing 46, as is known per se. When a lever-holder 46, which is mounted on nose guard 44, is bent, as shown by arrow A in FIG. 10, the catheter hub (not shown) can be separated from the cannula assembly by simply pulling backward on the lever-fastener or tongue 22 of the nose guard 44. This tongue portion 22 of the nose guard can be molded with an integral hinge to facilitate this type of function. Referring to the catheter insertion device 50 in the embodiment of FIG. 11, in this case a modified version of a lever-holder 56 is also illustrated, wherein the catheter hub 52 is inserted into the lever-holder opening and on the nose protection portion 54 as in the embodiment of Figure 1 of the drawings. As shown in Figure 12, this locking action is effected by pushing lever-clamp 56 a little forward, generating a "light noise" to provide indication that such locking action has been implemented. Conversely, to release the catheter hub 52 with the catheter tube of the cannula structure subsequent to locking, a user could simply pull back and / or downward on the lever-holder 56 as shown in the direction of arrow A in figure 13, thus pushing the catheter hub out of the nose. Other lever movements can also be contemplated herein As shown in the figures, 14a to 14c the successive steps in the assembly of the lever-holder 56 of the device 50 of FIG. 11 are described. In FIG. 14a, the lever - Bra 56 is oriented and placed by jumping on a rib formed on the nose protection portion 54 of the cannula structure. An unoriented catheter hub 52 is then compressed in place over the nose guard, as shown in Figure 14b.; and then, as shown in Figure 14c, the entire catheter arrangement is in an assembled and operatively locked condition. In Figures 15 to 17 of the drawings the configuration of the lever-holder 56 is shown, the latter showing that it is essentially a plate type structure having a central opening 60 by means of which, when pulling back and / or pushing down on the lever-like structure of the lever-its stator, the catheter hub 52 is either pushed or released from the nose protection portion 54 of the catheter insertion device 50. This particular lever structure- The fastener does not require that the luer-type locking projections on the catheter hub 52 be oriented as they are pushed on the body of the hub and not on the projections, which are used to form a locking connection of the type of Luer subsequent to the removal and separation of the cannula structure. Since this construction does not support or release Luer-type protrusions on the catheter hub, any method, which has currently been employed for catheter delivery, can be used in addition to the "one-finger" technique described above. as shown in figures 12 and 13 of the drawings. Referring to the embodiment of Figures 16 and 19, two positions of the catheter insertion device 70 are illustrated in a perspective view, wherein in Figure 16 the cannula 72 is shown extended from the nose guard 74 and, in FIG. Figure 19 is retracted in protective form therein and into housing 76. This structure allows a user to use the same "one-handed" catheter separation techniques as previously mentioned, with the so-called push tab / protection 76 being unlocked only when the nose guard 74 is locked thus allowing the push of the catheter hub by exerting a continuous pressure with the finger on the squeeze tab 76. As shown in Figure 20 of the drawings, this is a somewhat modified version 60 of the previous devices, with the exception that the lever-holder arrangement 62 is integrally formed with the nose and shield structure 64. Hereby, the locking operation of the catheter hub 66 to the cannula structure as in Fig. 21, is identical to that described with respect to Fig. 1, a "light noise" taking place, meaning that the lock action. Conversely, as shown in Figure 22, after locking the catheter hub 6 > , the latter can be decoupled by any currently employed method described herein. In addition, a user may pull back slightly on the squeeze tab 66 on the nose guard to decouple the catheter hub 66 from the cannula structure; in effect, providing an operation with "one hand". As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the nose-protected shield portion 62 having the projecting lever 62 thereon are integrally molded, using a live hinge 90 to allow the lever portion, as shown. in Figures 21 and 22, be inclined elastically in opposite directions to cause contact of the end portion 92 projecting downward therefrom to allow thrust of the catheter hub 86 away from and away from the rest of the structure of cannula, as shown in Figure 22 of the drawings. If, as shown in FIGS. 25 to 27, the lever and the structure 100 of this catheter device 102 is a one piece or unitary molded nose guard 104, having a projecting member 106 in the form of an incunable lever by which, as shown in Figure 26, its forward movement allows the catheter hub 106 to be locked in place on the nose portion 110 of the cannula assembly 112 and with the extension of the telescopic arrangement 114, 116 for retracting the retracted cannula for a uniform and free operation of >; disturbance through the use of a suitable plastic lubricant material. The unclamping action for separating the catheter hub 106 and its catheter tube attached from the remainder of the cannula structure, whereby the cannula has been retracted to its protective position, can be implemented in a manner described here above by simply pulling towards back on the incunable lever 106 as shown in figure 27. The user can also pull back slightly on the squeeze tab 120 on the nose guard 104 to uncouple the catheter hub 106 from the disposable cannula structure according to the "one-handed" operation of the device of the present invention.

Since what is considered the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood, of course, that various modifications and changes in form or detail can easily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this way, it is intended that the invention is not limited to the exact form and details herein described and shown, nor to anything less than the entire invention described herein as claimed below.

Claims (6)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 1. A catheter insertion device, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a housing for receiving a cannular needle, said cannular needle extends from one end of said housing and is adapted to deliver a catheter to a patient; (b) a needle nose protectant slidably mounted on said housing, said cannular needle extending through the nose guard in the operative position of said cannular needle; (c) a catheter hub support structure that is provided over said needle nose shield; (d) a catheter slidably mounted on said cannular needle, said catheter includes a catheter hub coupled on said catheter hub support structure; and (e) lever means-its stator disposed on said catheter hub support means, said lever-fastener means being operable in at least one direction to facilitate the locking of said catheter hub to said catheter support structure. catheter hub in the extended operative position of said cannular needle and being actableable in at least one direction subsequent to retraction of said cannular needle into a protective environment to release and push said catheter hub out of said mallet support structure of catheter.
2. 2. An insect device > A catheter assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that said lever-holder means comprise a plate-shaped element mounted on said catheter hub support means.
3. 3. A catheter insertion device according to claim 2, further characterized in that said plate-shaped element comprises a projection tongue member that is actuated in response to the pressure exerted against it by the finger of a catheter. user of said device.
4. 4. A catheter insertion device according to claim 3., further characterized in that said housing includes at least one grip surface that is engaged by the hand of the user possessing the finger to operate said lever-fastener means.
5. 5. A catheter insertion device according to claim 1, further characterized in that said lever-holder means are molded from a plastic material elastically? deformable. 6. A catheter insertion device according to claim 1"further characterized in that said lever-holder means are integrally formed with said needle nose guard. 7. A catheter insertion device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the lever means-its stator comprises an oppressive tongue on said needle nose guard.
6. 6. A catheter insertion device according to claim 7, further characterized in that said oppressive tongue is integrally formed with said needle nose guard. A catheter insertion device according to claim 1, further characterized in that said lever-fastener means comprises a hub portion that is mounted on said needle nose guard, and lever means hingedly connected to said portion of said nose. hubs adapted to be elastically flexed to push said catheter hub out of the catheter hub support structure. 10. A catheter insertion device according to claim 9, further characterized in that said hub portion and the lever means of said lever-fastener means comprise a unitarily formed structure. 11. A catheter insertion device according to claim 10, further characterized in that said unitarily formed structure is constituted of? a molded plastic material. 12. A catheter insertion device according to claim 1, further characterized in that said needle nose guard includes means for bringing said cannular needle back into the protective environment. 13. A catheter insertion device according to claim 1, further characterized in that an audible indication is provided with respect to the positions of said cannular needle in said device.