Modified veress needle assembly for tension pneumothorax decompression

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11033665-B2
Application number	US-201716346840-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Nov 4, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A needle assembly includes an outer cannula having a distal end portion, the distal end portion comprising a sharp bevel facilitating insertion of the needle assembly into a subject. The needle assembly further includes an inner cannula slidably disposed coaxially in the lumen of the outer cannula and movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the inner cannula having a blunt distal end portion extending beyond the sharp bevel of the outer cannula whenever the inner cannula is in the extended position. The needle assembly further includes a bias coupled to the inner cannula in a manner favoring automatic positioning of the inner cannula at the extended position. The needle assembly includes a valve located in fluid communication with the lumen of the inner cannula to allow fluid to exit the subject through the inner cannula, and to prevent ingress of fluid into the subject.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A needle assembly, comprising:
an outer cannula defining a lumen and having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the outer cannula comprising a sharp bevel facilitating insertion of the needle assembly into a subject, the proximal end portion of the outer cannula being received in a housing;
an inner cannula slidably disposed coaxially in the lumen of the outer cannula and being movable relative to the outer cannula between an extended position and a retracted position, the inner cannula defining a respective lumen and having a blunt distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the blunt distal end portion extending beyond the sharp bevel of the outer cannula whenever the inner cannula is in the extended position and being at least partially retracted within the lumen of the outer cannula whenever the inner cannula is in the retracted position, the proximal end portion of the inner cannula being received in the housing;
a bias situated in the housing and coupled to the inner cannula and the outer cannula in a manner favoring automatic positioning of the inner cannula at the extended position unless the blunt distal end portion is experiencing a sufficient force to move the inner cannula to the retracted position;
a valve located in the housing and in fluid communication with the lumen of the inner cannula and configured when the needle assembly is inserted into a subject to allow fluid to exit the subject through the inner cannula, and to prevent ingress of fluid into the subject when a pressure inside the subject is lower than an ambient pressure;
wherein the valve includes a diaphragm configured as a one-way check valve, the diaphragm including an indicator configured as a protuberance; and
wherein the housing further comprises a flexible membrane adjacent the protuberance such that the protuberance is visible to a user when the flexible membrane is in a contracted configuration, and not visible when the flexible membrane expands to an expanded configuration upon passage of fluid through the valve.

2. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises an introducer port in communication with the lumen of the inner cannula.

3. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm comprises an expandable indicator configured to expand under the influence of fluid passing through the diaphragm.

4. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible membrane is adjacent the diaphragm and movable between the expanded configuration and the contracted configuration with fluid flow through the diaphragm; and
the needle assembly further comprises a second one-way check valve downstream of the diaphragm and in fluid communication with the diaphragm such that movement of the flexible membrane by a user between the expanded configuration and the contracted configuration causes the diaphragm and the second one-way check valve to open and close to produce a pumping action.

5. The needle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism configured when activated to allow proximal motion of the inner cannula beyond a specified location.

6. The needle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking member defining an opening through which the inner cannula can move when the locking mechanism is activated.

7. The needle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a travel-limiting assembly including a main body movable between an extended position and a retracted position and configured to contact the subject when the needle assembly is inserted into the subject to a specified depth.

8. The needle assembly of claim 7 , wherein a surface of the main body comprises an adhesive to adhere the main body to the subject when the main body is in contact with the subject.

9. The needle assembly of claim 7 , wherein the main body includes a spring collar configured to frictionally engage the outer cannula.

10. The needle assembly of claim 7 , wherein the main body includes a plurality of tab portions configured to frictionally engage the outer cannula.

11. A method, comprising:
activating a locking mechanism of a Veress-type needle assembly to allow a biased inner cannula of the needle assembly to move from an extended position to a retracted position through an outer cannula through which the inner cannula is disposed, the outer cannula including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the proximal end portion of the outer cannula being coupled to a housing, the distal end portion of the outer cannula comprising a sharp bevel which is exposed when the inner cannula is in the retracted position, the needle assembly including a one-way check valve located in the housing and in fluid communication with a lumen of the inner cannula, the one-way check valve including a diaphragm, the diaphragm including an indicator configured as a protuberance, the housing further comprising a flexible membrane adjacent the protuberance such that the protuberance is visible to a user when the flexible membrane is in a non-deflected state and not visible when the flexible membrane expands to an expanded configuration upon passage of fluid through the one-way check valve;
advancing the needle assembly into a thoracic cavity of a living subject such that the inner cannula moves from the extended position to the retracted position through the outer cannula exposing the sharp bevel;
halting advancement of the needle assembly into the thoracic cavity when the inner cannula moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising allowing fluid to exit the thoracic cavity through the inner cannula and through the one-way check valve in fluid communication with the inner cannula.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein activating the locking mechanism further comprises depressing a locking member defining an opening such that the opening is coaxially aligned with the inner cannula.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after halting advancement of the needle assembly, positioning a travel-limiting assembly to prevent further movement of the needle assembly into the thoracic cavity.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein a proximal end portion of the inner cannula provides a visual indication that the sharp bevel is exposed.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising compressing and releasing the flexible membrane to pump fluid from the thoracic cavity of the living subject.

17. A method of making a needle assembly, comprising:
inserting an inner cannula through a lumen of an outer cannula such that the inner cannula is slidably disposed coaxially in the lumen of the outer cannula and movable relative to the outer cannula between an extended position and a retracted position, the outer cannula having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the outer cannula comprising a sharp bevel facilitating insertion of the outer cannula into a subject, the inner cannula defining a respective lumen and having a blunt distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the blunt distal end portion extending beyond the sharp bevel of the outer cannula whenever the inner cannula is in the extended position and being at least partially retracted within the lumen of the outer cannula whenever the inner cannula is in the retracted position;
coupling a bias to the inner cannula in a manner favoring automatic positioning of the inner cannula at the extended position unless the blunt distal end portion is experiencing a sufficient force to

Assignees

• Univ Arizona

Inventors

• Rhee Peter
• Tang Andrew
• Okarski Kevin

Classifications

• A61B2017/347

  Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula · CPC title

• A61B2017/3492

  against the outside of the body · CPC title

• A61M2039/2406

  designed to quickly shut upon the presence of back-pressure · CPC title

• A61M1/04 Primary

  {Artificial} pneumothorax apparatus · CPC title

• A61B17/3474 Primary

  Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles · CPC title