Packaged ready-to-use product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9072862-B2
Application number	US-201414249568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2014
Priority date	Aug 8, 2003
Publication date	Jul 7, 2015
Grant date	Jul 7, 2015

Abstract

A vapor hydrated packaged catheter assembly and method of manufacturing and distributing same includes a gas impermeable package housing a catheter within a catheter-receiving cavity. The catheter assembly has a hydrophilic coating applied to at least a portion of the outer surface of a catheter tube or shaft which may be surrounded by a sleeve to provide a no-touch, sure grip feature. The catheter assembly is disposed within the catheter receiving cavity of the package together with a limited amount of a vapor donating liquid provided as a source of vapor to activate the hydrophilic coating. The amount of vapor donating liquid is less than the amount that would otherwise be sufficient to cause a spill hazard. It may be loose liquid as a desired percentage of the volume of a tube-receiving portion of the catheter receiving cavity of the package, or it may be contained in a liquid sequestering element. The activation of at least some of the hydrophilic coating occurs solely by reason of exposure of the outer surface of the catheter to a vapor produced by the vapor donating liquid. The distribution of the catheter following manufacture is delayed for a time sufficient to permit the vapor to complete hydration of the entire hydrophilic coating on the surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A catheter assembly, comprising:
a package containing:
a catheter having a hydrophilic outer surface; and
a pouch having an amount of vapor donating liquid therein, the pouch being comprised of a vapor permeable, liquid impermeable material.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic outer surface comprises a hydrophilic coating.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the package is comprised of a liquid and gas impermeable material.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein vapor donating liquid comprises water.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein water produces sufficient water vapor to form 100% relative humidity atmosphere within the package.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein the amount of water is 20 ml.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the vapor donating liquid donates a vapor and the vapor activates at least a portion of the hydrophilic outer surface.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 7 wherein the vapor donating liquid comprises water and the vapor comprises water vapor.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the pouch contains sufficient vapor donating liquid to form a fully saturated vapor atmosphere within the package to ensure continuous hydration of the hydrophilic outer surface of the catheter through the product shelf life.

10. A packaged ready-to-use product, comprising:
a package containing:
a product having a hydrophilic surface; and
a pouch having an amount of vapor donating liquid therein, the pouch being comprised of a vapor permeable, liquid impermeable material.

11. The packaged product of claim 10 wherein the hydrophilic surface comprises a hydrophilic coating.

12. The packaged product of claim 10 wherein the package is comprised of a liquid and gas impermeable material.

13. The packaged product of claim 10 wherein vapor donating liquid comprises water.

14. The packaged product of claim 13 wherein water produces sufficient water vapor to form 100% relative humidity atmosphere within the package.

15. The packaged product of claim 13 wherein the amount of water is 20 ml.

16. The packaged product of claim 10 wherein the vapor donating liquid donates a vapor and the vapor activates at least a portion of the hydrophilic surface.

17. The packaged product of claim 16 wherein the vapor donating liquid comprises water and the vapor comprises water vapor.

18. The packaged product of claim 10 wherein the pouch contains sufficient vapor donating liquid to form a fully saturated vapor atmosphere within the package to ensure continuous hydration of the hydrophilic surface of the product through the product shelf life.

19. The packaged product of claim 10 wherein the product comprises a medical product.

Assignees

• Hollister Inc
• Hollister Inc

Inventors

• Murray Michael
• Gilman Thomas H
• Sweeney Sean
• Creaven Martin P

Classifications

• A61M25/0009

  Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes · CPC title

• A61M25/0111

  Aseptic insertion devices · CPC title

• A61M2025/0046

  Coatings for improving slidability · CPC title

• A61M25/0017

  specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections · CPC title

• B65D81/22

  in moist conditions or immersed in liquids · CPC title