Systems and methods for improving catheter hole array efficiency

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9364634-B2
Application number	US-201113248483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2011
Priority date	Apr 22, 2008
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

Peripheral catheters having diffusion holes can be reinforced by embedding stripe material within the material of the catheter tube body. The stripe material can be embedded using a coextrusion process. The stripe material may consist of one or more stripes which may be arranged in a straight or non-linear pattern such as a helical pattern. The diffusion holes can be positioned between adjacent stripes or between adjacent portions of a single stripe. The diffusion holes can be formed after the stripe material has been embedded. A lubricant may be applied to a peripheral catheter that includes stripe material and diffusion holes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A peripheral catheter, comprising:
a tubular body member of a predetermined diameter and having a wall thickness, the tubular body member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween, the tubular body member further having a truncated length sufficient to access a peripheral vein of a patient, the distal end comprising a tapered tip, the tubular body member consisting of a first material;
an introducer needle positioned within the tubular body member prior to the peripheral catheter being inserted into the peripheral vein of the patient, the introducer needle having a sharpened distal tip that extends out the distal end of the tubular body member, the tapered tip of the tubular body member providing a transition from an outer surface of the introducer needle to the tubular body member to facilitate insertion of the peripheral catheter into the peripheral vein of the patient, the sharpened distal tip allowing the introducer needle to pierce through skin and the peripheral vein of the patient while the introducer needle is positioned within the tubular body member;
at least two stripes of a stiffening material embedded within the wall thickness of the tubular body, the stiffening material being different than the first material; and
a plurality of holes positioned on the tapered tip of the tubular body member, the plurality of holes being formed through the wall thickness of the tubular body member and in communication with the lumen to define an array of diffusion holes, the plurality of holes comprising a first set of holes disposed in a first annular ring, and a second set of holes disposed in a second annular ring, wherein the second set of holes is axially staggered from the first set of holes from about 15° to about 60°.

2. The peripheral catheter of claim 1 , wherein the second set of holes is axially staggered from the first set of holes about 45°.

3. The peripheral catheter of claim 2 , wherein the lumen further includes a first inner wall surface defining a first plane, and each staggered hole further includes a passage way having a second inner wall surface defining a second plane, wherein an orientation of the second plane is acute to an orientation of the first plane.

4. The peripheral catheter of claim 3 , wherein the orientation of the second plane is about 45° relative to the orientation of the first plane.

5. The peripheral catheter of claim 3 , wherein an orientation of the second lane relative to the first plane is from about 15° to about 75°.

6. The peripheral catheter of claim 1 , wherein the truncated length is between 13 mm and 52 mm.

7. The peripheral catheter of claim 1 , wherein the at least two stripes of stiffening material comprise a radiopaque material.

8. The peripheral catheter of claim 1 , wherein the at least two stripes of stiffening material are helically extruded within the wall thickness of the tubular body.

9. The peripheral catheter of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening material extends along the tapered tip.

10. The peripheral catheter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a catheter adapter within which the proximal end of the tubular body member is secured, the catheter adapter including an inlet port;
a section of intravenous tubing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being coupled to the inlet port; and
an adapter coupled to the proximal end of the section of intravenous tubing, the adapter being configured to allow an infusion system to be connected to the adapter.

11. A peripheral catheter, comprising:
a tubular body member of a predetermined diameter and having a wall thickness, the tubular body member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween, the lumen forming a first inner wall surface defining a first plane, the tubular body member further having a truncated length sufficient to access a peripheral vein of a patient, the distal end comprising a tapered tip, the tubular body member consisting of a first material;
an introducer needle positioned within the tubular body member prior to the peripheral catheter being inserted into the peripheral vein of the patient, the introducer needle having a sharpened distal tip that extends out the distal end of the tubular body member, the tapered tip of the tubular body member providing a transition from an outer surface of the introducer needle to the tubular body member to facilitate insertion of the peripheral catheter into the peripheral vein of the patient, the sharpened distal tip allowing the introducer needle to bypass skin and the peripheral vein of the patient while the introducer needle is positioned within the tubular body member;
a stiffening material coextruded with the first material to embed the stiffening material in a helical pattern within the wall thickness of the tubular body; and
a plurality of holes positioned on the tapered tip of the tubular body member, the plurality of holes being formed through the wall thickness of the tubular body member and in communication with the lumen to define an array of diffusion holes, each hole further including a passage way having a second inner wall surface defining a second plane, wherein an orientation of the second plane is acute to an orientation of the first plane, the plurality of holes comprising a first set of holes disposed in a first annular ring, and a second set of holes disposed in a second annular ring, wherein the second set of holes is axially staggered from the first set of holes from about 15° to about 60° to provide a staggered array of diffusion holes.

12. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , wherein the orientation of the second plane is about 45° relative to the orientation of the first plane.

13. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , wherein the stiffening material is radiopaque.

14. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , wherein the second set of holes is axially staggered from the first set of holes about 45°.

15. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , wherein the truncated length is between 13 mm and 52 mm.

16. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , wherein an inner surface of the tapered tip is also tapered to form a seal between the inner surface of the tapered tip and the outer surface of the introducer needle.

17. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , further comprising:
a catheter adapter within which the proximal end of the tubular body member is secured, the catheter adapter including an inlet port;
a section of intravenous tubing having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being coupled to the inlet port; and
an adapter coupled to the proximal end of the section of intravenous tubing, the adapter being configured to allow an infusion system to be connected to the adapter.

18. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , wherein the stiffening material extends along the tapered tip.

19. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , further comprising an elongate gap disposed between an upstream hole and a downstream hole.

20. The peripheral catheter of claim 11 , further comprising a third set of holes disposed in a third annular ring, wherein the third set of holes is axially staggered from the second set of holes, and the first set of holes is axially aligned with the third set of holes.

Assignees

• Adams Chad M
• Burkholz Jonathan Karl
• Mckinnon Austin Jason
• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Adams Chad M
• Burkholz Jonathan Karl
• Mckinnon Austin Jason

Classifications

• A61M25/007 Primary

  Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked · CPC title

• A61M25/0015

  Making lateral openings in a catheter tube, e.g. holes, slits, ports, piercings of guidewire ports; Methods for processing the holes, e.g. smoothing the edges · CPC title

• A61M25/005

  with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids · CPC title

• A61M25/0009 Primary

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

• A61M2039/1077

  Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors · CPC title