Patent ID: 9662477
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: A61M

Claim:
1. An introducer needle assembly comprising a needle with a single hollow lumen therethrough, the needle comprising a proximal portion having a proximal outer diameter and proximal inner diameter, and a distal portion having a distal outer diameter and a distal inner diameter, the needle being tapered between the proximal portion and the distal portion such that the proximal outer diameter is greater than the distal outer diameter and an inner diameter of the distal portion is smaller than an inner diameter of the proximal portion, wherein the needle tapers from a diameter of a 19 gauge needle at its proximal portion to a diameter of a 21 gauge needle at its distal-most tip, the needle having a stiffness that provides less than 6 degrees of bend when at least half of the needle is inserted at a 45 degree angle into a test fixture representative of a human body.