Patent ID: 6689109
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A catheter-flushing system for maintaining the patency of the lumen of an indwelling catheter having a indwelling portion beneath the skin of a patient, the system comprising:a tube in flow communication with said indwelling portion, said tube defining a stable internal volume and having at least one proximal terminal for intermittent flow connection with an external fluid source, said proximal terminal including a seal for promptly sealing said proximal terminal upon disconnection of said source so that at least a portion of the fluid entering said tube through said terminal from said source remains sealed within said tube after said source has been disconnected from said proximal terminal thereby defining a residual volume of flush solution within said tube, at least one volume reducer mounted to said tube, said reducer including at least one occluding member displaceable with respect to said tube from a first position to at least a second position, said at least one occluding member, in said second position, substantially occluding at least a first portion of said tube and further and serially substantially occluding at least a second portion of said tube downstream from said first portion to serially displace a sufficient portion of said residual volume of flush solution toward and into said indwelling portion of said catheter to substantially flush blood from said indwelling portion with said flush solution.