Patent ID: 7494478
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A catheter assembly comprising an outer catheter having an outer catheter main body and an outer catheter hub attached to a proximal end of said outer catheter main body, and an inner catheter having an inner catheter main body insertable in said outer catheter main body and an inner catheter hub attached to a proximal end of said inner catheter main body, wherein a distal end portion of said outer catheter main body and a distal end portion of said inner catheter main body have different curved shapes, said distal end portion of said outer catheter main body is more flexible than said distal end portion of said inner catheter main body, said curved shape of said distal end portion of said outer catheter main body is deformed according to said curved shape of said distal end portion of said inner catheter main body when said inner catheter main body is inserted in said outer catheter main body so that their distal end portions overlap each other, the inner catheter hub includes at a distal end thereof an engaging portion for engagement with a proximal end of the outer catheter hub, and said outer catheter and said inner catheter are assembled when said inner catheter hub and said outer catheter hub are engaged with each other, and wherein said outer catheter hub and said inner catheter hub are respectively provided with engaging mechanisms, said inner and outer catheter hub being fixed to one another when the inner catheter is inserted into the outer catheter and the engaging mechanism of the outer catheter hub engages the engaging mechanism of the inner catheter hub, when said inner catheter is inserted into said outer catheter and said inner catheter hub is fixed to said outer catheter hub by the engaging mechanisms, the distal end portion of said outer catheter and the distal end portion of said inner catheter come to overlap each other and a distal end portion of the catheter assembly in the assembled condition is formed into a shape like the shape of said distal end portion of the inner catheter; wherein a distal end of said outer catheter and a distal end of said inner catheter coincide with each other when said outer catheter and said inner catheter are assembled.