Abstract:
A new and improved catheter for administrating or withdrawing a substance from the human body which can temporarily attached to the tissue site. In one embodiment a filament is attached to the outside of the catheter allowing for ease of attachment and removal. In one embodiment the catheter has multiple holes to allow uniform bathing of the tissue site.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a tube or catheter, and more particularly to a tube or catheter, which can be temporarily attached to a tissue site within the human body for infusion or withdrawal of a substance from the body. 
         [0002]    Conventional technology requires that the suture used to attach the catheter to the tissue run through the catheter tube or be placed in a separate tube attached to the catheter. In both cases, the attachment process is limited because the knot used to create the suture loop cannot pass through the inside of the catheter. This limits the ability to position the catheter once a knot has been tied. Running the suture through the inside of the catheter makes removal of the catheter more difficult because both sides of the knot must be cut since the knot will not pass though the inside of the catheter. 
         [0003]    Further, conventional catheters provide a single opening to bath tissue with fluid or extract fluid. This reduces the uniformity of the bathing process because more liquid will be concentrated at the tip of the catheter. When an area requires a fluid bath, fluid is wasted because more fluid will concentrate at the tip of the catheter instead of evenly flowing across the entire area requiring a bath. 
         [0004]    A catheter that is simple to attach and remove is needed. Further a catheter that can uniformly bath an area is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Embodiments of a system are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a catheter comprising a hollow tube with a proximal end and a distal end and a filament with a first end and a second end. The filament first end is coupled to the outside surface of the proximate end of the hollow tube and the filament second end is coupled to the outside surface of the distal end of the hollow tube. Other embodiments of the apparatus are also described. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of an apparatus are also described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a catheter comprising a hollow tube with a proximal end and a distal end with a hole through the side of the hollow tube. The catheter includes a filament with a first end and a second end wherein the filament first end is coupled to the outside surface of the proximate end of the tube and the filament threaded through the hole to an inside of the catheter and threaded through the distal end of the tube to an outside of the catheter. The filament second end is coupled to the outside surface of the distal end of the tube. Other embodiments of the apparatus are also described. 
         [0007]    Embodiments of a method are also described. In one embodiment, the method is a method for using a catheter comprising attaching a filament to an outside surface of a proximate end of the catheter and attaching the filament to body tissue. Attaching the filament to the outside surface of a distal end of the catheter and administering fluids through the catheter. Other embodiments of the method are also described. 
         [0008]    Embodiments of a method are also described. In one embodiment the method is a method for bathing biological tissue and attaching a catheter to biological tissue. Introducing a fluid into the catheter and the fluid exiting more than one opening located near the biological tissue. 
         [0009]    Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a schematic diagram of a method for using a catheter. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  depicts a schematic diagram of a method for bathing biological tissue. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Throughout the description, similar reference numbers may be used to identify similar elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter  5  having a hollow tube  10  with an outside surface  15  and an inside surface  20 . A first band  25  is attached to the outside surface  15  of the hollow tube  10  and a second band  30  is attached to the outside surface  15  of the hollow tube  10 . Holes  35  are located near second band  30 . Holes  35  may extend through hollow tube  10 . In one embodiment holes  35  are not used. Hollow tube  10  has proximal end  55  and distal end  50 . Filament  40  is attached to second band  30  on one end and attached to needle  45  on the other end. 
         [0020]    Hollow tube  10  can be made out of any suitable bio compatible material such as polyurethane, silicone, elastomer, Teflon, Nylon, Pebax, etc. In one embodiment hollow tube  10  is 36 inches long and is 19 gauge catheter with 0.042 inch outside diameter and 0.035 inches inside diameter. First band  25  and second band  30  can be made of any suitable bio compatible material that is rigid enough to prevent hollow tube  10  from collapsing. In one embodiment first band  25  and second band  30  has an outside diameter of 0.052 inches and an inside diameter of 0.042 inches. In one embodiment second band  30  is located 0.039 inches from the proximate end  55  of hollow tube  10  and first band  25  is located 7 or 8 inches from the proximate end  55  of hollow tube  10 . 
         [0021]    Filament  40  may be made of any suitable bio compatible material and in one embodiment Filament is made of polyester monofilament. In one embodiment filament  40  is 0.005 inch medical grade filament that is 10 inches long. In one embodiment filament  40  is made from 3.0 or 5.0 silk about 30 inches long. Filament  40  may be attached to second band  30  by bio compatible tape, glue or by tying filament  40  to first band  30 . Needle  45  may be made of any suitable bio compatible material that is rigid enough to pierce body tissue. In one embodiment needle  45  is not used. 
         [0022]    Catheter  5  is used by attaching filament  40  through biological material such as body tissue, and placing hollow tube  10  near the attachment site. Filament  40  is then secured by tying filament  40  around hollow tube  10  and bellow first band  25  preventing filament  40  from moving toward proximate end  55 . In one embodiment filament  40  may be taped to first band  25 . The body tissue may then be bathed by fluid passing through hollow tube  10  and exit out holes  35  or a hole located in the proximate end  55  of hollow tube  10 . Additionally, the body tissue may be drained by fluid entering holes  35  or a hole located in the proximate end  55 . In one embodiment holes  35  are 1/64 inches in diameter. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter  5  having cap  60  placed over proximal end  55  to prevent fluid from entering or exiting the end of the proximal end  55  of the hollow tube  10 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter  5  showing how filament  40  is tied below first band  25  or taped to first band  25  to secure hollow tube  10  in place. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter  5  having hole  60  located above second band  30  and filament  40  is attached to second band  30  and passes through hole  60  to the inside of hollow tube  10 . Filament  40  then passes through proximate end  60  of hollow tube  40  and is tied below first band  25  or taped to first band  25 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  depicts a schematic diagram of a method for using a catheter including steps  65  through  80 . The steps comprising attaching the filament  40  to the outside surface  15  of a proximate end  55  of the catheter. Then attaching the filament  40  to body tissue and attaching the filament  40  to the outside surface  15  of a distal end  50  of the catheter  5  and administering fluids through the catheter  5 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  depicts a schematic diagram of a method for bathing biological tissue including steps  85  through  95 . The steps comprising attaching the catheter  5  to biological tissue and introducing a fluid into the catheter  5 . Further, the fluid exiting more than one opening  35  located near proximal end  55  of the catheter  5 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. Tab  100  is coupled to hollow tube  10  and filament  40 . Filament  40  attached to tab  100  by tying a knot through tab hole  105 . This embodiment allows the person attaching the hollow tub to attach filament  40  to hollow tube  10 . This allows a person to select the type filament they would like to use instead of having the filament selected by the manufacture. Additionally, this can reduce production costs by eliminating the need to attach filament  40  during the manufacturing of the catheter. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  depicts a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a catheter. Filament  40  is tied to tab  100  and to tie-off tab  110 . This prevents hollow tube  10  from moving from the attachment site. Hollow tube  10  can be removed by cutting filament  40  between tab  100  and tie-off tab  110  and pulling on hollow tube  10 . 
         [0030]    Several advantages are realized with the above described embodiments. The multiple holes allow for uniform bathing of body tissue by more evenly distributing a fluid. Attaching a filament to the outside of the hollow tube eliminates knots in the filament that can interfere with the operation of the catheter by blocking fluid flow though the tube. Additionally, the catheter can be easily removed without the possibility of damaging body tissue by passing a knot through the body tissue attachment location. Cutting the filament at the base of the catheter assures no knots are in the filament as the filament is removed. Further, keeping the filament on the outside of the catheter eliminates the need to thread the filament through the hollow tube. 
         [0031]    Although the operations of the method(s) herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be altered so that certain operations may be performed in an inverse order or so that certain operations may be performed, at least in part, concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, instructions or sub-operations of distinct operations may be implemented in an intermittent and/or alternating manner. 
         [0032]    Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.