I.V. CATHETER WITH NEEDLE GUARD

Abstract: Device in an I.V. Catheter including a catheter housing (7), a catheter tube (1), an insertion needle (9) and a needle guard (10) inside the catheter housing for enclosing the tip (2) of the insertion needle to prevent accidental injuries at removal of the insertion needle from the catheter housing after the catheter tube having been inserted into a blood vessel. The insertion needle can be passed through a central passage (12) in the needle guard into the catheter tube to a position wherein the tip of the insertion needle is located outside the catheter tube (1). In order that the tip (2) of the insertion needle shall be enclosed in the needle guard (10), after a blood vessel having been penetrated the needle guard is attached in the catheter housing by means of a snap means (8) to the Luer-lock fitting/Luer cone (5) of the catheter housing, and by a cord (6) of the needle guard to the rear portion (3) of the insertion needle (9) passed into the catheter housing the needle guard enclosing the tip (2) of the insertion needle when the insertion needle is withdrawn from the catheter housing (7) and the cord (6) is extended, the snap means (8) being released from the catheter housing and the needle guard (10) enclosing the tip (2) of the insertion needle.

Description: I.V. CATHETER WITH NEEDLE GUARD The present invention relates to a needle guard for a so called I.V. Catheter having a catheter housing, a catheter tube and an Insertion needle. The insertion needle can be passed through a central passage in the needle guard into the catheter tube to a position in which the distal tip of the insertion needle is exposed and located outside the catheter tube and by means of a blocking device encases the needle tip within the needle guard at withdrawal of the insertion needle from the catheter housing together with the needle guard. The task of the needle guard at the withdrawal of the insertion needle from the catheter housing, after the catheter tube having been entered Into a blood vessel is to prevent accidential injuries by the insertion needle when separating the needle from the catheter housing since this may lead to serious infections if the insertion needle should be infected. The needle guard can also prevent reuse of the insertion needle that could be a disaster if the insertion needle is infected and to simplify destruction ot the insertion needle by bending it and thus making it unfit for use without any risk of pricking oneself. Since the price for IN. Catheters today is heavily forced down one runs the risk that an IN. Catheter cannot bear the additional cost connected with expensive technical solutions of needle guards, which prevents a more general use of such a so called safety catheter while the present invention can be produced at a very low cost. mir ose ot «^> present invention is to provide a device of t kιr i referred to above which comprises a needle guard ot a construction which allows manufacture of the needle αuard in just one injection molding operation possibly together with trie rear nor [ton of the insertion needle in plastic material which will result in a low <-υ ( -\ r duct arid also allows an automatic soft and letkies handling when enc smu T needle up into the needle guard at withdrawal from the catheter housing The mentioned purpose is achieved by the device according to the invention having obtained the characteristics of claim 1 The invention will be described in more detail below reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which Figl is a schematic cross sectional view of an illustrative embodi- rnent of an I V Catheter according to the invention before the insertion needle being inserted Fig 2 is a corresponding view under withdrawal of the insertion needle Fin 3 is a corresponding view with the insertion needle as well ϋ the needle guard completely withdrawn and seperated from the catheter housmπ The drawing shows a conventional i V catheter where the conical catheter housing 7 is constructed to form a connection socket in a Luer lock mechanism 5 for connection of a syringe an infusion hose or the like In the bottom portion a catheter tube 1 in the shape of a thin plastic hose for insertion into a blood vessel of a patient, and a pair of wings 1 1 project from the catheter housing at opposite sides thereof, at which the catheter housing can ϋe attached to the patient by means of tor example plaster or the like. The IN Catheter includes also as a separate part thereof an insertion needle 9 with a needle tip 2 at one end the other end being connected to a rear portion 3 of plastic material. When applying the I V Catheter th purpose of the insertion needle is to penetrate a blood vessel of a patient and to introduce the catheter tube 1 into the Mood vessei (tie insertion needle 9 stiffening the catheter iube. After insertion the insertion needle is withdrawn while the catheter tube is left in the blood vessel This is the normal way of applying an I V Catheter ' Hie needle guar 10 is positioned and is attached to the Luer lock mechanism by means of a snap device 8, as is more closely Illustrated by the dr wing, figs 1 - ? while a cord 6 of the needle guard either is fastened to ttie rear portion 3 of the insertion needle or is Included in the rear portion from the very beginning i e. at the manufacture of ttie rear portion and needle guard / cord, thus forming just one unit in injection molding The needle guard has a central opening 1 the diameter of winch allows easy introduction of the insertion needle therethrough at easy lip fit The needle guard shall be made of plastic material that must not be rigid but shall have a certain elasticity in order to admit an extension of the cord 6 when it is stretched then to spring back when the force generated by the snap device ceases, to a blocking position In the needle guard. After the insertion needle having been introduced into a blood vessel of (he patient in the manner previously described for the introduction of the 0 cattieter tube 1 into the blood vessel, the insertion needle 9 shall be withdrawn from the cathteler housing while the cattieter tube 1 remains in the blood vessel When (tie needle lip 2 at withdrawal of the insertion eedle se the central passage 12 the cord 6 will be extended and the snap d ice 8 will be disengaged Ihe needle tip 2 ot the insertion needle b beinq encased and blocked in the needle guard 10 The needle tip is safely retained and locked in the needle guard since it cannot be ejected because the needle tip engages the shoulder surface 4, and It cannot be withdrawn because the cord cannot be extended to the extent that the needle tip is allowed to leave the needle guard The tip ot the insertion 0 needle is safely pr tected inside the needle guard without risk of nursing personell handling the I V Catheter pricking themselves on the needle tip There is also no risk of this happinmg when the insertion needle after withdrawel from the catheter housing is destroyed by bending

Claims: CLAIMS 1 Device in an IN Catheter Including a catheter housing (7), a catheter tube (1), an insertion needle (9) a needle guard (10) inside the catheter housing the Insertion rteedle being Inaertable Into the catheter tube through a central passage (12) In the needle guard to a position In which the tip (2) of the insertion needle is located outside the catheter tube and via a blocking device (4, 6) encases the needle tip within the needle guard at withdrawal of the insertion needle (9) from the catheter housing together with the needle guard (10), characterized In that the needle guard is attached by means of a snap device (8) to a Luer lock mechanism (5) of the catheter housing for retaining the needle guard in the catheter housing (7), and via an elastic cord (β) to the insertion needle passed into the catheter housing encloses the needle tip (2) at 6 withdrawel of the Insertion needle from the catheter housing when the cord is being extended the snap device (8) being disengaged from the cathetet housing and the insertion needle (9) together with the needle guard (10) being separated from the catheter housing (7). 2 Device according to claim 1 , characterized In that inside the needle 0 guard (10) there are provided as locking device inclined surfaces (4) retaining and locking the rteedle tip 3 Device according to claims 1 -2. characterized In in that a shoulder in the needle guard (10) guides the insertion needle (9) at withdrawel from the catheter housing (7) In order to make sure that the needle tip (2) will S arrive at one and the same locking position in the needle guard. 4. Device according to claims 1-3, characterized In that needle guard / cord (10, 6) are of the same plastic material as that of the rear portion (3) of the insertion needle and thus is incorporated as an integral single unit manufacture of the rear portion (3) the insertion needle including also the needle guard / cord (10, 6) and being performed in just one operation

Inventors: AXELSSON ROBERT, AXELSSON, ROBERT
Applicants: AXELSSON ROBERT, HYDRACINE DEVELOP AB, AXELSSON, ROBERT
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61M5
IPC codes: A61M5, A61M25