Abstract:
Abstract A catheter placement device (see FIG.  2 ) includes a needle unit, which in an initial position is releasably engaged with a housing distal end and has a sharp needle passing through a catheter and protruding distally of it. There is also a telescopic protector including guard unit, which is sliding in a housing guide. After inserting the needle into patient&#39;s vein, operator one-handedly pushes the guard unit distally, thereby emplacing the catheter, displacing the protector into a full length position and locking therein, and passively disengaging the needle unit from the hosing by a trigger cam located on the guard unit. As a result, a retracting spring moves a needle into retracted position, wherein it is protected from any contact with personal. Then, operator disconnects the guard from the catheter, turns the housing and occludes the catheter entrance with a cap, which was detachably mounted on the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to intravenous catheter placement devices, which employ a sharp needle to introduce and emplace an intravenous catheter into a blood vessel of a patient, specifically, to the devices wherein the needle is retracted into a protected position after catheter emplacement to prevent the user from accidental pricking by contaminated needle. 
         [0003]    2. Prior Art of the Invention 
         [0004]    Nowadays the protection of the contaminated needle sharp point from contact with personnel after the catheter emplacement is one of the main demands to the intravenous catheter placement devices. In this connection, the many modern devices provide the needle sharp point protection carried out as an alienable part of the general process of the catheter placement. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,510 “Safety intravenous catheter assembly with automatically retractable needle” discloses one of such devices. It includes a safety receptacle containing a retractable needle and connected to the catheter through a coupling appliance, which is removably fastened to the catheter and has an elongated stem extending into the receptacle past a needle-stopping member within the receptacle. In an initial position, the needle-stopping member prevents backward moving the needle into the receptacle. The forward movement of the coupling appliance leads to the catheter emplacement and thereafter releases the stopping member thereby permitting the spring to retract the needle into the receptacle. As a result, the needle is removed from the catheter, wholly disposed within the receptacle and inaccessible for any contact with personnel. The needle removal from the catheter allows disconnecting the coupling appliance along with the receptacle and protected needle from the catheter. Subsequently, the catheter is occluded with a catheter cap. The disadvantage of the device is the restricted capability of the one-handed device control because the elongated stem is disposed within the receptacle and inaccessible for pushing by the fingers of user&#39;s hand holding the device. Another disadvantage is the considerable length of the receptacle and the sprig due to the necessity to hose the all needle inside of the receptacle to protect the needle sharp point. This leads to the inconvenience in the device holding by user&#39;s hand, heightens the material expenditure and total device cost, increases the package and shipping costs. Another disadvantage is the presence of a substantial friction between the elongated stem and the needle hub during the catheter placement caused with the spring action. As a result, the sensitivity of user&#39;s fingers needed for the estimation of the interaction between the catheter and patient&#39;s body is lowered. Besides, this friction worsens the device reliability creating the capability of the detail jamming. Another disadvantage is the relative complex device design caused with the disposition of the elongated stem within the receptacle, using the complicated design of the coupling appliance and carrying out the deepening within the receptacle for the engagement of the stopping member. Another disadvantage is the worsened observation of the flash chamber due to the spring disposition over the flash chamber. Another disadvantage is the impossibility of sufficient quick occlusion of the catheter opening after the catheter emplacement and the needle withdrawal leading to bleeding. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The objective of the present invention is providing the capability of the device one-handed control during the catheter placement. 
         [0006]    Another objective is reducing the device manufacturing cost due to decreasing the device holder and spring lengths and simplifying the device design. 
         [0007]    Another objective is improving the convenience of the device use due to the capabilities of more convenient holding the device by user&#39;s hand, improving the user&#39;s sensation of the interaction between the device and patient&#39;s body, and improving the flash chamber observation. 
         [0008]    Another objective is heightening the device reliability due to eliminating the substantial detail friction and jamming. 
         [0009]    Another objective is providing the capability of the catheter occlusion immediately after the catheter emplacement and needle withdrawal to avoid the catheter bleeding. The noted objectives of the present invention are accomplished with the catheter placement device comprising a catheter and a catheter introducer. The catheter includes an axial through channel and a catheter hub with a female part of a luer-type connector. The catheter introducer has a needle unit and a telescopic protector. The needle unit includes a needle with a sharpened tip and a needle hub, which is located at a needle proximal end and includes a flash chamber. The telescopic protector includes a hollow elongated holder and a guard unit having a guard for protecting the needle sharpened tip after the catheter emplacement, as well as a telescoping guard carrier whereon the guard is located and which is slidably disposed in guides formed by the elements of the holder. Also there is a retracting spring, disposed inside of the holder between the elements of the holder and needle hub and designed to urge the needle hub to the holder proximal end. The needle hub is hosed in the holder and capable of displacing under the action of the retracting spring during the transposition of the needle unit from an extended position wherein the needle hub is disposed adjacent to a holder distal end to a retracted position wherein the needle hub is disposed adjacent to a holder proximal end. In the extended position, retaining means provides the releasable engagement of the needle unit with the holder at a holder distal end. The retracting spring is actuated by a triggering means, which is designed to disengage the needle unit from the distal holder end allowing the spring to transpose the needle unit to the retracted position. The device is provided with a locking means for locking the guard unit in a full length position wherein the guard unit extends from the holder in a distal direction as a result of the guard unit transposition relative to the holder from a short length position. 
         [0010]    The catheter placement device has an initial and a protected positions. 
         [0011]    In the initial position, the catheter placement device is ready for the catheter placement and the needle unit is in the extended position wherein the needle extends through the catheter channel so that the needle sharpened tip protrudes distally from a catheter distal end and the needle hub is disposed adjacently to the holder distal end. Besides, the retracting spring is held in a compressed state between the holder and the needle hub by the retaining means, the guard unit is in the short length position, and the guard is releasably coupled with the catheter hub and disposed adjacently to the holder distal end. Therewith, the retaining means provides the releasable engagement of the needle unit in the extended position with the holder at the holder distal end. 
         [0012]    In the protected position, the guard unit is in the full length position in which the guard is displaced from the holder in a distal direction as a result of the catheter emplacement, and the guard unit is fixed to the holder by the locking means. Therewith, transposing the guard unit from the short length position to the full length position is accomplished manually during the process of the catheter placement. Besides, the retaining means is in a disengagement state, the retracting spring is in a minimal stressed state, and the needle unit is in the retracted position whereto the needle unit is transposed by the retracting spring during spring&#39;s transposition from the compressed state to the minimal stressed state, the needle sharpened tip is disposed inside of the guard, and the needle hub is rested against a stopper adjacently to the holder proximal end. 
         [0013]    Thus, the disposition of the needle unit in the retracted position and the guard unit in the full length position provide protecting the needle sharpened tip by the guard. It means that protecting the needle sharpened tip is accomplished partly as the result of manual transposing the guard unit relative to the holder from the short length position to the full length position and partly as the result of automatic retracting the needle unit into the retracted position by the retracting spring. This allows using the holder of the relatively short length, which is less than the length of the needle unit. Correspondently, the length of the retracting spring also is shortened. Decreasing the length of the holder and retracting spring enables reducing the device manufacturing cost, as well as the package and shipping costs. Besides, this also provides more convenient holding the device by user&#39;s hand. 
         [0014]    The retaining means includes at least one resilient retaining latch and at least one retaining ledge one of which is disposed on the holder and another on the needle hub so that in the initial position the retaining latch is in an engagement with the retaining ledge holding the needle unit in the needle extended position. The actuation of the spring is accomplished as a result of disengaging the retaining latch from the retaining ledge by the triggering means having at least one triggering member adapted to urge the retaining latch out of the engagement with the retaining ledge. Therewith, the triggering member interacts with the retaining latch and urges it out of the engagement with the retaining ledge at the last portion of the guard unit movement from the short length position to the full length position. Consequently, the retaining means does not offer the resistance to the guard unit during the most part of its movement. This eases the catheter introduction and improves the user&#39;s sensation of the interaction between the device and patient&#39;s body. 
         [0015]    In version embodiment, the catheter placement device has the retaining means including a resilient retaining latch disposed on the needle hub and a retaining ledge located on the holder, therewith the retaining latch and the needle hub are made as an integral part. The guard carrier is made in the form of an elongated bar movably disposed in the holder guide, and the triggering member is made as a cam disposed on the elongated bar. The holder has an upper slit wherein the cam is moved and the retaining ledge is made as two shoulders located inside the holder upper slit on its lateral walls and defining a passageway for the cam, which passes between the shoulders forcing down the retaining latch and disengaging it from the retaining ledge. Thus, the triggering means is automatic and designed for the passive spring actuation as a result of disengaging the retaining latch from the retaining ledge automatically during the catheter placement before disconnecting the catheter introducer from the catheter. The passive spring actuation means that the transition of the catheter placement device from the initial position to the protected position does not demand any actions except the manipulation for the catheter emplacement. 
         [0016]    In another version embodiment, the triggering means is an active spring actuating mechanism wherein the triggering member is made as a manually driven member in the form of a knob, which is deactivated in the initial position and after the transposition of the guard unit into the full length position the pressure onto the knob by operators finger disengages the retaining latch from the retaining ledge thereby releasing the retaining spring. Thus, there are two strongly separated operation stages: the transposition of the guard unit to the full length position is the first stage, and the needle transposition to the retracted position by spring is the second stage. The physician chooses the moment of the spring actuation, which is the second stage beginning. 
         [0017]    The choice of the device having the passive or active version of the retracting spring actuation depends on the personal preference of the physician. In the both noted version embodiments, the accidental premature actuation of the retracting spring is eliminated due to that the triggering member is disposed beyond the zone of the retaining latch location almost up to the completion of the catheter placement. Moreover, the reuse of the device also is eliminated due to the presence of a securing means fixing the needle unit in the retracted position after the needle unit retraction by the retracting spring. The securing means includes a securing members disposed on the holder at its proximal end and on the needle unit. In version embodiment, the securing means includes a securing ledge disposed on the holder and adapted for engagement with the retaining latch located on the needle hub when the needle hub gets into the retracted position. In another version embodiment, the securing means includes a securing shield disposed at the holder proximal end and eliminating the accessibility to the needle hub in its retracted position, thereby preventing the needle unit from displacing to the extended position. 
         [0018]    The catheter placement device includes an operating means for the catheter advance into a patient&#39;s vein and manual transposing the guard unit from the short length position into the full length position, and a connecting means providing a releasable coupling of the catheter hub and the guard up to the transposition of the guard unit into the retracted position. The connecting means includes the contacting friction surfaces of the catheter hub and the guard providing their coupling by the friction forces. In another embodiment, the connecting means is made as a thread connection of the catheter hub and the guard. 
         [0019]    In version embodiment, the operating means is designed for the one-handed catheter emplacement and provides for the disposition of the guard carrier externally at the top of the holder and includes a plurality of small projections, which are located on an upper surface of the guard carrier and accessible for operators finger control from above. This substantially heightens the convenience of the device operation. Besides, the external disposition of the guard carrier simplifies the device design thereby reducing its cost and eliminates the substantial needle hub friction and jamming in the comparison with the prior art version. This substantially heightens the device reliability. 
         [0020]    In the device version including the guard unit designed for the two-handed catheter emplacement, the catheter hub fulfils a role of the operating means. 
         [0021]    The catheter placement device includes a catheter cap for occluding a proximal opening of the catheter hub after the device transition into the protected position and disconnecting the catheter introducer from the catheter. The catheter cap is detachably positioned on the catheter introducer so that, after the needle distal sharp tip protection, the catheter cap is accessible for occluding the catheter hub proximal opening without previous detachment of the catheter cap from the catheter introducer. The catheter cap has a conical obturator and is positioned at the holder proximal end so that the conical obturator is directed proximally and there is a mounting means allowing mounting/detaching the catheter cap on/from the holder. The presence of the catheter cap in the catheter placement device allows the catheter occlusion immediately after the catheter emplacement and needle withdrawal thereby avoiding the catheter bleeding. 
         [0022]    The guard carrier in the short length position is located above the flash chamber and is provided with a window to improve an observation of the flash chamber. Moreover, the retracting spring in the initial position is disposed proximally of the distal portion of the flash chamber thereby also improving the flash chamber observation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIGS. 1 to 12  show the catheter placement device with a passive automatic actuation of the retracting spring by the cam disposed on the resilient arm of the guard carrier, wherein: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  shows the general view of the catheter placement device in the initial position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device in the initial position. 
           [0026]      FIGS. 3 ,  4  show the transversal cross sections of the catheter placement device in the initial position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  shows the back view of the catheter placement device. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device after getting the guard unit into the full length position but before the retracting spring actuation. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device at the moment of the retracting spring actuation. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device after the retracting spring actuation and transposing the needle unit into the retracted position. 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device immediately after disconnecting the catheter from the catheter introducer. 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device after rotating the disconnected catheter introducer through 180° to begin the occlusion of the catheter proximal opening with the catheter cap. 
           [0033]      FIG. 11  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device at the moment of mounting the catheter cap onto the catheter with using the catheter introducer as a catheter cap holder. 
           [0034]      FIG. 12  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device after the emplacement of the catheter cap and removing the catheter introducer. 
           [0035]      FIGS. 13 to 15  show the catheter placement device with the passive automatic actuation of the retracting spring by the resilient arm disposed on the guard carrier, wherein: 
           [0036]      FIG. 13  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device in the initial position. 
           [0037]      FIG. 14  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device at the beginning of the resilient arm operation. 
           [0038]      FIG. 15  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device at the moment of the retracting spring actuation with the resilient arm. 
           [0039]      FIGS. 16 to 19  show the catheter placement device having an active spring actuating mechanism with the manual knob disposed on the guard carrier, wherein: 
           [0040]      FIG. 16  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device in the initial position. 
           [0041]      FIG. 17  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device wherein the guard unit is in the retracted position and the manual knob is disposed above the retaining latch and ready for the retracting spring actuation. 
           [0042]      FIG. 18  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device at the moment of the user&#39;s pressure onto the manual knob and disengaging by it the retaining latch from the retaining ledge. 
           [0043]      FIG. 19  shows the longitudinal cross section of the catheter placement device immediately after the retracting spring actuation, the needle unit retraction into the retracted position and fixing there by the securing means. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0044]    The detailed description of the present invention is offered with the references made to the enclosed drawings in  FIGS. 1 to 19 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 1 to 12  show catheter placement device  100  comprising catheter  101  and catheter introducer  102 . Catheter  101  has axial through channel  103  and catheter hub  104  with female connector  105 . Catheter introducer  102  has needle unit  106  and telescopic protector  135 . Telescopic protector  150  has hollow elongated holder  111  and guard unit  117  including guard  118  and telescoping guard carrier  119  whereon guard  118  is located. Guard carrier  119  is made in the form of an elongated bar slidably disposed in guide  120  formed by the elements of holder  111 . Needle unit  106  comprises needle  107  with sharpened tip  108  and needle hub  109 , which is located at a needle proximal end and includes flash chamber  110 . Needle hub  109  is movably hosed in holder  111 . Retracting spring  112  disposed in holder  111  between the elements of needle hub  109  and holder  111  adapted to move needle unit  106  from an extended position (see  FIGS. 2 ,  6 ,  7 ), wherein needle hub  109  is disposed adjacently to holder distal end  113 , to a retracted position (see  FIGS. 8 ,  9 ), wherein needle hub  109  is disposed adjacently to holder proximal end  114 . Catheter introducer  102  includes a retaining means comprising resilient retaining latch  115  made as an integral part of needle hub  109  and retaining ledge  116  positioned on holder  111  (see  FIG. 2 ). In version embodiment (not shown), the resilient retaining latch is disposed on the holder and the retaining ledge is disposed on the needle hub. In the device initial position (see  FIG. 2 ), retaining members  115 ,  116  provide the releasable engagement of needle unit  106  with holder  111  at holder distal end  113 , thereby holding needle unit  106  in the extended position and retracting spring  112  in a compressed state. Catheter introducer  102  is provided with a triggering means having a triggering member made as a cam  121  disposed on guard carrier  119 . Therewith, holder  111  has upper slit  122  wherein cam  121  is moved, retaining ledge  116  is made as two shoulders (shown only one of them) located inside holder upper slit  122  on its lateral walls and defining a passage-way for cam  121 , which passes between the shoulders forcing down retaining latch  115  (see  FIG. 7 ) and disengaging it from retaining ledge  116 . The triggering means is designed to disengage needle unit  106  from distal holder end  113  to actuate retracting spring  112 . After the actuation, retracting spring  112  transposes needle unit  106  to the retracted position (see  FIGS. 8 ,  9 ). Triggering member  121  is adapted to disengaging retaining latch  115  from retaining ledge  116  automatically during the catheter placement before disconnecting catheter introducer  102  from catheter  101 . Catheter introducer  102  is provided with a locking means for locking guard unit  117  in a full length position (see  FIGS. 6 to 9 ) wherein guard unit  117  extends from holder  111  in a distal direction as a result of the guard unit transposition distally relative to holder  111  from a guard unit short length position. The locking means comprises resilient locking arm  123  located on guard carrier  119 , and locking ledge  124  positioned on holder  111 . When guard unit  119  moves to the full length position, locking arm  123  is biased into a locking engagement with locking ledge  124  and this locking engagement prevents guard unit  119  from displacing proximally relative to holder  111 . Beginning from this locking engagement, guard unit  119  is in the full length position. Therewith, the retaining means engages the needle unit with the holder in the needle extended position at least up to locking the guard unit in the full length position. Besides, there is guard unit limiter  125  restricting the displacement of guard unit  117  distally relative to holder  111  after the mentioned locking engagement. 
         [0046]    The elements of catheter placement device  100  have an initial and a protected positions. 
         [0047]    In the initial position (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ), catheter introducer  102  is ready for the catheter placement and needle unit  106  is in the extended position wherein needle  107  extends through catheter channel  103  so that needle sharpened tip  108  protrudes distally from the catheter distal end and needle hub  109  is disposed adjacently to holder distal end  113 . Besides, retracting spring  112  is held in a compressed state between holder  111  and needle hub  109  by retaining members  115 ,  116 , guard unit  117  is in the short length position, and guard  118  is releasably coupled with catheter hub  104  and disposed adjacently to holder distal end  113 . Therewith, the retaining means provides the releasable engagement of needle unit  106  in the extended position with holder  111  at holder distal end  113 . 
         [0048]    In the protected position (see  FIG. 8 ), guard unit  117  is in the full length position wherein guard  118  is displaced from holder  111  in a distal direction as a result of the catheter emplacement, and guard unit  117  is locked relative to holder  111  by locking members  123 ,  124 . Therewith, transposing guard unit  117  from the short length position to the full length position is accomplished manually during the process of the catheter placement. Besides, the retaining latch  115  and retaining ledge  116  are in a disengagement state, retracting spring  112  is in a minimal stressed state, and needle unit  106  is in the retracted position whereto needle unit  106  is transposed by retracting spring  112  during its transition from the compressed state to the minimal stressed state, needle sharpened tip  108  is disposed inside of guard  118 , and needle hub  109  is rested against stopper  126  adjacently to holder proximal end  114 . 
         [0049]    Thus, the disposition of needle unit  106  in the retracted position and guard unit  117  in the full length position provide protecting needle sharpened tip  108  by guard  118  (see  FIGS. 8 to 12 ). It means that the protection of needle sharpened tip  108  is accomplished partly at the expense of manual transposing guard unit  117  relative to holder  111  from the short length position to the full length position and partly at the expense of automatic retracting needle unit  106  into the retracted position by retracting spring  112 . This allows using holder  111  of the relatively short length, which is less than the length of needle unit  106 . Correspondently, the length of retracting spring  112  also is shortened. Decreasing the length of the holder and retracting spring enables reducing the device manufacturing cost, as well as the package and shipping costs. Besides, this also provides more convenient holding the device by user&#39;s hand. 
         [0050]    The sequence of the retracting spring actuation and getting the guard unit into the full length position is determined by a triggering index equal to the difference between the distance passed by the guard unit from the short length position to the moment of the retracting spring actuation and the distance passed by the guard unit from the short length position to its full length position. As applied to catheter introducer  102 , the triggering index is positive that provides getting guard unit  117  into the full length position before actuating retracting spring since, after locking guard unit  117 , it must additionally pass gap  141  to actuate retracting spring  112 . 
         [0051]    Catheter introducer  102  includes an operating means for the advance of catheter  101  into a patient&#39;s vein and the manual transposition of guard unit  117  from the short length position into the full length position. The operating means provides for the disposition of guard carrier  119  externally at the top of catheter introducer  102  and includes a plurality of small projections  128 , which are located on an upper surface of guard carrier  119  and accessible for operator&#39;s finger control from above. As a result, the operating means allows the one-handed catheter emplacement. This improves the convenience of the device operation. Besides, the external disposition of guard carrier  119  simplifies the device design thereby reducing its cost and eliminates the substantial needle hub friction and jamming in the comparison with the prior art version. This substantially heightens the device reliability. 
         [0052]    The presence of the operating means for the one-handed catheter emplacement does not eliminate the two-handed catheter emplacement with using the catheter hub as the operating means. 
         [0053]    Catheter placement device  100  has a connecting means providing a releasable coupling of catheter hub  104  and guard  118  up to the transposition of needle unit  106  into the protected position. The connecting means includes contacting friction surfaces  105 ,  127  of catheter hub  104  and guard  118 , respectively, providing their coupling by the friction forces. 
         [0054]    The accidental premature actuation of retracting spring  112  is eliminated due to that triggering member  121  is disposed beyond the zone of the location of retaining latch  115  during the all user&#39;s manipulations, except the position shown in  FIG. 7  wherein retracting spring  112  should be actuated and triggering member  121  is disposed above retaining latch  115 . Moreover, the reuse of catheter introducer  102  also is eliminated due to the presence of a securing means preventing the displacement of needle unit  106  distally from the retracted position after retracting needle unit  106  by retracting spring  112 . The securing means includes securing shield  129  disposed at holder proximal end  114  and eliminating the accessibility to needle hub  109  in its retracted position, thereby preventing needle assembly  106  from being displaced to the extended position. 
         [0055]    Catheter introducer  102  includes catheter cap  130  for occluding proximal opening  131  of catheter hub  104  after disconnecting catheter introducer  102  from catheter  101  (see  FIG. 9 ). Catheter cap  130  is detachably mounted on catheter introducer  102  so that, after the protection of needle distal sharp tip  108 , catheter cap  130  is accessible for occluding the catheter hub proximal opening  131  without previous detachment of the catheter cap from the catheter introducer. Catheter cap  130  has conical obturator  132  and inner thread  133 , is positioned at holder proximal end  114  so that conical obturator  132  initially is directed proximally (see  FIG. 2 ), and there is a mounting means allowing mounting/detaching catheter cap  130  on/from holder  111 . As applied to catheter introducer  102 , catheter cap is mounted on holder  111  by means of the friction forces. After disconnecting catheter introducer  102  from catheter  101 , user rotates catheter introducer  102  through 180° (see  FIG. 10 ) and screws catheter cap  130  on catheter hub  104  using catheter introducer  102  as a catheter cap holder (see  FIG. 11 ). Then, user disconnects catheter introducer  102  from catheter cap  130 . The presence of the catheter cap in the catheter placement device allows the catheter occlusion immediately after the catheter emplacement and needle withdrawal thereby avoiding the catheter bleeding. 
         [0056]    Guard carrier  119  in the short length position (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) is located above flash chamber  110  and is provided with window  134  to improve the observation of flash chamber  110 . Moreover, retracting spring  112  in the initial position is disposed proximally of the distal portion of flash chamber  110  thereby also improving the flash chamber observation. 
         [0057]      FIGS. 13 to 15  show the version embodiment of catheter placement device  200  with a passive actuation of retracting spring  212 . Device  200  has many details identical to one of above device  100  and having the same design, operation, advantages and two last designation numerals. At the same time, device  200  has the distinctive features. Specifically, the retaining ledge and the locking ledge are made as an integral retaining-locking ledge in the form of cross-beam  235  located on holder  211  transversely relative to holder upper slit  222  and engaged with retaining latch  215  in the initial position (see  FIG. 13 ). The triggering member is made as resilient arm  236  fulfilling also a role of the locking latch, disposed on elongated bar  219  and terminating in cam  237 . The latter is movable in holder upper slit  222  and adapted to cross over cross-beam  235  and jumping off cross-beam  235  to force down retaining latch  215  during transposing guard unit  217  from the short length position to the full length position (see  FIG. 14 ,  15 ), thereby disengaging retaining latch  215  from cross-beam  235  and simultaneously engaging resilient arm  236  with cross-beam  235  to lock elongated bar  219  relative to holder  211 . Therewith, guard unit limiter  225  restricts the displacement of guard unit  217  distally relative to holder  211  after mentioned locking the elongated bar  219 . The triggering index of catheter introducer  202  is equal to zero that provides getting guard unit  217  into the full length position simultaneously with actuating retracting spring  212  since the moments of locking guard unit  217  and actuating the retracting spring  212  coincide. The connecting means of catheter placement device  200  providing the releasable coupling catheter hub  204  and guard  218  also relates to the distinctive features since it is made as thread connection  238 . 
         [0058]      FIGS. 16 to 19  show the version embodiment of catheter placement device  300  with an active actuation of retracting spring  312 . Device  300  has many details identical to one of above device  100  and having the same design, operation, advantages and two last designation numerals. At the same time, device  300  has the distinctive features. Specifically, its triggering means is made as an active spring actuating mechanism wherein the triggering member is made as a manually driven member in the form of knob  339 , which is located on guard carrier  319  and deactivated in the initial position (see  FIG. 16 ). After the transposition of guard unit  317  into the full length position (see  FIG. 17 ), the pressure onto knob  339  by operator&#39;s finger (see  FIG. 18 ) disengages retaining latch  315  from retaining ledge  335  thereby releasing retaining spring  312  (see  FIG. 19 ). The choice of the devices with the automatic or manual version of the retracting spring actuation depends on the personal preference of the surgeon. The accidental premature actuation of retracting spring  312  is eliminated due to that knob  339  is disposed beyond the zone of the location of retaining latch  315  during the all user&#39;s manipulations, except the guard unit position wherein retracting spring  312  should be actuated and knob  339  is disposed above retaining latch  315 . Moreover, the reuse of catheter introducer  302  also is eliminated due to the presence of the securing means fixing needle assembly  306  in the retracted position after the needle unit retraction by retracting spring  312 . The securing means includes securing ledge  340  disposed on holder  311  at holder proximal end  314  and adapted for engagement with retaining latch  315  located on needle hub  309  when needle hub  309  gets into the retracted position. The triggering index of catheter introducer  302  is equal to zero since the guard unit position wherein guard unit  317  is locked and the guard unit position wherein knob  339  is located above retaining latch  315  allowing actuating the retracting spring  312  coincide. 
         [0059]    In version embodiment (not shown), the manual knob and the retaining latch are made as an integral part, therewith the guard carrier blocks the accessibility to the knob up to the transfer of the guard unit into the full length position.