Patent Description:
While from here on after, this invention is placed in the context of paracentesis procedures, the scope of this invention should not be interpreted so restrictively.

The catheter mounting arrangement of this invention, which will provide for a fixed mounting or positioning of the catheter with the body cavity within the patient from which it extends, can also be utilised in other applications where a catheter is required to drain or provide fluid to and from a living human or animal.

For the most part a paracentesis procedure requires a patient to be prepped and thereafter a needle incorporated within the catheter is then inserted into the abdominal cavity.

Problems arise however when the needle is required to be removed, leaving behind a section of the catheter within the body and an external section of the catheter which the fluid is required to pass there through to drain the fluid from the patient accordingly.

The procedure of removal of the needle can be painful and if performed improperly it could inadvertently incorrectly reposition the catheter with respect to the abdominal cavity from which fluid is required to be drained.

Still even further, poor removal of the needle from the inserted catheter could unintentionally puncture adjacent organs.

A further problem is that once the catheter has been appropriately inserted into the abdominal cavity and needle removed in many instances, unintentionally, the catheter can be dislodged or removed from its appropriate insertion point within the patient.

While it is possible to try and partially ameliorate the inadvertent withdrawal of the catheter from its insertion point by way of taping down the catheter, this presents its own problems.

Although the tubing of the catheter remains fairly resilient as the needle remains within the apparatus, once the needle is withdrawn, tubing of the catheter may become prone to folding, creasing and/or kinking or the like.

Once the tubing of the catheter becomes folded, creased, kinked or the like, the ability of the fluid to drain from the body cavity can be substantially restricted, particularly if drainage is by gravity feed.

Therefore, there is the requirement to be able to provide an arrangement which will be adapted to assist medical practitioners removing the needle from the catheter assembly, provide a better means for maintaining the catheter within its appropriate inserted position so it cannot be unintentionally dislodged and to also provide this fastened mounting position of the catheter so as to provide for the most efficient form of drainage flow within the tubing of the catheter.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a complete reading of the following specification.

<CIT> discloses an apparatus for stabilizing a trocar inserted through the skin of a patient during a medical procedure that provides the operating personnel with the ability to adjust the angle of orientation of the inserted trocar with respect to the patient and rotate the trocar as desired after insertion into the patient. The apparatus is attached to the skin of the patient and the trocar movement is facilitated by a trocar receivable rotatable spheroid frictionally retained in a stabilizing member.

<CIT> discloses an intubation set which incorporates a fastening means by which the tube can be fixed to the body of a patient at a point adjacent to the body opening into which the tube has been inserted. The set includes a connector by which it may be securely associated.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a catheter mounting arrangement for mounting a catheter to a patient, as defined by the appended claims.

Advantageously the catheter mounting arrangement of this invention has been able to provide a convenient means with which a medical practitioner, having inserted catheter into the patient, can then safely mount the catheter mounting arrangement in place about the catheter by way of the novel and inventive slot which defines the longitudinal opening by which the external section of the catheter can pass there through to be retained and appropriately vertically supported within the main housing unit.

The medical practitioner is able to use just a single hand to draw the catheter mounting arrangement about the inserted catheter.

In order now to describe the invention in greater detail a series of preferred embodiments will be described with the assistance of the following illustrations and accompanying text.

The catheter mounting arrangement for mounting an inserted catheter to a patient is shown generally as (<NUM>).

The catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) includes a main housing unit (<NUM>), which in the preferred embodiment is of an inverted cone configuration or shape.

The main housing unit (<NUM>) includes an opening (<NUM>) which provides access to an internal channel (<NUM>) as best seen in <FIG>, wherein the internal channel (<NUM>) includes threading (<NUM>), which matches with the threads (<NUM>) of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

The main housing unit (<NUM>) includes a slot (<NUM>) which defines the longitudinal opening (<NUM>) which will allow the external section (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) to pass there through.

Although not shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, so as to provide greater clarity and understanding as to how the invention works, the catheter (<NUM>) is not shown inserted into the patient as illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> assists in best explaining how the catheter (<NUM>) can be positioned within the intermediate piece (<NUM>) once the intermediate piece (<NUM>) has been threaded into the channel (<NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM>).

The slot (<NUM> ) of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) aligns with the corresponding slot (<NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM>) so that the tubing (<NUM>), or at least the external section (<NUM>) of that tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) that has been inserted into the patient can then pass through the corresponding slots (<NUM>) and (<NUM> ) to be fixedly engaged and held by or within the main housing unit (<NUM>).

In the preferred embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG> there is a simple resilient clip mechanism (<NUM>) which is able to clasp onto the catheter (<NUM>) and hold the catheter (<NUM>) in place with the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

The longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) is already fixed and held with the main housing unit (<NUM>) by virtue of the channel (<NUM>) and the corresponding threaded arrangement (<NUM>) of the channel (<NUM>) with that of the threads (<NUM>) of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

The main housing unit (<NUM>) also includes a peripheral lateral extending skirt (<NUM>) which extends around the base edge (<NUM>) of the inverted cone shaped main housing unit (<NUM>) interrupted only by opposing edges (<NUM>) and (<NUM>) which maintain the opening (<NUM>) defined by the slot (<NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM>).

In this preferred embodiment the lateral skirt (<NUM>) about the base edge (<NUM>) of the inverted cone shaped main housing unit (<NUM>) includes an adhesive arrangement (<NUM>) connected to the underside (<NUM>) of the lateral skirt (<NUM>).

Uniquely, the inverted cone shaped main housing unit (<NUM>) allows the arrangement to be brought in about the inserted catheter (<NUM>) fastened to the patient easily and conveniently.

Having the skirt (<NUM>) not only allows improved balancing of the main housing unit (<NUM>) to the patient's body, but it also provides a location to which an adhesive strip can be attached thereto which then allows for the main housing unit (<NUM>) to be fixed to the body of the patient.

Hence rather than having unsightly, unhygienic and difficult to apply adhesive tape to stick down the catheter that has been inserted into the body of the patient, the catheter mounting arrangement of this invention inherently incorporates into its structure a means by which the adhesive can be placed on the underside of the skirting to which that skirting can also assist in balancing and maintaining the orientation of the main housing unit during movement of the patient thereby preventing unintentionally withdrawal of the inserted catheter.

Referring specifically now to <FIG> which further assists in understanding this invention where it is noted that the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) is represented in this illustration as having an external section of the inserted catheter tubing (<NUM>) shown as (<NUM>) which remains outside the patient and an inserted section shown as (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>) represented as being within the body as shown in <FIG> represented with dashed lines.

In application, the catheter (<NUM>) by the appropriately qualified medical practitioner would insert the needle (not shown) and the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) into the abdominal cavity of the patient. (The patient and the abdominal cavity are not shown in <FIG>).

However as introduced above, the section of the catheter tubing (<NUM>) represented by the dashed lines (<NUM>) is representative of that part of the tubing (<NUM>) which has been inserted into the body and ultimately into the abdominal cavity which requires drainage of fluid.

Once the catheter (<NUM>) has been inserted in that cavity within the patient then the inserted catheter can then be engaged with the catheter mounting arrangement of this invention.

The medical practitioner is able with the catheter mounting arrangement of this invention, with one hand, to bring across the main housing unit (<NUM>) with the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) mounted therein to encapsulate the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) and notably the external section represented as (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>).

The external section (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) is able to be held vertically upright and prevented from folding, creasing, kinking and the like, once the needle (not shown) is withdrawn from the opening (<NUM>) which in the illustrations has the opening (<NUM>), capped with a cap (<NUM>), representative that the needle (not shown) has already been withdrawn from the catheter (<NUM>) so the opening (<NUM>) has been appropriately sealed off through cap (<NUM>). The tubing (<NUM>) and notably the external section (<NUM>) of that tubing (<NUM>) remains vertically orientated thereby maximising fluid flow.

Again, as introduced above, the actual mounting of the main housing unit (<NUM>) to the patient is done safely and conveniently, leaving an hygienic finishing through the application of the adhesive strip (<NUM>) on the underside (<NUM>) of the lateral skirt (<NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM>) so as to fasten the mounting of the main housing unit (<NUM>) to the patient.

The main housing unit (<NUM>) includes a series of measurement units shown generally as (<NUM>) which assists in allowing the elevation or lowering of the inserted catheter incrementally as required by way of the up and down movement afforded between the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) and the threaded hollow channel (<NUM>) defined within the main housing unit (<NUM>).

Importantly also, as the catheter (<NUM>) is able to be mounted and fixed within the main housing unit (<NUM>) allows the withdrawal of the needle (not shown) from the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) once insertion of the catheter is complete and the drainage of the fluid from the body cavity is to be commenced.

Accordingly, as introduced above, this invention provides a means by which a needle included as part of a catheter assembly inserted into a body cavity, can be removed conveniently and safely, leaving behind appropriately the tubing of the catheter in place for the requisite drainage of the fluid from the cavity.

By mounting the catheter (<NUM>) in place within the main housing unit (<NUM>) as the needle (not shown) is removed from the catheter (<NUM>) also avoids the needle puncturing organs and/or blood vessels within the patient.

Advantageously, once the inserted catheter (<NUM>) is mounted and fastened, it also prevents the patient from unintentionally having the catheter (<NUM>) dislodged or withdrawn from the body by virtue of the fastening arrangement afforded in the preferred embodiment through the adhesive strip (<NUM>) attached to the lateral skirt (<NUM>) incorporated as part of the main housing unit (<NUM>).

As the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) is able to be held upright within the cone shaped configuration of the main housing unit (<NUM>), this means that the external section (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) does not hinder or impede fluid flow.

<FIG> is a schematic representation illustratively showing the patient (<NUM>) to which the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) of this invention has been mounted thereto once the catheter assembly (<NUM>) has been inserted into the patient (<NUM>) such that the inserted section (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) engages the abdominal cavity and to which the mounting of the catheter (<NUM>) to the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) of this invention, allows the external section (<NUM>) of the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>) to remain aligned and orientated without any significant folds, kinks or otherwise that would affect drainage flow there through the tubing (<NUM>) of the catheter (<NUM>). [<NUM>] With this invention the catheter can no longer move back into the abdomen after being manipulated which avoids an additional source of potential infection.

Traditionally all adhesive methods need to be removed in order to change or manipulate the catheter if drainage rates alter, but advantageously this invention allows the operator the flexibility to change the height of the catheter without removing the assembly from the anchorage point.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention for the catheter mounting arrangement for mounting a catheter that has been inserted into a fluid cavity within a patient is shown in <FIG> and <FIG> generally as (<NUM>).

For the most part the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) provides the same functionality and utility as the catheter mounting arrangement referenced as (<NUM>) in <FIG>, differing only with slight modifications to the main housing unit and also including a feature that will be discussed in greater detail shortly below, that will allow height adjustability of the longitudinal intermediate piece.

In the further preferred embodiment shown in <FIG> the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) includes the main housing unit (<NUM> ) having a generally inverted cone configuration but as best seen in <FIG>, <FIG>, the inverted cone configuration has been slightly reconfigured to include an indented shouldered section (<NUM>) which provides further rigid support to the housing unit (<NUM> ) of the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>).

The catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) also the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) which is insertable into the generally circular slot at the top of the housing unit (<NUM> ).

The housing unit (<NUM>) includes a top section, that is shown generally as (<NUM>) that encloses in part a height adjustable nut (<NUM>) which is user-accessible.

The height adjustable nut (<NUM>) includes a sleeve section (<NUM>) as best seen in <FIG> to which the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) can be threaded there into so as to slide and be positioned within the sleeve (<NUM>) that forms part of the user-accessible height adjustable nut (<NUM>).

In the preferred embodiment shown, the user height adjustable nut (<NUM>) includes a rib or knob extension (<NUM>) which is able to engage with the threaded external outer surface (<NUM>) of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

As seen in <FIG>, the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) is in the retracted position within the housing unit (<NUM> ) of the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>).

Upon rotation of the height adjustable nut (<NUM>) this then allows the knob or rib (<NUM>) to engage with the grooves of the threads (<NUM>) profiled onto the external surface of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

As required, this allows the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) to be vertically extended up and down within that main housing unit (<NUM> ) of the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) even when a catheter (not shown) is clamped to the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

Therefore for the most part the preferred embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG> operate and function in the same way as the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) shown in <FIG> but further include the functionality of being able to adjust the height of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) through the introduction of the height adjustable nut (<NUM>) which is incorporated into the top housing section (<NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM>).

Importantly, the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) includes the essential main slot (<NUM>) which will allow the catheter that has already been inserted into the fluid cavity within the patient to be passable there through, the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) will also include the slot (<NUM>) which will be able to align with the corresponding slot (<NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM> ) when the catheter has to be passed there into the housing unit (<NUM> ) to be mounted upon the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>).

The height adjustable nut (<NUM>) which is supported in the top housing section (<NUM>) also includes a gap within its circular body arrangement so as to provide an opening as best seen in <FIG> as (<NUM>) again to allow unobstructed clearance for the catheter to be able to pass through the housing unit (<NUM> ) to be clamped in position upon the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>), which advantageously in the preferred embodiment shown in <FIG> through to 5b will allow, if necessary, height adjustability of that longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) once the catheter is mounted by a user if need be through the height adjustable nut (<NUM>).

The housing unit (<NUM>) of the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) in <FIG> through to 5b also includes the peripheral lateral extending skirt which provides for a flexible adhesive base wherein that flexible adhesive base (<NUM>) will allow the housing unit (<NUM>) to be fixed to the body of the patient.

As introduced above, rigidity and general support of the housing unit is assisted in part by the introduction of the shouldered indent (<NUM>) profiled into the generally inverted cone shape of the housing unit (<NUM>).

<FIG>, <FIG> provide for an example of a further preferred embodiment of the catheter mounting arrangement of this invention shown generally as (<NUM>).

The catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>) of the preferred embodiment shown in <FIG> through to 7b includes the same height adjustability of the longitudinal intermediate piece referenced and described in relation to the preferred embodiment of <FIG> through to 5b with the main featured difference of the embodiment shown in <FIG> through to 7b including an alternative structural arrangement to the housing unit of the catheter arrangement (<NUM>).

As seen in <FIG> through to 7b, the housing unit includes a generally cylindrical shape section (<NUM>) with a generally lower profile than the inverted cone shaped housing unit (<NUM>) in <FIG> through to 5b.

The cylindrical section (<NUM>) is supported by the much generally flatter rigid base section (<NUM>) which also includes the flexible adhesive base on the underside along the outer skirting (<NUM>) of this flat rigid support section (<NUM>) of the housing unit that also includes the cylindrical section (<NUM>).

The cylindrical section (<NUM>) of the housing unit also includes the same top housing section referenced in relation to the embodiment shown in <FIG> through to 5b generally as (<NUM>) but in the embodiment shown in <FIG> through to 7b, the top section of the housing unit is referred to as (<NUM>). The top section (<NUM>) will enclose the height adjustable nut arrangement (<NUM>) which will allow for height adjustability of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) following the same mechanism introduced and discussed in relation to <FIG> through to 5b for the catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>).

As seen in <FIG> the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) is in the retracted position but through rotation of the height adjustable nut (<NUM>) and notably the rib or knob extension (<NUM>) which is adapted to engage with the threaded arrangement (<NUM>) of the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) is able to place the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>) in an extended position as shown in <FIG>.

Importantly also for the preferred embodiment shown in <FIG> through to 7b, the housing unit including the cylindrical section (<NUM>) and base rigid support section (<NUM>) notably still includes the main opening slot which is shown as slot (<NUM>) in the base rigid support section (<NUM>) and (<NUM>) with the cylindrical section (<NUM>).

Claim 1:
A catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) for mounting a catheter to a patient, said catheter mounting arrangement (<NUM>, <NUM>) including:
a main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) configurable to be fastenable around a catheter (<NUM>) that has been inserted into a fluid cavity within a patient;
said main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) including a slot (<NUM>, <NUM>), wherein said slot (<NUM>, <NUM>) defines a longitudinal opening (<NUM>) within the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) through which an uninserted section of tubing (<NUM>) of the inserted catheter (<NUM>) is passable there through said slot (<NUM>, <NUM>);
said main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) and inserted catheter (<NUM>) including an engagement arrangement,
wherein the engagement arrangement is configured so that once the uninserted section of the tubing (<NUM>) of the inserted catheter (<NUM>) has passed through the slot (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) the engagement arrangement provides for a fixed vertical support of the catheter (<NUM>) within the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) so that the uninserted section of tubing (<NUM>) of the inserted catheter (<NUM>) remains substantially upright and/or substantially free of kinks or bends,
wherein the engagement arrangement between the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the catheter (<NUM>) includes a longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>, <NUM>), the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) including a hollow channel (<NUM>) or receptacle in which the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>, <NUM>) is adapted to be nested therein,
characterized in that the intermediate piece (<NUM>, <NUM>) is a longitudinal rod or column including a vertical slot (<NUM>, <NUM>) along its longitudinal length, which when nested within the hollow channel (<NUM>) or receptacle of the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>), is rotatable or positioned so said vertical slot (<NUM>, <NUM>) is alignable with the slot (<NUM>, <NUM>) that defines the longitudinal opening (<NUM>) within the main housing unit (<NUM>, <NUM>) through which the uninserted section of tubing (<NUM>) of the inserted catheter (<NUM>) is passable there through, the longitudinal intermediate piece (<NUM>, <NUM>) including an external threaded configuration (<NUM>, <NUM>).