Patent ID: 8512291

Claim:
An anti-clogging catheter shaped and tipped to removably insert within and be removed from a human body, the catheter comprising: a hollow cannula having a distal end and an interior surface defining a cannula interior diameter and a cannula interior; a hollow tip fixedly coupled to the interior surface of the cannula at the distal end, the tip having: an interior surface defining a tip interior diameter, the tip interior diameter being smaller than the cannula interior diameter; and a tip interior fluidically connected to the cannula interior; a hollow orifice device fixedly coupled to the interior surface of the tip, the orifice device having: an interior surface defining an orifice interior diameter, the orifice interior diameter being smaller than the tip interior diameter; and an orifice interior fluidically connected to the tip interior; a fluid pathway through the cannula interior, the tip interior, and the orifice interior; and a solid stylet slidable within the cannula interior, the tip interior, and the orifice interior, the solid stylet having: a distal portion with an outer diameter substantially equal to the orifice interior diameter such that: the fluid pathway is closed and neurological material is prevented from passing into the orifice interior only when the distal portion of the stylet is within the orifice interior; and the fluid pathway is open when the distal portion of the stylet is within the cannula interior such that fluid is permitted to flow in a single contiguous path along all sides of the stylet.