Patent ID: 8622967

Claim:
An intravenous catheter assembly, comprising: a catheter adapter having a proximal end, a distal end and a fluid chamber extending therebetween; a catheter coupled to the distal end of the catheter adapter, the catheter having a lumen in fluid communication with the fluid chamber of the catheter adapter; a needle adapter slidably positioned within the fluid chamber of the catheter adapter between a distal position and a proximal position, the needle adapter supporting a base end of an introducer needle and a terminal end of a section of intravenous tubing such that a fluid pathway of the introducer needle is in fluid communication with a fluid pathway of the section of intravenous tubing; and a septum interposed between an inner surface of the catheter adapter and an outer surface of the introducer needle, wherein the septum divides the fluid chamber into a distal fluid chamber and a proximal fluid chamber, and wherein an inner surface of the catheter adapter further comprises a proximal stop to retain the needle adapter in the proximal position.