Patent ID: 8753317

Claim:
A medical instrument through which a catheter including an outer profile is received, the instrument comprising: a housing having a housing member and a passage through which the catheter is received; a cap for receiving the housing member, the cap having a recess formed therein and in fluid communication with the passage of the housing, the recess having a center, the recess having a height dimension through the center; and a valve body formed from a pliable material and mounted to the housing member in the passage of the housing, wherein the valve body is received within the recess when the cap receives the housing member, the valve body having first and second opposing faces and a peripheral edge separating the faces, the valve body having an oblong shape wherein the peripheral edge comprises: a first planar portion and a second planar portion, the first planar portion being parallel to the second planar portion; a first rounded portion connecting the first planar portion and the second planar portion; and a second rounded portion connecting the first planar portion and the second planar portion; the valve body further having a first slit formed on one of the faces and a second slit formed on the other face, the valve body conforming to the outer profile of the catheter when the catheter is disposed through the first and second slits to maintain a fluid tight seal between the valve body and the catheter, the valve body having a first dimension along a first axis through the center of the valve body and a second dimension along a second axis through the center of the valve body, the second dimension being less than the first dimension when the valve body is uncompressed, wherein the valve body is compressed along the first axis when the valve body is received within the recess, defining a closing force on the slits during insertion or removal of the catheter to prevent leakage.