Patent ID: 8388583

Claim:
A flushable catheter assembly, comprising: a catheter adapter having a distal end, a proximal end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and an inner lumen; a flow path extending through the inner lumen of the catheter adapter; a groove formed on the inner surface and located within the inner lumen; a septum entirely disposed within the groove, the septum having an outer surface and a length, the length of the septum being approximately equal to a length of the groove; a ventilation channel formed in the groove, such that an air flow is interposed between the outer surface of the septum and the ventilation channel along the entire length of the septum; a coating applied to a surface of the ventilation channel; and a septum activator entirely disposed within the inner lumen of the catheter adapter, the septum activator having a distal end, a proximal end and a fluid channel, wherein the distal end of the septum activator is positioned adjacent to the septum and the proximal end of the septum activator is positioned adjacent to the proximal end of the catheter adapter, the distal end of the septum activator being configured to bias the septum into an opened position.