The present invention relates to intravenous catheter assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of venipuncture needles whose puncture points protrude from respective catheters which are to be placed in a vein punctured by the needle, and relates particularly to such venipuncture needle/catheter combinations in which the needle is provided with a slot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the methods of administering fluids and medication into a patient's vascular system is by intravenous catheters. To do so, there are known catheter assemblies.

The catheter assembly is provided with a needle that is placed within the hollow catheter and the sharp end of the needle extends over the edge of the catheter. The sharp needle tip is inserted into the vein of a patient. The opposite end of the sharp needle tip is connected to a flashback chamber on the needle hub to which the needle is attached. The idea is to quickly locate the vein by piercing the patient's skin with the sharp needle tip. That the needle tip has actually hit the vein is ascertained by the healthcare worker through the sudden flow of blood from the patient's vein into the flashback chamber attached to the needle hub.

In the prior arts, during venipuncture healthcare worker is required to observe flash back after the blood starts to flow from the body of the patient to flash back chamber, to ensure proper cannulation is done.

The problem with such prior art having a flashback chamber to ascertain the hitting of the vein is that usually the vein is not located in the first shot and a lot depends upon the skill and luck of the healthcare worker to hit the right vein. There are mostly more than one insertion required of the catheter needle to ascertain the hitting of the right vein. Since the needle is long and the flashback chamber is located at the opposite end of the needle tip inserted into the patient's body, it causes a delay in the insertion of catheter consequently leading to delay in administration of fluids and medication to the patient. Thus, there is a loss of valuable time which could be critical. The repeated insertion of the needle and keeping the needle inserted in the skin of the patient's for long periods of time also results in undue pain to the patient.

The loss of time and undue pain is particularly relevant in cases of emergency where every second is important. Likewise, the repeated jabbing of the needle is particularly critical and painful for small children and elderly and infirm patients.

Another disadvantage is to just rely on the flashback chamber to ascertain that the vein of the patient has been hit which generally causes the above-explained consequent delays and pain as well as loss of blood due to repeated jabbing. Yet another disadvantage is for patients whose immune systems and recreation of skin is retarded such as AIDS patients and old and elderly patients, the repeated needle jab leads to scars and piercing on the skin that may result in further infections and diseases.

At present needles do not have any opening near the tip of needle. Flash back is observed in the flash back chamber, which is the other end of IV cannula.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a catheter assembly that addresses above-stated disadvantages and problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention in its broadest aspect embodies a intravenous catheter assembly comprising a catheter assembly including a flexible catheter attached to a hollow catheter hub; an introducer needle assembly, including a hollow needle with a distal end, said hollow needle being affixed near its proximal end to a needle hub, a distal end of said needle hub being suitable for engagement with said hollow catheter hub; wherein said needle hub includes a flashback chamber, wherein said distal end of said hollow needle forms a needle tip; and wherein said distal end of said hollow needle has a slot proximal to said needle tip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of the catheter assembly depicting the catheter, a catheter hub, a needle hub, flash chamber, flash plug and a needle with a slot according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the catheter assembly depicting a needle attached to the needle hub wherein the needle is having a slot near the proximal end of the needle according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the needle with a slot covered by the flexible catheter tube.

FIGURE 4 depicts views of the catheter needle with a slot in different positions.

Figure 5 is another crosssectional view of the catheter assembly with the flexible catheter tube and catheter hub.

FIGURE 6 depicts a view of the catheter assembly before insertion into the vein of a patient.

FIGURE 7 depicts a view of the catheter assembly in process of being inserted into the vein of a patient.

FIGURE 8 depicts a view of the blood being seen to be travelling to the slot provided in the needle of the catheter assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is shown a view of one embodiment of the IV catheter assembly including the needle with a slot.

In FIGURE 1, an I.V. catheter constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is shown. The catheter 10 comprises a flexible tube 9. The tube 9 is tapered at its distal end 17 where it may easily slide into an opening in the patient's body formed by a hollow needle 4. The flexible catheter tube 9 is concentrically affixed by mechanical or adhesive means to a catheter hub 6. The catheter hub 6 is suitable for attaching the catheter hub 6 to tubing set which administers a source of intravenous fluid and medication. The catheter 10 is engaged by the hollow needle 4, which is connected to a needle hub 1.

FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 5 show embodiments of the needle hub and needle assembly and catheter and catheter hub assembly respectively. Catheter assembly with catheter hub depicted in Figure 5 in combination with needle hub and needle depict the IV catheter assembly.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the needle hub 1 is hollow and includes a flange 12. Moulded to the flange is a hollow flash back chamber 2, which is made of a transparent or translucent polymer. The proximal end of the needle 4 terminates in the needle hub 1, just short of the flash chamber 2. The flash chamber 2 terminates at its proximal end 13.

Inserted into the flash chamber 2 is a flash plug 14. The flash plug 14 is made of a polymeric material compatible with the material of the flash chamber 2 such that the flash plug 14 will frictionally remain in place when inserted into the flash chamber 2. The distal end 15 of the flash plug 14 body comprises a smaller diameter end being sized for a frictional fit in the flash chamber 2, and a grip 16 at the end which enables an assembler to easily grasp and insert the flash plug 14 into the flash chamber 2.

FIGURE 5 embodies the catheter 10 separately without the needle (not shown) in the flexible hollow tube 9. This embodiment illustrates the tapered end 17. The catheter 10 may have wings 22 which aid in strapping the catheter 10 on the patient's body. The catheter 10 also illustrates a flange 21 that aids the healthcare worker in attaching the catheter firmly to the body of the patient and to firmly pull out the needle 4 without dislodging the catheter 10. This catheter 10 is one of the preferred embodiment. The IV catheter assembly as envisaged by this invention can use any variety of catheters including ones without wings.

FIGURE 3, refers to the embodiment showing the catheter needle 4 with a slot 3 covered by the hollow flexible catheter tube 9. A slot 3 has been envisaged near the distal end or the needle tip 7 of the catheter needle 4. The slot 3 is covered by the flexible catheter tube 9. The distal tip 7 slightly protrudes from the tapering ends 17 of the flexible catheter tube 9. The purpose of protrusion of the distal tip 7 is to insert the distal tip 7 first into the patient’s body. The flexible catheter tube 9 is fitted snugly over the hollow needle 4.

Slot 3 provided in the hollow needle 4 is near the needle tip 7 and usually covered with the flexible catheter tube 9. It is understood that this construction of the slot 3 near the needle tip 7 and covered by the flexible catheter tube 9 is for the purpose of explanation and that in other embodiments the slot 3 may or may not be near the needle tip 7 and may or may not be covered with a flexible catheter tube 9.

FIGURE 4 illustrates six different views of the catheter needle 4 with a slot 3. Detail A shows the side view of the needle 4 with a slot 3. Detail B shows the isometric view of the slot 3, where the preferred position of the slot 3 is shown. Detail C and Detail D shows front and side views of needle 4 respectively. Details E and Details F are perspective view of the needle 4 with slot 3 at the preferred position.

It is preferred that the slot 3 is made near the end 20 where the needle 4 starts tapering and ends at the needle tip 7. The size and depth of the slot 3 is decided according to the cannulation process for each gauge.

The slot 3 is substantially rectangular or has a semi-circular cross section of the needle 4. It is preferred that the slot 3 is in the bevel direction that is in the direction of the needle tip 7. The invention also embodies that the slot 3 can be on the one side of the needle tip 7.

The number of slots 3 used can be more than one. However, the preferred number of slot is one.

FIGURE 6, 7 and 8 collectively show the operation of the IV catheter assembly envisaged under this invention. FIGURE 6, 7 and 8 depict the catheter before, during and after insertion respectively. The healthcare worker first tries to locate the vein 23 in the body of the patient so as to insert the catheter into the blood stream. Usually the vein is not found in the first instance and the catheter needle 4 is inserted into the patient's body multiple times. The procedure of inserting the catheter into the vein 23 of the patient by puncturing the correct vein 23 is called venipuncture. In the present invention the protruding tip 7 of the needle 4 is inserted into the vein 23 and if the correct vein 23 is hit, the healthcare worker immediately gets to know the same due to the travelling of blood to slot 3 in the needle 4 near the needle tip 7. In other words, the healthcare worker does not have to wait to see if the vein 23 has been hit by looking at the flashback chamber 2. Because of the slot 3 in the catheter needle 4 near the needle tip if the correct vein 23 has not been found, then the healthcare worker can quickly move to find the correct vein 23 rather waiting for confirmation from flashback chamber 2.

The invention as described above shows the several advantages that the invention has over the conventional and presently existing catheter assemblies. One of advantages is that because of the needle with the slot or opening or aperture near the proximal end of the needle tip, the movement of blood can be seen very quickly. This aids in avoiding delay in flash back due to travelling of blood from needle tip to end of flash back chamber.

Another advantage is that where frequent cannulation is required to be performed, the blood loss can be critical. In the present invention, the healthcare worker can observe the flash back through the slot without waiting for the blood to travel from tip to flash back chamber

Yet another advantage is that this arrangement is saving time, which can be critical in several cases.

Thus, there is shown and described a concept of an IV catheter assembly with a needle with a slot. While this description is directed to a particular embodiment, it is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Any such modifications or variations which fall within the purview of this description are intended to be included by this description as well. It is understood that the description herein is intended to be illustrative only and, is not intended to be limitative. Rather, the scope of the invention described herein can be ascertained by the claims appended hereto.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 needle hub
2 flash back chamber
3 slot
4 hollow needle
6 catheter tube
7 distal needle tip
9 flexible tube
10 catheter
12 flange
13 proximal end
14 flash plug
15 distal end of the flash plug
16 grip
17 tapered end
20 end
21 flange
22 wings
23 vein

Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. An intravenous catheter assembly comprising:
a tubular catheter (9) having a proximal end (13) and a distal end (17) mounted to a catheter hub (6);
a hollow needle (4) with a needle tip (7) mounted to a needle hub (1) wherein said needle (4) extends through said tubular catheter (9) such that said needle tip (7) protrudes from said distal end of said tubular catheter (9) wherein said needle has a slot (3) proximal to said needle tip (7) characterized in that the slot (3) being on one side of said needle (4) in a direction of bevel of the needle tip (7).

2. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slot (3) covered by said tubular catheter (9).

3. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slot (3) has varying size and depth.

4. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said catheter (9) being tapered at its distal end (17).

5. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular catheter (9) fitted snugly over the hollow needle (4).

6. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slot (3) positioned at a distance from the needle tip (7).

7. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slot (3) not covered with the catheter tube (9).

8. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slot (3) made near an end (20) where the needle (4) starts tapering and ends at the needle tip (7).

9. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the needle (4) includes more than one slot (3).

10. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said needle hub (1) includes a flashback chamber (2).