Field of invention
The invention is in 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 Cather and the sharp end of the needle extends over the edge of the catheter. The sharp needle tip is inserted into the vein of the 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 body to flash back chamber, to ensure proper cannulation is done.
The problem with the such prior art with the 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 vein. There are mostly more then one insertion required of the catheter needle. 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, there is 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 of just having the flashback chamber to ascertain that the vein of the patient has been hit and the above-explained consequent delays and pain is the 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, the distal end of said needle hub being suitable for engagement with said hollow catheter hub; wherein said needle hub includes a flashback chamber; wherein the said distal end of the said hollow needle forms a needle tip; and wherein the said distal end of the said hollow needle has a slot proximal to the said needle tip .
The proximal end of the needle tip has a window/slot aids in ascertain immediately if the vein of the patient has been located rather then waiting for a long period and seeing if the flashback chamber has blood, thus saving lot of time, stemming loss of blood and avoidance of undue pain to the patient.
An object and advantage of the invention is to provide a catheter needle with a window/slot wherein the slot forms an integral and inseparable part of the body of the catheter assembly.
Another object and advantage of this invention is to save time and blood during a venipuncture which can be critical during emergencies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a view of one embodiment of the catheter assembly depicting the catheter, a catheter hub, a needle hub, flash chamber, flash plug and a needle with a slot.
FIGURE 2 is an embodiment of the catheter needle assembly with catheter needle attached to the needle hub with the needle having a slot near the proximal end of the needle end.
FIGURE 3 is an exploded and cross-sectional view showing the catheter needle with a slot covered by the flexible catheter tube.
FIGURE 4 is the cross-sectional views of the catheter needle with a slot in different positions.
Figure 5 is the independent cross sectional view of the catheter along with the flexible catheter tube and catheter hub
FIGURE 6 is a view of the catheter assembly before insertion into the vein of the patient.
FIGURE 7 is a view of the catheter assembly in the process of being inserted into the vein of the patient.
FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the blood being seen to be travelling to the slot in the catheter needle.
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 to tubing set which administers a source of intravenous fluid and medication. The catheter 10 is engaged by the hollow needle 4, which is affixed to its own needle hub 1.
FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 5 show independent embodiments of the needle hub and needle assembly and catheter and catheter hub assembly need respectively. Catheter assembly with catheter hub depicted in Figure 5 combines with needle hub and needle to complete the IV catheter assembly.
Referring first to FIGURE 2, the needle hub 1 is hollow and includes a proximally located flange 12. Moulded to the flange is a hollow flash 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 flash plug body comprises a smaller diameter distal end 15 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 4 in the flexible hollow tube 9. This embodiment illustrates the tapered end 17. The catheter 10 may have wings 22 which wings 22 aid in strapping the catheter 10 on the patient's body. The catheter also illustrates a flange 21 that aids in the healthcare worker from gently keeping the catheter firmly inside the body of the patient and to firmly pull out the needle 4 without dislodging the catheter 10. This catheter 10 is a preferred embodiment and 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 near the distal tip 7. 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 in the hollow needle is near the needle tip 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 preferred 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. 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 is shown. Detail C and Detail D shows front and side views of needle. 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 semicircular 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 one on the side of the needle tip 7.
It is preferred that the number of slots 3, can be in plurality of 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 insertion, 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 directly 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 vein 23 is called venipuncture. In the present invention the protruding tip or the needle tip 4 is inserted into the vein 23 and if the vein 23 is hit, the healthcare worker immediately gets to know due to the travelling of blood to slot 3 in the needle 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 vein has not been found, then the healthcare worker can quickly move to find the vein rather then wait 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 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 avoidance of 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 advantage is that the there is saving^ of 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 therein 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 is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

WE CLAIM:
1. An intravenous catheter assembly comprising flexible catheter attached to a
hollow catheter hub; an introducer needle assembly, deluding a hollow needle
with a distal end, said hollow needle being affixed near its proximal end to a
needle hub, the distal end of said needle hub being suitable for engagement
with said hollow catheter hub; wherein said needle hub includes a flashback
chamber; wherein the said distal end of the said hollow needle forms a needle
tip; and wherein the said distal end of the said hollow needle has a slot
proximal to the said needle tip.
2. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising a slot
near the needle tip.
3. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising a slot
near the needle/tip wherein >the size and depth of the slot is decided according
to the cannulation process for each gauge.
4. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot is
substantially rectangular or semicircular cross section of the needle.
5. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot is in
the bevel direction that is in the direction of the needle tip.
6. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot on
the needle can be one on the side of the needle tip.
7. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the number
of slots can be in plurality of one.
8. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising a slot
near the needle tip wherein the slot may or may not be covered with the
flexible catheter tube.
9. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 comprising a slot
which is cut axially along the hollow needle.
10. The intravenous catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein during
venipuncture the blood from a patient can be seen immediately in the slot.