A combined needle and catheter of the type in which the needle is used to lead the end of the catheter thereon into a body cavity and, after insertion, is withdrawn through the catheter with most of the catheter remaining in the body, where the catheter has a strengthening die wiper, a retention bead, a radio-opaque material imbedded therein, and/or a flexible reinforcing member imbedded therein with its pointed end downward and located within the orifice of a die wiper. Thereafter, a measured quantity of a viscous plastic material or fluid plastisol is applied to the die wiper on the side thereof opposite the pointed end of the needle and the assembly of needle, die wiper and plastisol is then inverted so that the die wiper falls by gravity and wipes a coating of fluid plastisol along the shank of the needle. When the die wiper has completed its traverse of the needle shank, the assembly is heated to solidify the fluid plastisol on the needle and thereby form a removable flexible catheter on the needle.
This is a division of application Ser. No. 420,881 filed 12/3/73, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,225 issued May 9, 1976, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 148,103, filed May 28, 1971, now abandoned.
An intravascular device such as a catheter, having a flexible outer tubular portion or cannula and a relatively rigid inner tubular portion or stylet of metal such as stainless steel with a sharp pointed distal end protruding from the distal end of the cannula to pierce the skin and permit entry of the cannula into the vein of a patient. The opposite, or proximal, end of the cannula includes a tubular adapter or fitting to accept a corresponding tubular adapter at the proximal end of the stylet when fully inserted into the cannula. After inserting the device into a patient's vein, the stylet is withdrawn and a connecting member of a container is connected to the tubular adapter of the cannula, either for withdrawing samples of blood or for feeding an intravenous substance into the patient's vein. The flexible outer tubular member which comprises the cannula of this invention is made of a flexible plastic material such as polyethylene and includes a metal coating to present a metal surface to the tissue of the patient at the entry point of the device into the patient's skin. A metal surface at such point has been found to minimize infection. In a modification of the device, the distal or free end portion of the cannula may be of a flexible plastic material while the opposite or proximal end portion which is in contact with the patient's tissue at the entry point when the cannula is fully inserted is made of metal.
The invention relates generally to an improved catheter insertion device of the type having a drum-like receptacle which advances the catheter when it is rotated relative to the base, causing the catheter to move through a tubular outlet. The improvement comprises a removable needle which extends coaxially through a tubular housing tangentially affixed to the dispenser. A flexible cannula telescopically surrounds the distal portion of the needle. The cannula is connected to a catheter outlet from the receptacle and is adapted to be inserted into the vein of a patient during venipuncture. Once venipuncture is performed, the needle is slidably removed from the cannula and catheter outlet, and the catheter is telescopically inserted into and through the cannula and thereby into the vein of the patient. The base and receptacle may then be easily separated and removed from the catheter.
A method and apparatus for applying a polymer coating on an elongated substrate, preferably an elongate intracorporeal device in the form of a guidewire. An extrudable polymer cartridge is moved by a cartridge advancement mechanism into a guide chamber which is heated at an end with a die or orifice through which a desired portion of a guidewire may pass and be coated. Parameters such as guide chamber temperature, pull speed and force exerted by the cartridge advancement mechanism may be controlled with a computer program in order to achieve repeatable results. The guide chamber, extrudable polymer cartridge, die, and push tube may all be made from polymer components which can be reused or disposed of after a single use. The extrudable polymer cartridge may have a variety of configurations including multiple layers of different materials, eccentric shapes, multiple lumens for multiple elements to be drawn through and coated and asymmetric disposition of different materials with respect to the longitudinal axis as viewed in a transverse cross section which can give bending properties having a preferred direction in the coated guidewire or device.
A catheter, such as an angiographic catheter, comprises a flexible, tubular, catheter body which is attached at one end to a strain relief member. A coupling element or hub is carried at the same end of the catheter, with the strain relief member typically extending over a predetermined distance in secured relation with the coupling element. In accordance with this invention, at least a portion of the strain relief member protruding outside of said coupling element has a profiled outer surface to facilitate axial rotation of the catheter with the fingers. The profiled surface may comprise longitudinal ridges, or it may comprise a knurled surface, for example.
A needle-inside, catheter placement assembly including a needle and a catheter unit comprising a catheter, winged catheter insertion means, flexible tubing and tube hub, wherein axial and rotational alignment of the needle and catheter unit are maintained by mechanically interlocked complementary means associated with the needle and lumen of the winged catheter insertion means. Means for removably connecting the proximal ends of the catheter unit and needle to stretch the flexible tubing tautly are also provided.
