Implantable access devices - Patent Review 5263930

Claims

I claim:

1. An access port implantable within the body of a patient to permit the percutaneous placement of an external filament such as an external catheter, needle, guidewire or optical fiber, and providing access to a site within the body of the patient through an implanted catheter, said access port comprising:

a housing defining a generally funnel shaped entrance orifice communicating with a passageway which terminates at an outlet for connection with the implanted catheter, said entrance orifice guiding said external filament inserted percutaneously into said passageway, said housing having means for supporting said housing within the body of the patent,

first and second valves in said housing passageway, each of said valves normally restricting the passage of fluids therethrough yet open to permit passage of said external filament, said valves being separated to define an antibacterial fluid chamber for the retention of an antibacterial fluid, and

refilling means permitting said antibacterial fluid chamber to be refilled with said antibacterial fluid after said port is placed within the body of the patient.

2. An access port according to claim 1 wherein said refilling means includes a reservoir chamber defined by said housing for retaining a volume of said antibacterial fluid and communicating with said antibacterial fluid chamber through a passage.

3. An access port according to claim 2 further comprising a barrier means and a refilling orifice separate from said entrance orifice and communicating with said reservoir chamber for enabling refilling of said reservoir chamber through a transcutaneous refilling instrument which penetrates said barrier means.

4. An access port according to claim 3 wherein said barrier means comprises an elastomeric septum and wherein said refilling instrument comprises a hypodermic needle.

5. An access port according to claim 3 wherein said passage is oriented such that said refilling instrument is prevented from passing into said antibacterial fluid chamber.

6. An access port according to claim 1 wherein said first valve is positioned adjacent said housing entrance orifice and said second valve is positioned adjacent said outlet and wherein said first valve imposes a lesser restriction to the flow of fluids across said first valve when the external filament is not placed into said port as compared with said second valve.

7. An access port according to claim 6 wherein said first valve comprises a leaflet valve in the form of a single flat disk of resilient material with at least one cut through said disk to define at least two valve leaves and said second valve comprises a plurality of said disks each having at least one cut therethrough and each defining at least two valve leaves.

8. An access port according to claim 1 wherein said fluid chamber communicates with tissue in the body of the patient surrounding said port through at least one infusion ape