Patent Application
20080097394
To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention relates to catheters. In particular, the present invention relates to a drainage catheter including a catheter tube body configured to assume a pig-tail configuration in a distal end of the catheter tube body, at least one rigid member, such as a trocar, or cannula that can be placed inside of the catheter tube body, and a pig-tail straightener, such as a sleeve, for straightening the tube body to provide easier insertion of a rigid member into the catheter tube body.
In the example embodiments disclosed, drainage catheter 10 is configured to be utilized for potentially prolonged periods to drain fluid from a patient. Catheter hub 14 and rotatable lever handle 28 provide a simple and effective mechanism to allow a user to selectively implement and maintain the anchor configuration of a distal end 13 of catheter tube body 12. Rotatable lever handle 28 is adapted to secure a suture thread 26 to maintain the anchor configuration of distal end 13 of catheter tube body 12 so that the position of catheter tube body 12 is secured within a patient's body 18 (as shown in
To maintain the desired positioning of distal end 13 within the patient 18, the practitioner grasps the free end of suture 26 extending from catheter hub 14. The user then pulls suture 26 in a rearward direction away from distal end 13 of catheter tube body 12 such that distal end 13 forms a pig-tail type anchor configuration. The anchor loop configuration in distal end 13 of catheter tube body 12 maintains the position of distal end 13 in patient 18, even where the wall of a body cavity is insufficiently rigid to secure traditional catheter securement devices.
Typically, once distal end 13 of catheter tube body 12 is positioned in the pig-tail configuration, the drainage catheter 10 will remain positioned within the body of the patient for a considerable period of time to facilitate ongoing drainage of the volume of bodily fluid from the patient.
In the illustrated embodiment, locking catheter hub 14 is utilized in connection with catheter tube body 12 of drainage catheter 10. Catheter tube body 12 comprises an elongate tubular member having a drainage lumen for allowing the fluid to exit patient 18, through the distal end 13 of catheter tube body 12. The configuration of catheter tube body 12 allows fluids to be drained from a patient 18 through drainage catheter 10, exiting at proximal end 16.
Pig-tail straightener 20 may have a sleeve body 24 slidably engaged with catheter tube body 12. Pig-tail straightener 20 may be a sleeve or tube having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of catheter tube body 12, allowing pig-tail straightener 20 to slide along the length of catheter tube body 12. Pig-tail straightener 20 includes lip 22 to facilitate sliding pig-tail straightener 20 from a proximal location near hub 14, as illustrated in
As pig-tail straightener 20 is moved distally, lip 22 engages distal end 13, straightening the pig-tail to a straight configuration, as illustrated in
Distal end 13 is introduced into patient 18 at a position configured to optimize the drainage of fluid from patient 18. To facilitate the correct positioning of drainage catheter 10, distal end 13 can be introduced into patient 18 through an existing lumen, or made rigid by insertion of one or more rigid members 30, 36 into the lumen of catheter tube body 12. In this example embodiment, cannula 30 can be attached to drainage catheter 10 by engaging a threaded connecting member 17 at proximal end 16 with threaded end 32 of cannula 30. As illustrated in
Cannula 30 may have a blunt end and a lumen to allow passage of trocar 36 through cannula 30 and catheter tube body 12, creating a nested arrangement, as illustrated in
With pig-tail straightener 20 in place over distal end 13, cannula 30 and/or trocar 36 may be inserted into catheter tube body 12 without catching on, puncturing, or otherwise damaging catheter tube body 12 with the distal end of cannula 30 or the sharp distal end of trocar 36.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of types and configurations of catheters can be utilized for draining bodily fluids from a patient without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, the fluids to be drained exit from a portion of the drainage catheter other than the catheter hub. In another embodiment, the drainage catheter 10 is adapted to be positioned adjacent an organ or in the vasculature of the patient. In another embodiment, the drainage catheter 10 is introduced utilizing a guidewire or rigid stylet.
In some embodiments, a kit according to the present invention may include, in addition to the components discussed above, additional tubing, sterile gloves, sterilization pads, additional members configured to be inserted into the drainage catheter such as diagnostic testing implements or devices, structural support elements, or other devices and implements used in conjunction with drainage catheters.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
