Abstract: A catheter assembly is provided with a needle guard that slides along the needle to shield the distal tip of the needle after the needle is withdrawn from a patient. The needle passes through an aperture at the distal end of the needle guard. To prevent the backflow of blood through the aperture and into the needle guard, a gasket is formed in the aperture about the needle. The gasket is formed with the needle in place by filling the aperture around the needle with adhesive. After the adhesive has substantially cured but before the adhesive has tightly bonded to the needle the needle guard is moved along the needle to prevent bonding of the adhesive to the needle. The needle guard will thereafter slide along the needle with the needle passing through the formed-in-place gasket.

Abstract: A catheter device is described with a safety needle guard that covers and protects the needle after use of the device. The device includes a semi-tubular needle housing containing a flash chamber with a hollow needle extending from the distal end of the flash chamber. A tubular needle guard concentrically fits and slides within the needle housing. The needle guard has a longitudinal slot through which the mounting base of the flash chamber passes as the guard slides within the housing. The top of the semi-tubular housing is open so that a user may access the top of the tubular needle guard with a finger to urge the needle guard to an extended position from the distal end of the housing and in a surrounding position about the needle. As the needle guard attains its fully extended position about the needle, it locks in place in the needle housing.

Abstract: A flash plug for an I.V. catheter is formed of a body of polymeric material, and has a narrow distal end for insertion within a catheter flash chamber and a larger proximal end which extends from the flash chamber. The flash plug has an aperture extending through it from the distal to the proximal end. An insert of a porous material is located within the aperture, and is capable of passing air and blocking the flow of blood. The catheter body is compatible with flash chamber material so as to remain securely located within the flash chamber and provides protection for the insert. The aperture diameter is sized to retain the porous insert securely within the flash plug body.

Abstract: An improved catheter assembly is provided wherein a cannula depends from a catheter body having a first passageway therethrough communicating with the cannula through which an introducer needle may be introduced and removed. The assembly is provided with a second passageway communicating with the cannula through which a fluid may be introduced. A moveable means is provided disposed across the first passageway and moveable from a first position to a second position. The moveable means is provided with a duct passing therethrough, the duct being coaxial with the first passageway when the moveable means are in a first position to allow the introduction of removal of the introducer needle. Thereafter, the moveable means are adapted to be moved into a second position in which the access of the duct is displaced to be non-coaxial with the first passageway, and hence out of communication therewith and with the moveable means in the catheter body cooperating to seal the duct from the first and second passageways.

Abstract: An improved sensing electrode assembly for testing for a constituent in blood is provided. An electrode assembly exhibits a decreased time to reach stable operation by virtue of having the assembly pretreated by applying thereto a liquid containing blood derived albumin.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a printed circuit board is disclosed. The method comprises forming a metal substrate having a through-hole pattern. The metal substrate is coated with a dielectric powder having a suitable flow length value to form a dielectric coat on the substrate having a sufficient through-hole edge coverage. The dielectric coated substrate is then treated with a second powder to form a satisfactory topcoat thereon. Electrical circuitry is then formed on the topcoat in conjunction with the through hole pattern.