Abstract: Leakage of blood from the insertion set, during and after safety-needle retraction, is suppressed by components that receive and retain flash blood for viewing--notwithstanding forces developed within the device in retraction. One preferred such system includes a flash chamber that moves with the retracting needle, within a hollow handle, carrying a relatively high flow-impedance element which allows air exhaust from the chamber into the handle to admit flash blood--but isolates blood in the chamber from retraction-generated increase in air pressure in the handle. Energy-absorbing components control or compensate for retraction speed, to provide quiet smooth retraction--while yet enabling use of ample retraction force to make retraction reliable. Among several energy absorbing systems disclosed is a preferred one that includes a viscous material introduced within the hollow handle to damp the retracting motion; and an injection port to facilitate introduction of the viscous material.

Abstract: A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub. A latch which cooperates with the latch actuator is movable between one position which maintains the needle hub adjacent to the distal end of the barrel and a second position allowing the spring to urge the needle hub to the proximal end of the barrel. A mechanism may be provided to cushion the needle hub as it contacts the proximal end of the barrel by the force of the spring.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a radially extending wing. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle may have at least one notch therein. The needle hub defines a radially extending fin thereon. When the introducer needle is inserted through the catheter such that the distal tip of the needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter, the fin on the needle hub extends beyond the distal end of the wing on the catheter hub. This arrangement allows the distal tip of the needle to be retracted into the catheter with a simple proximal motion by the healthcare worker.

Abstract: A needle assembly is provided with a collapsible needle shield. In one embodiment of the needle shield assembly, the proximal portion of the handle is formed from a collapsible, non-elastic material. In a second embodiment, the proximal portion of the handle is formed from a telescoping tube that enables complete shielding of the needle when the handle is telescopingly extended. A tip guard is included in both embodiments which resiliently moves over the distal tip of the needle as the shield assembly is fully extended to prevent relative distal movement of the needle after the needle has been withdrawn into the handle.

Abstract: A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub. A latch which cooperates with the latch actuator is movable between one position which maintains the needle hub adjacent to the distal end of the barrel and a second position allowing the spring to urge the needle hub to the proximal end of the barrel. A mechanism may be provided to cushion the needle hub as it contacts the proximal end of the barrel by the force of the spring.

Abstract: The two part tipping lubricant of this invention comprises water as the solvent. The lubricant is a silicone surfactant, which is non-ionic and which is a good lubricating fluid. No separate surfactant or lubricant is needed. The lubricant solution into which the catheter is dipped may also include low percentages of a solution stabilizer and an antimicrobial agent to clarify the solution and to inhibit microbial growth in the water solution. Vitamin E or its derivative may also be used in the lubrication solution to prevent degradation of the solution.

Abstract: A medical device for protecting a catheter penetration site on the skin of a patient includes a resilient pad having a patient contacting side and at least one void therein for receiving and retaining a catheter at a catheter penetration site. The device has an adhesive on the patient contacting side of the pad for releasably adhering the pad to the patient's skin at the catheter penetration site and also includes a sufficient quantity of an antimicrobial agent to create a zone of microbial inhibition around the catheter penetration site.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved guarded surgical scalpel having a movable guard that can be retracted to expose the blade and that can be extended to cover the sharp cutting edge of the blade. The guard is also mounted for rotatable movement with respect to the handle. A blade carrier is mounted to the guard to allow relative longitudinal movement between the guard and the blade carrier. The blade carrier is also removably mounted to the handle. This mounting arrangement for the handle, guard and blade carrier allows the guard and blade carrier to be rotated away from the handle so the surfaces of the handle, guard and blade carrier can be exposed. This facilitates cleaning of the guarded surgical scalpel after use.

Abstract: A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub. A latch which cooperates with the latch actuator is movable between one position which maintains the needle hub adjacent to the distal end of the barrel and a second position allowing the spring to urge the needle hub to the proximal end of the barrel. A mechanism may be provided to cushion the needle hub as it contacts the proximal end of the barrel by the force of the spring.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a pair of spaced apart squeeze grips radially extending from the catheter hub. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle hub has a circumferentially extending bump formed adjacent to its distal end. The needle and needle hub fit within a slide assembly comprising a tubular portion with a circumferentially extending groove formed therein and a radially extending fin extending from the outer surface of the tubular portion of the slide assembly. The bump of the needle hub mates in the groove of the slide assembly to allow rotation of the needle hub with respect to the slide assembly. However, the bump and the groove are dimensioned to prevent relative axial movement between the needle hub and the slide assembly. The fin on the slide assembly extends forward so as to be positioned between and extend beyond the pair of squeeze grips on the catheter hub.

Abstract: A winged IV catheter assembly includes a central tube having a proximal end and a distal end secured to a catheter. The outer circumference of the central tube has at least one annular bead. The assembly also includes a winged inserter having a longitudinally extending body and a pair of flexible wings connected to the body. The body includes a central passageway. The passageway includes at least one annular groove for receiving the annular bead on the central tube. The central tube and catheter can be rotatably positioned within the passageway of the winged inserter. The central tube and catheter then can be rotated with respect to the winged inserter as needed by a health care worker to facilitate insertion of the catheter into a patient.

Abstract: A method for visualization of a lubricant coating on a surface of an article includes dissolving a fluorescent agent into a lubricant. The method then includes applying the fluorescenated lubricant to coat a surface of the article. The coated article is then irradiated with an electromagnetic radiation capable of inducing a fluorescent emission in the fluorescent agent and the fluorescent emission is observed to detect the coverage of the lubricant on the surface of the article.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new water soluble lubricant for a medical device, such as a catheter and an introducer needle. The lubricant is a silicone surfactant, which is non-ionic and which is a good lubricating fluid. Preferably the silicone surfactant that is used is a block copolymer polyalkylene oxide-modified polydimethylsiloxane. The lubrication solution includes a solution stabilizer to clarify the solution and antimicrobial agents to inhibit microbial growth in the water solution or on the coated product. Vitamin E or its derivatives may also be used in the lubrication solution.