Abstract: A pad of elastomeric material having a softness of no more than about durometer 50 Shore 00. The pad may carry adhesive and/or a housing for adhering the pad to a surface, either directly or indirectly through an envelope which surrounds the pad and carries the adhesive. Such a pad exhibits hemostatic and leak prevention properties against needle puncture holes in the skin or the wall of a hollow medical device. Particularly, hemostasis may be prevented with low pressure application of the pad to the skin. The pad may be previously applied to the skin of the patient or a wall of a medical device such as tubing or a solution bag, and the needle may then penetrate both the pad and the skin or medical device wall, to make a resealable puncture with leakage reduction and hemostasis when the needle is withdrawn.

Abstract: A pad of elastomeric material having a softness of no more than about durometer 30 Shore 00. The pad may carry adhesive for adhering the pad to a surface, either directly or indirectly through an envelope which surrounds the pad and carries the adhesive. Such a pad exhibits hemostatic and leak prevention properties against needle puncture holes in the skin or the wall of a hollow medical device. Particularly, hemostasis may be prevented with low pressure application of the pad to the skin. The pad may be previously applied to the skin of the patient or a wall of a medical device such as tubing or a solution bag, and the needle may then penetrate both the pad and the skin or medical device wall, to make a resealable puncture with leakage reduction and hemostasis when the needle is withdrawn.

Abstract: A medical tubing set sheath is provided which includes a retention portion for attaching the sheath to a collar of a connector attached to the medical tubing set. The sheath may serve as a handle to facilitate torque-locking of the connector to another connector. The sheath may also include a ratcheting mechanism in order to allow for the sheath to ratchet upon application of excess torque, when the tubing set is being attached to a peripheral tubing set. The sheath may also include a needle receiving portion, so that the sheath provides for a needle protector, which may be retained in a position displaced from the needle in order to insure that the needle is exposed when removed from its packaging, and can be quickly and easily inserted in a patient's arm.

Abstract: A winged needle comprises a hollow medical needle which typically is no smaller than 18 gauge carried by a hub. The hub has wings projecting laterally outwardly, the wings having outer tips that are spaced from each other by essentially 20 to 30 mm. A guard for a winged needle tube set is also disclosed, in which the guard comprises a needle guard tube free of wing-receiving slots and defining a forward, open end to receive a winged needle having outwardly extending, substantially unbent wings as positioned within the guard. In some embodiments, the guard comprises a substantially fixed, open mouth having a width of at least 20 mm and a height of at least 5 mm. A novel anchor strip having two flex lines is also provided to the guard.

Abstract: A medical device such as a female luer lock connector has an interior for containment of fluids. An access site on the medical device has an opening into the access site interior, which opening defines an annular, outer end surface surrounding the opening. An elastomeric wall is sealingly bonded to the annular, outer end surface at an inner face of the elastomeric wall. Typically, the elastomeric wall has a radially outwardly facing peripheral surface which is essentially spaced from the access site. Also, portions of the elastomeric wall, if desired, can project laterally outwardly beyond the annular, outer end surface, to frictionally engage a second medical device that is attached to the access site.

Abstract: An extracorporeal blood set may be primed with physiological solution for use in a blood transporting process such as hemodialysis. The set comprises tubing having a patient connector on an end thereof, and a first branch tube in connection with a source of the solution. The branch tube connects with the set between the ends of the set. The branch tube also connects with further branch tubing, having a second connector which is capable of sealing connection with the patient connector. The method comprises the steps of connecting the patient connector and the second connector to form a closed loop of tubing. One then passes the solution from the source in flow through the first branch tube and further branch tubing to fill them and the set tubing with the solution. One then disconnects the patient connector for subsequent connection with the vascular system of a patient.

Abstract: A medical device has an interior for containment of fluids; an opening into the interior, and an elastomeric wall having at least one perforation. The wall comprises a fixedly placed, flexible barrier across the opening. The device also defines a passageway extending inwardly from adjacent to the elastomeric wall, the passageway being proportioned to receive and form an annular seal with a connector tube that extends into the interior through the perforation.

Abstract: A tubular medical set as main blood flow tubing, a connected, flexible branch tube, a flow restriction device to suppress pressure pulses. The device is positioned to control flow through the branch tube. The flow restriction device permits substantially free, unhindered flow from the branch tube to the main blood flow tubing, while significantly restricting, but not completely blocking, flow from the main blood flow tubing to the branch tube.

Abstract: A medical device has an interior for containment of fluids; an opening into the interior, an elastomeric wall comprising a fixedly placed, flexible barrier across the opening; and a retention wall positioned adjacent to a peripheral portion of the elastomeric wall. The retention wall defines a central opening and has a generally rigid retention zone surrounding the central opening, to engage and retain a connector tube which is advanced into the central opening to displace the elastomeric wall and to open a flow aperture through the elastomeric wall, for flow through the wall and connector tube. One of the retention zone and connector tube are made of a material of sufficient hardness that material of the other engaging member is deformed by engagement therewith, which increases the strength of retention between the retention wall and the connector tube.

Abstract: Pressure is sensed in blood flow tubing by placing an aqueous, preferably isotonic, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing (branch tube) that connects in branching relation with the blood flow tubing at one end. The branch connection tubing may also connect in use with a pressure transducer unit at its other end, or pressure may be mechanically indicated. An air volume is maintained, occupying a portion of the branch connection tubing which is adjacent to the other end. One flows positively or negatively pressurized blood through the blood flow tubing, with the result that the pressure of the blood is communicated through the aqueous solution and the air volume in the branch connection tubing to the pressure transducer unit, with the blood being spaced from the air volume. Preferably, substantially all of the branch connection tubing containing the aqueous solution and air volume has an inner diameter of substantially no more than 5 mm.

Abstract: A cannula and method for providing an external connection with an implanted artificial port for communicating with a body lumen of a patient. The artificial port has an entrance conduit with an inwardly tapering section. The tapered cannula is sized and proportioned to substantially match and seal with the inwardly tapering section of the entrance conduit. Thus the cannula can form a readily removable seal with the inwardly tapering section. A typical angle of taper is one to three degrees.

Abstract: Blood lines for hemodialysis and other blood handling procedures may be reused by placing connectors intermediately along the length of the blood lines so that the lines can be disconnected to separate out reusable portions thereof. Specifically, the bulk of the blood lines used may comprise branchless lengths of tubing which are easily reusable, and may be cleaned and stored along with a dialyzer or similar device by connection to a conventional reuse machine. Also, the connectors on the blood lines which are reused may have first and second sealing surfaces. The first sealing surfaces are used in the connections made to form the blood line in its normal form for use. Then, during cleaning and sterilization for reuse, the reusable connectors can connect first and second lengths of blood lines together making use of a second sealing surface, in which the first sealing surfaces are exposed to cleaning/storing solution to cause cleaning and antibacterial action on the first sealing surfaces.

Abstract: Blood lines for hemodialysis and other blood handling procedures may be reused by placing connectors intermediately along the length of the blood lines so that the lines can be disconnected to separate out reusable portions thereof. Specifically, the bulk of the blood lines used may comprise branchless lengths of tubing which are easily reusable, and may be cleaned and stored along with a dialyzer or similar device by connection to a conventional reuse machine. Also, the connectors on the blood lines which are reused may have first and second sealing surfaces. The first sealing surfaces are used in the connections made to form the blood line in its normal form for use. Then, during cleaning and sterilization for reuse, the reusable connectors can connect first and second lengths of blood lines together making use of a second sealing surface, in which the first sealing surfaces are exposed to cleaning/storing solution to cause cleaning and antibacterial action on the first sealing surfaces.

Abstract: A needle protector sheath comprises a body having a top wall, sidewalls, and at least partially open ends. A slot is formed at each sidewall extending through an end of each sidewall, to slidingly receive a needle wing extending through each of the slots. The slots extend generally longitudinally. Portions of the slots adjacent to the open ends each slope toward the top wall as they extend away from the open end.

Abstract: A cannula is provided for connection with an implanted artificial port through a preformed needle track through the skin of a patient. The port has a flow conduit to connection with the body lumen and the closure member for blocking flow between the port and the body lumen. The closure member is normally closed, but openable by an insertion of a properly sized cannula into the port. The first cannula has a proximal end which is connected to a hub, a proximal portion adjacent to the proximal end, and a distal portion. The distal portion is of insufficient size to open the closure member when inserted into the port, so that the first cannula may be used for flushing the implanted port interior and the needle track with disinfectant solution. The proximal portion is of larger diameter than the distal portion and is proportioned to dilate the needle track to facilitate subsequent advancement of a larger diameter fluid flow cannula through the needle track after withdrawing of the first cannula.

Abstract: A cannula or needle set for fluid flow connection with the vascular system of a patient. In one embodiment, the set comprises a hollow, hypodermic needle having a longitudinal axis and a sharp end for skin penetration and connection with the vascular system. A hollow hub carries the needle at a needle opposite to the sharp end. A fluid flow port is defined in the hub at a position laterally spaced from the axis of the needle. An injection site aperture is defined in the hub at a position centrally intersected by the needle axis, the injection site aperture being closed by a recloseable, needle-penetrable wall.

Abstract: A combined arterial and venous blood tubing set is provided for transport of blood between a patient and a blood processing unit. The set comprises an arterial set component comprising arterial tubing having an arterial patient connector at one end and an arterial unit connector at the other. A venous set component has venous tubing with a venous patient connector at one end and a venous unit connector at the other end. The arterial and venous patient connectors, and the arterial and venous unit connectors, are respectively, substantially, and releasably directly connected to each other. As a result of this, the arterial, and venous set components cooperate to form a loop. Other features of improved sets are also disclosed.

Abstract: A medical needle protector sheath comprises a tubular body for surrounding and shielding a needle with the sheath defining an anchor member integrally attached to the front of the body for manual holding, plus a closure cap for the front end which is integrally attached to the body. Also, a manually removable wing member may be carried about the hub of the needle. A tunnel member typically of the inverted U-cross section provides longitudinal securance to the needle and hub while penetrating the skin of the patient while at the same time permitting axial rotation of the needle.

Abstract: Pressure is sensed in blood flow tubing by placing an aqueous, preferably isotonic, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing that connects in branching relation with the blood flow tubing at one end. The branch connection tubing also connects in use with a pressure transducer unit at its other end. An air volume is maintained, occupying a portion of the branch connection tubing which is adjacent to the other end. One flows positively or negatively pressurized blood through the blood flow tubing, with the result that the pressure of the blood is communicated through the aqueous solution and the air volume in the branch connection tubing to the pressure transducer unit, with the blood being spaced from the air volume. Preferably, substantially all of the branch connection tubing containing the aqueous solution and air volume has an inner diameter of substantially no more than 5 mm.

Abstract: A blood processing system (e.g. a dialysis system) is primed by the following steps: (a) in a system having arterial and venous sets 10, 14 connected together without the blood processing unit, passing priming solution through the sets in a flow direction 44 retrograde to the normal blood flow direction while removing air through a port 62; (b) passing priming solution through the sets in the normal blood flow direction 42 to remove substantially all air from the sets; and then (c) connecting the arterial and venous sets to the blood processing unit and flushing the sets and processing unit with priming solution in the normal blood flow direction.