Catheter assembly
A catheter assembly includes: an inner and outer needle assembly including: a catheter hub holding the catheter, an inner needle inserted through the catheter and configured to be punctured into a treatment target, an inner needle hub holding the inner needle, and a safety member that is movable together with the catheter hub and configured to advance beyond a needle tip of the inner needle; and a grip that accommodates the inner and outer needle assembly. The grip is configured to accommodate at least a part of the safety member before puncture of the inner needle and until the safety member advances beyond the needle tip, and includes a first member and a second member that are dividable in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the grip.
1 . A catheter assembly comprising:
a needle assembly extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising:
a catheter hub holding a catheter,
an inner needle inserted through the catheter and configured to be punctured into a treatment target,
an inner needle hub holding the inner needle, and
a safety member that is movable together with the catheter hub and configured to advance beyond a needle tip of the inner needle, wherein the safety member comprises:
a proximal extending portion extending in the longitudinal direction, and
a protruding portion that protrudes from the proximal extending portion in a direction different from the longitudinal direction, wherein the protruding portion is thinner than the proximal extending portion in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction; and
a grip that accommodates the needle assembly, wherein the grip is configured to accommodate at least a part of the safety member before puncture of the inner needle and until the safety member advances beyond the needle tip, and comprises a first member and a second member that are separable from one another in the direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the grip, wherein:
a safety guide space is located between the first member and the second member in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and a part of the protruding portion is located in the safety guide space.
2 . The catheter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the safety member and the grip comprise safety movement restricting mechanisms configured to restrict movement of the safety member when the safety member is in an advanced position in which the safety member has advanced together with the catheter hub.
3 . The catheter assembly according to claim 2 , wherein:
the safety movement restricting mechanisms comprise:
a locking portion that is provided in the second member, and
a locked protrusion that is provided in the safety member and is configured to be locked with the locking portion.
4 . The catheter assembly according to claim 3 , wherein:
the locking portion comprises:
an advancement restricting portion that faces the locked protrusion and restricts advancement of the locked protrusion when the safety member is in the advanced position, and
a retraction restricting portion that is elastically deformed by coming into contact with the locked protrusion as the safety member advances, and is elastically restored to restrict retraction of the locked protrusion after passing over the locked protrusion.
5 . The catheter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the safety guide space is opened in a state in which the first member is separated from the second member to enable insertion of the protruding portion, and is closed in a state in which the first member and the second member are assembled to prevent detachment of the protruding portion.
6 . The catheter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the needle assembly comprises a catheter operation member configured for a user to operate movement of the catheter and the catheter hub;
an operation member guide space located between the first member and the second member, wherein a part of the catheter operation member is located in the operation member guide space; and
the operation member guide space is opened in a state in which the first member is separated from the second member to enable insertion of said part of the catheter operation member.
7 . The catheter assembly according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first member comprises an operation member exposure notch that exposes the catheter operation member from one end toward another end in the longitudinal direction; and
the first member and the second member comprise a pair of fixing mechanisms configured to be fixed to each other at a first end in the longitudinal direction on an outer side of the operation member exposure notch in a width direction, and at a second end in the longitudinal direction.
8 . The catheter assembly according to claim 6 , wherein:
the catheter operation member comprises a wing protruding from the operation member guide space; and
the wing is removable from the operation member guide space at one end in the longitudinal direction in a state in which the first member and the second member are assembled.
9 . The catheter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the grip comprises a lower support member that supports a lower portion of the catheter when puncture is performed with the catheter and the inner needle;
the second member comprises an arrangement mechanism that rotatably and pivotally supports a shaft of the lower support member; and
the arrangement mechanism enables insertion of the lower support member by being opened in the assembling direction of the first member in a state in which the first member is separated from the second member in an axial direction of the shaft, and inhibits detachment of the shaft in a state in which the first member and the second member are assembled.
10 . The catheter assembly according to claim 9 , wherein:
the lower support member includes a supporting body portion that protrudes from the shaft to a point where the catheter extends and is configured to come into contact with the catheter; and
the second member has a bearing notch that is configured to pass extends through the supporting body portion when the lower support member is arranged in the arrangement mechanism.
11 . The catheter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inner needle hub is configured to be fixed to the second member, prior to attachment of the second member to the first member in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, as the needle assembly is placed on the second member in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
12 . A method of manufacturing a catheter assembly, the method comprising:
providing a needle assembly extending in a longitudinal direction and comprising:
a catheter hub holding the catheter,
an inner needle inserted through the catheter and configured to be punctured into a treatment target,
an inner needle hub holding the inner needle, and
a safety member that is movable together with the catheter hub and configured to advance beyond a needle tip of the inner needle, wherein the safety member comprises:
a proximal extending portion extending in the longitudinal direction, and
a protruding portion that protrudes from the proximal extending portion in a direction different from the longitudinal direction, wherein the protruding portion is thinner than the proximal extending portion in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction;
providing a grip that accommodates the needle assembly, wherein the grip is configured to accommodate at least a part of the safety member before puncture of the inner needle and until the safety member advances beyond the needle tip, and comprises a first member and a second member that are separable from one another in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the grip;
placing the needle assembly on the second member in an assembling direction, thereby fixing the inner needle hub to the second member; and
after placing the needle assembly on the second member and fixing the inner needle hub to the second member, attaching the first member to the second member in the assembling direction such that the safety member is held by the grip, such that a safety guide space is located between the first member and the second member in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and a part of the protruding portion is located in the safety guide space.