Slit tip ventricular catheter
A ventricular catheter of the type having a slit in the distal end to permit the passage of a stylet or endoscope is disclosed. The catheter is packaged with a film tab inserted into the slit to prevent the edges of the slit from knitting or adhering to each other upon sterilization or storage.
1. A sterilizable ventricular catheter having a proximal end and a distal segment having a plurality of drainage holes and a closed distal end formed with a slit, said slit being movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, a sterilizable removable film tab inserted into the slit to prevent the edges of the slit from knitting together during sterilization and storage.
2. The catheter of claim 1 in which the distal end of the catheter is removably affixed to a paper board holder and one end of the film tab is adhesively secured to the holder.
3. The catheter of claim 1 in which the film tab has a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of the tab being adhesively secured to a holder and the distal end having a flap which is positioned in the slit in the catheter.
4. The catheter of claim 2 in which the film tab is a polyester film having a thickness of about 1 mil.