Fluid collection device with captured retractable needle

1. A medical device, comprising:

a housing having an aperture in a wall of the housing, the aperture defined by a rim;

a first needle having a sharpened tip, the first needle operable between an extended position in which the sharpened tip is exposed and a retracted position in which the sharpened tip is shielded;

a biasing element biasing the first needle toward the retracted position;

a needle hub displaceable between a forward position in which the first needle is in the extended position and a rearward position in which the first needle is in the retracted position, the needle hub comprising:

a first connector at an end of the hub, the first connector configured to provide a fluid-tight connection between a fluid line and the first needle;

a radially deformable arm;

an actuator disposed at an end of the arm, wherein the actuator is configured to cooperate with the rim of the housing to releasably retain the first needle in the extended position against a bias provided by the biasing element, wherein the actuator is configured to be moved out of cooperative engagement with the rim, thereby permitting the biasing element to transition the needle hub to the rearward position, wherein the actuator comprises a forward stop; and

a flange projecting outwardly from the needle hub at a position forward of the actuator; and

a lip projecting radially inwardly from the wall of the housing so as to define a contracted opening,

wherein the flange of the needle hub is larger in diameter than the opening defined by the lip of the housing such that a rearward edge of the flange can contact the lip,

wherein, when the needle hub is transitioned from the forward position to the rearward position, the lip of the housing displaces the actuator radially inwardly such that the actuator passes rearwardly beyond the lip, and

wherein, when the needle hub is in the rearward position, the forward stop of the actuator cooperates with a rearward surface of the lip of the housing to prevent forward movement of the needle hub relative to the housing, and the lip cooperates with the flange of the needle hub to impede rearward axial movement of the needle hub beyond the rearward position.

2. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein a forward edge of the actuator forms the forward stop.

3. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of substantially planar wings connected to the housing, the wings projecting outwardly from the housing and being displaceable about a longitudinal axis of the housing.

4. The medical device of claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the wings are disposed forwardly of the aperture in the housing.

5. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the needle hub is disposed outside the housing when the needle hub is in the rearward position.

6. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the opening defined by the lip of the housing is larger than a body of the needle hub and smaller than the flange of the needle hub such that in the rearward position, the needle hub extends through the opening.

7. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a fluid line connectable with the first connector, the fluid line comprising a second connector;

a second hollow housing connectable with the second connector, the second housing having a generally open rearward end for receiving a specimen container that is sealed by a pierceable seal; and

a second needle attached to the second housing and having a sharpened tip projecting into the interior of the second housing, the second needle operable to pierce the pierceable seal.

8. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is recessed relative to an outer surface of the housing when the needle hub is in the forward position.

9. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the deformable arm is configured to move from a retaining position in which the actuator cooperates with the rim of the aperture in the wall of the housing to an actuated position in which the needle hub is permitted to transition to the rearward position, wherein the actuated position is closer to a longitudinal axis of the needle hub than is the retaining position.

10. The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element has a biasing force between a lower limit and an upper limit, the lower limit being defined by an amount of axial force required to effectuate inward displacement of the actuator due to interaction between the actuator and the lip of the housing during transition of the needle hub from the forward position to the rearward position, the upper limit being defined by an amount of axial force required to overcome the cooperation between the lip of the housing and the flange of the needle hub to impede rearward axial movement of the needle hub beyond the rearward position.

11. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element has a biasing force between a lower limit and an upper limit, the lower limit being defined by an amount of axial force required to effectuate inward displacement of the actuator due to interaction between the actuator and the lip of the housing during transition of the needle hub from the forward position to the rearward position, the upper limit being defined by an amount of axial force required to overcome the cooperation between the lip of the housing and the flange of the needle hub to impede rearward axial movement of the needle hub beyond the rearward position.

12. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a surface that is directly manually operable from outside the housing.

13. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is outside of the housing and is rearward of the housing when the needle hub is in the rearward position.

14. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to move outwardly as the needle hub is moved into the rearward position.

15. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the flange projecting outwardly from the needle hub is spaced from the forward stop of the needle hub such that a portion of the housing can be received between the flange and the forward stop when the needle hub is in the rearward position.

16. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to be displaced radially inwardly so as to be moved out of cooperative engagement with the rim of the housing to thereby permit the needle hub to transition from the forward position to the rearward position without radial flexing of the flange.

17. A method for drawing fluid from a patient, the method comprising:

providing the medical device of claim 7 ;

attaching the fluid line to the first connector;

attaching the second connector to the second housing;

inserting the first needle into a patient;

inserting a specimen container that includes a pierceable seal into the second housing so that the second needle pierces the pierceable seal; and

moving the first needle to the retracted position.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

withdrawing the specimen container from the second housing;

providing a second container having a pierceable seal; and

inserting the second specimen container into the second housing so that the second needle pierces the seal of the second specimen container and the second specimen container is in fluid communication with the first needle.