Self suturing anchor device
View Patent ↗A catheter securement device which automatically deploys one or more sutures to secure a catheter without requiring the practitioner to manually suture the catheter to the self-suturing anchor device. A ratchet mechanism having one or more rotatable ratchet members which pivot and a ratchet member engagement spring which maintains contact between the teeth of the rotatable ratchet member and the teeth of the ratchet ring. An O-ring is provided to maintain the position of the sutures to minimize disruption of the sutures before deployment of the sutures. In one embodiment, a stationary base of the anchor device comprises a single molded member. In another embodiment a method of manufacturing the catheter anchor device comprising welding a rotatable ring and one or more bearing members of the catheter anchor device through access bores in the stationary base.
1. A catheter anchor device for use with a catheter which is inserted into a patient at a catheter insertion site for minimizing movement of the catheter that could result in pressure, discomfort, or tearing at the catheter insertion site, the catheter anchor device configured to automatically deploy one or more sutures to quickly and efficiently secure the catheter, the anchor device comprising:
an adhesive layer configured to be secured to the skin of the patient proximate the catheter insertion site that allows access to the catheter insertion site and permits a practitioner to view and clean the catheter insertion site;
a stationary base secured to the adhesive layer;
a rotatable ring circumscribing the stationary base such that the rotatable outer ring can be rotated by the user relative to the stationary base; and
one or more sutures having a stowage position, wherein when the sutures are in the stowage position the sutures are positioned between the stationary base and the rotatable ring, wherein the one or more sutures are operably coupled to the rotatable ring such that actuation of the rotatable ring automatically deploys the one or more sutures from the stowage position to secure the catheter relative to the rotatable ring; and
an O-ring that secures the sutures between the stationary base and the rotatable ring before deployment of the sutures while allowing deployment of the sutures upon actuation of the rotatable ring.
2. The catheter anchor device of claim 1 , wherein the O-ring is positioned between the stationary base and the rotatable outer ring.
3. The catheter anchor device of claim 1 , wherein the sutures are stored in a suture storage channel previous to actuation of the sutures.
4. The catheter anchor device of claim 3 , wherein the suture storage channel is positioned in the stationary base.
5. The catheter anchor device of claim 3 , wherein the suture storage channel is positioned in the rotatable ring.
6. The catheter anchor device of claim 3 , wherein the suture storage channel comprises a flexible flange.
7. The catheter anchor device of claim 6 , wherein the O-ring secures the sutures in the suture storage channel in cooperation with the flexible flange.
8. The catheter anchor device of claim 1 , wherein the O-ring is non-circular.
9. The catheter anchor device of claim 1 , further comprising a supplemental O-ring which cooperates with the O-ring to maintain the position of the sutures before deployment of the sutures.