Catheter devices with valves and related methods
Needle assemblies and related methods having a needle hub with a needle, a catheter tube with a catheter hub and having the needle extending through the catheter tube in a ready to use position. A valve is positioned in an interior cavity of the catheter hub, the valve having sections that can deflect in a distal direction and sections that can deflect in a proximal direction to open a fluid flow path through the valve. The valve can be deflected by a multi-piece valve opener.
1. A needle assembly comprising:
a needle hub with a needle extending from a distal end of the needle hub;
a catheter tube attached to a catheter hub and having the needle extending through the catheter tube in a ready to use position;
a valve positioned in an interior cavity of the catheter hub, said valve comprising an outer perimeter that axially floats when moved by a proximal valve opener, which is also positioned in the interior cavity of the catheter hub and proximal of the valve;
a distal valve opener comprising a leg extension extending in a proximal direction of a base of a bushing, which is located distally of the valve; and
a needle guard comprising a proximal wall with an opening having the needle passing therethrough located, at least in part, in a holding space of the proximal valve opener.
2. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the leg extension of the distal valve opener is axially fixed inside the interior cavity of the catheter hub.
3. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises three slits and three flaps and wherein the distal valve opener comprises three spaced apart leg extensions.
4. The needle assembly of claim 3 , wherein the three leg extensions are aligned with the three flaps.
5. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal valve opener has a nose section sized for abutting contact with a proximally facing surface of the valve.
6. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal valve opener has two reliefs, openings or through passages and wherein the needle guard has two elbows, one each extending at least partly through a respective relief, opening or through passage.
7. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal valve opener has a first continuous perimeter section spaced from a second continuous perimeter section.
8. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a skirt section extending distally of a valve disc.
9. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base of the bushing and the leg extension are unitarily formed.
10. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal valve opener comprises two stabilizer elements connecting two plunger elements and wherein a gap between the two stabilizer elements define a choke point for limiting proximal movement of the needle guard.
11. A method of manufacturing a needle assembly comprising:
providing a catheter hub with a catheter tube with a distal opening, said catheter hub comprising a hub body defining an interior cavity and a proximal opening;
positioning a bushing inside the catheter hub and against the catheter tube and positioning a valve proximal of the bushing and proximal of a leg extension, which has a nose section for abutting a distally facing surface of the valve; the valve being axially displaceable inside the interior cavity of the catheter hub along an axial direction of the catheter hub and comprises two or more flaps;
positioning a proximal valve opener proximal of the valve and inside the interior cavity of the catheter hub;
placing a needle, which is attached to a needle hub, through the catheter hub, the valve, and the catheter tube so that a tip of the needle extends out the distal opening of the catheter tube; and
positioning a needle guard comprising a proximal wall with an opening having the needle passing therethrough located, at least in part, in a holding space of the proximal valve opener.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising placing an elbow of the needle guard through a relief, opening or through passage of the proximal valve opener.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the leg extension is unitarily formed with the bushing.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the proximal valve opener has a nose section sized for abutting contact with a proximally facing surface of the valve.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the proximal valve opener has a first continuous perimeter section spaced from a second continuous perimeter section.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the proximal valve opener comprises two stabilizer elements connecting two plunger elements and wherein a gap between the two stabilizer elements define a choke point for limiting proximal movement of the needle guard.
17. A catheter assembly comprising:
a needle hub with a needle having a needle tip extending from a distal end of the needle hub;
a catheter tube attached to a catheter hub and having the needle extending through the catheter tube in a ready to use position;
a valve comprising a valve disc positioned in an interior cavity of the catheter hub,
a first valve opener positioned distally of the valve disc;
a second valve opener positioned proximally of the valve disc; and
a needle guard comprising a proximal wall with an opening having the needle passing therethrough, said needle guard configured to cover said needle tip in a protective position.