Guidewire retention device

1. An access device for placing a medical article within a body space, the access device comprising:

a dilator having a hub and an elongated dilator body extending from the hub;

a guidewire being configured to slide within the elongated dilator body and having a guidewire stop, the guidewire stop being receivable through the elongated dilator body; and

a locking mechanism removably disposed within the hub, the locking mechanism being removably engaged with and being supported by the dilator prior to the dilator being threaded over the guidewire, the locking mechanism comprising a guidewire lock comprising a pair of opposing members, the pair of opposing members movable between an open state and a closed condition, wherein the pair of opposing members are configured to be biased towards each other in the closed condition, the locking mechanism being configured to interlock with the guidewire at least when the dilator is threaded over the guidewire and the pair of opposing members of the guidewire lock spring toward the guidewire from the open state to the closed condition to engage the guidewire stop therebetween, the locking mechanism and the dilator further being configured to permit removal of the locking mechanism from within the hub of the dilator by moving the guidewire axially in a proximal direction relative to the dilator and the guidewire lock of the locking mechanism is configured to interlock with the guidewire.

2. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the dilator is sized and shaped relative to the locking mechanism so as to inhibit the locking mechanism from passing entirely through the dilator in a distal direction.

3. The access device of claim 2 , wherein the dilator includes a receptacle for receiving the locking mechanism, the receptacle including an abutment surface configured to inhibit the locking mechanism from moving in the distal direction relative to the dilator.

4. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the guidewire stop is a groove disposed in the guidewire.

5. The access device of claim 4 , wherein the groove is annular.

6. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the guidewire stop is a notch disposed in the guidewire.

7. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the guidewire tapers at least along a portion of its length, the portion being located at the guidewire stop.

8. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism interlocks with the guidewire at a location on a proximal side of at least a portion of the dilator.

9. The access device of claim 8 , wherein the guidewire lock is sized and shaped to allow the guidewire to move through the locking mechanism in a proximal direction until the guidewire stop contacts the guidewire lock and the guidewire lock closes around the guidewire stop.

10. The access device of claim 9 , wherein a level of resistance to the guidewire moving through the locking mechanism increases when the guidewire lock contacts the guidewire stop.

11. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the guidewire lock comprises one or more tabs configured to engage with the guidewire stop.

12. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises metal.

13. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises plastic.

14. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism has an annular shape.

15. The access device of claim 1 , wherein a side view of the locking mechanism has a V-shape.

16. The access device of claim 1 , further comprising a sheath, the sheath being disposed about the dilator.

17. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a sheath, wherein the sheath is configured to be positioned on at least a portion of the hub of the dilator prior to the dilator being threaded over the guidewire, and wherein the sheath is further configured to enclose at least a portion of the guidewire stop while the locking mechanism interlocks with the guidewire.

18. The access device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises:

an external wall defining an internal cavity, the internal cavity being configured to receive at least a portion of the guidewire; and

a locking element configured to be at least partially positioned within the internal cavity,

wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be positioned within the hub of the dilator prior to the dilator being threaded over the guidewire, and wherein the locking element is further configured to engage at least a portion of the guidewire stop while the locking mechanism interlocks with the guidewire.

19. An access device for placing a medical article within a body space, the access device comprising:

a guidewire having a guidewire stop;

a dilator configured to be coaxially disposed about the guidewire; and

a locking mechanism being removably engaged with and disposed within the dilator prior to the dilator being coaxially disposed about the guidewire, the locking mechanism being configured to move from an unlocked state to a locked state, the locking mechanism being disengaged from the guidewire when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state so as to allow axial movement by the guidewire through the locking mechanism in a proximal direction and a distal direction relative to the dilator, the locking mechanism comprising a pair of opposed members, the pair of opposed members configured to be biased towards each other in the locked state and configured to spring toward the guidewire from the unlocked state to the locked state to engage the guidewire therebetween when the locking mechanism is in the locked state so as to limit at least axial movement of a portion of the guidewire in the distal direction relative to at least a portion of the dilator, the locking mechanism and the dilator further being configured to permit removal of the locking mechanism from within the dilator by moving the guidewire axially in a proximal direction relative to the dilator and the locking mechanism is in the locked state.

20. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the at least axial movement of the portion of the guidewire in the distal direction is inhibited by contact between the locking mechanism and the dilator.

21. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the guidewire stop is receivable through the dilator.

22. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the dilator is sized and shaped relative to the locking mechanism so as to inhibit the locking mechanism from passing entirely through the dilator in a distal direction.

23. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the guidewire stop is a groove disposed in the guidewire.

24. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism engages with the guidewire at a location on a proximal side of at least a portion of the dilator.

25. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a guidewire lock configured to engage the guidewire stop.

26. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism has an annular shape.

27. The access device of claim 19 , wherein a side view of the locking mechanism has a V-shape.

28. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a sheath, wherein the sheath is configured to be positioned on at least a portion of a hub of the dilator when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state, and wherein the sheath is further configured to enclose at least a portion of the guidewire stop when the locking mechanism is in the locked state.

29. The access device of claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises:

an external wall defining an internal cavity, the internal cavity being configured to receive at least a portion of the guidewire; and

a locking element configured to be at least partially positioned within the internal cavity,

wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be positioned within a hub of the dilator when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked state, and wherein the locking element is further configured to engage at least a portion of the guidewire stop when the locking mechanism is in the locked state.