Catheter insertion device

1. A catheter insertion device comprising:

a handle having a body portion, a top arm extending distally from the body portion, and a bottom arm extending distally from the body portion;

a needle cannula having a proximal end located within the handle body portion and a sharp distal tip extending distally from the top and bottom arms;

a catheter assembly removably coupled to the handle and configured to slide on the needle cannula, the catheter assembly having a portion disposed in a space between the top arm and the bottom arm, the catheter assembly comprising an elongated catheter, a catheter hub connected to the elongated catheter, and a catheter advancer base removably connected to the catheter hub, the catheter advancer base slidably disposed between the top arm and the bottom arm, and the catheter advancer base having a grip portion for gripping and advancing the catheter assembly from a first position to a second position;

a guidewire partially disposed within the handle; and

a guidewire actuator connected to the handle and to the guidewire, the guidewire actuator configured to slide along the top arm of the handle for extending or retracting the guidewire relative to the handle.

2. The catheter insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the catheter advancer base includes a pair of laterally extending grip arms configured to aid with gripping the catheter assembly by a user.

3. The catheter insertion device according to claim 2 , wherein the catheter advancer base further comprises a seat portion configured to secure the catheter and the catheter hub to the catheter advancer base.

4. The catheter insertion device according to claim 3 , wherein the seat portion of the catheter advancer base comprises a pair of spaced apart fasteners for securing the catheter advancer base to the catheter hub such that the catheter hub stays connected to and moves with the catheter advancer base when the catheter advancer base is advanced distally during a catheter insertion procedure.

5. The catheter insertion device according to claim 2 , wherein the catheter advancer base further comprises a retaining member configured to secure the catheter hub to the catheter advancer base, such that the catheter hub stays connected to and moves with the catheter advancer base when the catheter advancer base is advanced distally during a catheter insertion procedure.

6. The catheter insertion device according to claim 5 , wherein a proximal end of the guidewire is connected to the guidewire actuator.

7. The catheter insertion device according to claim 6 , wherein the top arm of the handle includes a groove, the guidewire actuator including a portion disposed in the groove to guide the guidewire actuator when the guidewire actuator slides along the top arm of the handle to extend or retract the guidewire relative to the handle.

8. The catheter insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the catheter advancer base is configured to prevent twisting of the catheter assembly during movement of the catheter assembly from the first position to the second position.

9. The catheter insertion device according to claim 8 , wherein the catheter advancer base is configured to slide along the bottom arm of the handle.

10. The catheter insertion device according to claim 9 , wherein the catheter advancer base includes a guide portion configured to receive the bottom arm of the handle for guiding the catheter assembly from the first position to the second position.

11. The catheter insertion device according to claim 1 , further comprising a needle support connected to the handle and movable between a closed position and an open position, the needle support configured to block distal advancement of the catheter assembly when in the closed position, and the needle support further configured to permit distal advancement of the catheter assembly when in the open position.

12. The catheter insertion device according to claim 11 , wherein the needle support is further configured to stabilize lateral movement of the needle cannula when the needle support is in the closed position during an insertion procedure.

13. The catheter insertion device according to claim 11 , wherein the needle support includes a pair of parallel walls pivotally connected to the handle, said needle support configured to support the needle cannula when the needle support is in the closed position.

14. The catheter insertion device according to claim 13 , wherein said needle cannula is disposed between the pair of parallel walls of the needle support when the needle support is in the closed position.

15. The catheter insertion device according to claim 11 , wherein the needle support cannot move from the closed position to the open position before the guidewire actuator is moved to extend the guidewire distally relative to the handle.

16. The catheter insertion device according to claim 11 , wherein the guidewire actuator abuts the needle support when the needle support is in the closed position, wherein the guidewire actuator does not abut the needle support when the needle support is in the open position.

17. The catheter insertion device according to claim 11 , wherein the needle support is pivotally connected to a distal portion of the top arm of the handle and configured to move relative to the handle upon abutment of the catheter advancer base with the needle support.

18. The catheter insertion device according to claim 1 , further comprising a catheter assembly actuator connected to the handle, the catheter assembly actuator being movable relative to the handle to slide the catheter assembly distally relative to the handle.

19. The catheter insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the guidewire further has a variable stiffness.

20. The catheter insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a gripping surface to assist a user with single-handed operation of the catheter insertion device.