Stretch valve balloon catheter and methods for producing and using same

1. A safety catheter, comprising:

a flexible, multi-lumen shaft having an outer diameter, a distal tip, a proximal shaft portion, and a proximal catheter end with a drain end and an inflation end, the multi-lumen shaft defining:

a drain lumen extending through the shaft and shaped to drain fluid adjacent the distal tip therethrough and out the drain end;

a distal hollow balloon portion defining a balloon interior and having at least one inflation port fluidically connected to the balloon interior, the balloon portion inflating outwardly through the at least one inflation port to a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the shaft;

at least one inflation lumen parallel to the drain lumen and fluidically connected to the balloon interior through the at least one inflation port, the at least one inflation lumen shaped to inflate the balloon interior with an inflation fluid; and

a drainage port fluidically connecting at least one of the balloon interior and the at least one inflation lumen to the drain lumen; and

a hollow stretch valve:

coaxially disposed in the drain lumen and shaped to permit fluid to pass therethrough;

positioned in the drain lumen to prevent fluid from passing through the drainage port in a steady state;

having a distal valve end; and

having a sliding portion slidably disposed within the drain lumen at the distal valve end such that, in a stretched state when the proximal catheter end is stretched, the sliding portion slides within the drain lumen to permit the inflation fluid to pass through the drainage port.

2. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the stretch valve has the stretched state at a pull force of between approximately 1 pound and approximately 15 pounds applied to the proximal shaft portion.

3. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the stretch valve has the stretched state at a pull force of between approximately 1 pound and approximately 5 pounds applied to the proximal shaft portion.

4. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the stretch valve has the stretched state at a pull force of between approximately 1.5 pounds and approximately 2 pounds applied to the proximal shaft portion.

5. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein, when the balloon portion is inflated with a fluid and a pull force of greater than approximately 15 pounds is applied to the proximal shaft portion, the stretch valve meets the stretched state and thereby deflates the inflated hollow balloon.

6. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein, when the balloon portion is inflated with a fluid and a pull force of greater than approximately 5 pounds is applied to the proximal shaft portion, the stretch valve meets the stretched state and thereby deflates the inflated hollow balloon.

7. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein, when the balloon portion is inflated with a fluid and a pull force of greater than approximately 2 pounds is applied to the proximal shaft portion, the stretch valve meets the stretched state and thereby deflates the inflated hollow balloon.

8. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the drainage port fluidically connects the balloon interior and the at least one inflation lumen to the drain lumen.

9. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the drainage port is a plurality of drainage ports fluidically connecting at least one of the balloon interior and the at least one inflation lumen to the drain lumen.

10. The safety catheter according to claim 1 , wherein:

the stretch valve has a proximal valve end as a fixed portion fixedly connected within the drain lumen; and

the distal valve end of the stretch valve is the sliding portion slidably disposed within the at least one inflation lumen.

11. A safety catheter, comprising:

a flexible, multi-lumen shaft having an outer diameter, a distal tip, a proximal shaft portion, and a proximal catheter end with a drain end and an inflation end, the multi-lumen shaft defining:

a drain lumen extending through the shaft and operable to drain fluid adjacent the distal tip therethrough and out the drain end;

a distal hollow balloon portion defining a balloon interior and having at least one inflation port fluidically connected to the balloon interior, the balloon portion shaped to be inflated outwardly through the at least one inflation port to a diameter greater than the outer diameter of the shaft;

at least one inflation lumen parallel to the drain lumen and fluidically connected to the balloon interior through the at least one inflation port, the at least one inflation lumen shaped to inflate the balloon interior with an inflation fluid; and

a drainage port fluidically connecting the balloon interior to the drain lumen;

a hollow stretch valve:

coaxially disposed in the drain lumen and shaped to permit fluid to pass therethrough;

positioned in the drain lumen to prevent fluid from passing through the drainage port in a steady state;

having a distal valve end; and

having a sliding portion slidably disposed within the drain lumen at the distal valve end such that, in a stretched state when the proximal catheter end is stretched, the sliding portion slides within the drain lumen to permit the inflation fluid to pass through the drainage port.

12. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein the stretch valve has the stretched state at a pull force of between approximately 1 pound and approximately 15 pounds applied to the proximal shaft portion.

13. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein the stretch valve has the stretched state at a pull force of between approximately 1 pound and approximately 5 pounds applied to the proximal shaft portion.

14. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein the stretch valve has the stretched state at a pull force of between approximately 1.5 pounds and approximately 2 pounds applied to the proximal shaft portion.

15. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein, when the balloon portion is inflated with a fluid and a pull force of greater than approximately 15 pounds is applied to the proximal shaft portion, the stretch valve meets the stretched state and thereby deflates the inflated hollow balloon.

16. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein, when the balloon portion is inflated with a fluid and a pull force of greater than approximately 5 pounds is applied to the proximal shaft portion, the stretch valve meets the stretched state and thereby deflates the inflated hollow balloon.

17. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein, when the balloon portion is inflated with a fluid and a pull force of greater than approximately 2 pounds is applied to the proximal shaft portion, the stretch valve meets the stretched state and thereby deflates the inflated hollow balloon.

18. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein the drainage port fluidically connects the balloon interior and the at least one inflation lumen to the drain lumen.

19. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein:

the drainage port is a plurality of drainage ports each fluidically connecting the balloon interior to the drain lumen; and

the hollow stretch valve:

is positioned in the drain lumen to prevent fluid from passing through the plurality of drainage ports in a steady state; and

has the sliding portion slidably disposed within the drain lumen such that, in a stretched state when the proximal catheter end is stretched, the sliding portion slides within the drain lumen to permit the inflation fluid to pass through the plurality of drainage ports.

20. The safety catheter according to claim 11 , wherein:

the stretch valve has a proximal valve end as a fixed portion fixedly connected within the drain lumen; and

the distal valve end of the stretch valve is the sliding portion slidably disposed within the drain lumen.