Catheter introducer assembly
The present invention relates to a valve assembly for sealing a through passage of a catheter introducing device, comprising a sealing unit having a movable closing member connected to a biasing means, and a seat member arranged with a sealing surface around the aperture of the through passage, wherein the biasing means is arranged to urge the closing member to sealably abut against the sealing surface, corresponding to a closed position, so as to prevent flow of fluid through the valve. The invention also relates to a catheter introducer assembly comprising a valve assembly.
1. A catheter introducer assembly comprising:
a catheter;
a cannula extendable within said catheter; and
a hub connected to the catheter for conveying blood, dialysis liquid or other liquid to or from a patient, said hub comprising a rear conduit through which there extends a straight passageway, which is coaxial with an distal end portion of the catheter, and a frontal portion, said catheter being connected to the frontal portion, wherein said cannula, is arranged to be removed out of the hub to establish a conveying connection between the catheter and the hub, wherein said hub further comprises a valve assembly being positioned at a rear portion of the hub rearwise of and adjacent to the conveying connection, said valve being arranged to assume an open position and a closed position, wherein in said open position the cannula is arranged to extend through said valve, and wherein in said closed position said sealing unit is arranged to seal said rear portion from the conveying connection so as to prevent passage of fluid from said conveying connection into the rear conduit, wherein the valve assembly comprising:
a valve seat with a through passage, said through passage presenting an aperture on the seat; and
a sealing unit comprising a movable closing member biased by a biasing means to sealingly abut the valve seat from outside the through passage so as to cover the aperture thereby providing a closed position of the valve, wherein a portion of a seat member that is arranged to face the closing member is an oblique surface having an angle (β) in relation to the through passage is between 110-175°, said assembly further comprising a branch conduit connected between said catheter and a distal conduit so that the said hub forms a connection between the catheter and the distal conduit for conveying blood, dialysis liquid or other liquid to or from a patient via the distal conduit, wherein the portion of said seat member which faces the conveying connection has an oblique front end which when the sealing unit is in a closed position aligns with the branch conduit forming a smooth passageway between the inlet chamber and the branch conduit substantially void of any abrupt structural changes to promote an even flow path for passing blood or liquid between the catheter and the distal conduit to reduce a risk of turbulence during transfer of the blood or liquid, and the reduced risk of turbulence reduces a risk of hemolysis when transferring blood.
2. The catheter introducer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve assembly comprises a straight through passage arranged to be coaxial with said straight passageway, wherein the valve assembly in said open position will allow for said cannula to extend through said straight through passage, and wherein the valve assembly in said closed position will prevent passage of blood or dialysis liquid through said straight through passage.
3. The catheter introducer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve assembly comprises a coupling member which in a front portion forms a connection for said seat and which in a rear portion comprises a coupling for a retaining member arranged to retain the rear portion of said cannula.
4. The catheter introducer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of the hub is provided with a pair of wings and said wings are attached onto the hub via a sleeve, which sleeve is arranged to be rotatably mounted onto the hub.
5. The catheter introducer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the exterior of the rear portion of the hub is provided with a roughened surface for providing a grip area when the catheter shall be inserted/retracted into/out of the fistula.