Catheter Assembly

1. A method comprising:

positioning a catheter assembly adjacent a patient, the catheter assembly comprising: an inner needle having a sharp needlepoint at a distal end; a gripping member connected to the inner needle; a catheter fixed to a catheter hub, the catheter possessing a proximal-most end and a distal end, the catheter hub possessing a proximal-most end; a catheter operating member connected to the catheter hub and possessing a distal end and a proximal end; a guide wire possessing a distal end and slidably positioned in the inner needle; and a guide wire operating member connected to the guide wire so that movement of the guide wire operating member results in movement of the guide wire, the guide wire operating member being movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the inner needle and the catheter;

puncturing a blood vessel of the patient with the sharp needle point of the inner needle while gripping the gripping member;

axially moving the guide wire operating member to axially advance the guide wire in a distal direction relative to the inner needle to introduce the guide wire into the blood vessel while maintaining the position of the gripping member, the axially moving of the guide wire operating member to axially advance the guide wire being accomplished by applying a force to the guide wire operating member, the axially moving of the guide wire operating member being performed by contacting a part of the guide wire operating member with a finger while the distal end of the guide wire is positioned proximal of the sharp needlepoint, and then performing the axially moving of the guide wire operating member while the finger is in contact with the part of the guide wire operating member, the part of the guide wire operating member that is contacted by the finger while the distal end of the guide wire is positioned proximal of the sharp needlepoint axially overlapping a portion of the catheter operating member located between the distal end of the catheter operating member and the proximal end of the catheter operating member prior to use of the catheter operating member; and

axially moving the catheter operating member to axially advance the catheter in the distal direction relative to both the inner needle and the guide wire such that the distal end of the catheter is inserted to a target position in the blood vessel, the axially moving of the catheter operating member to axially advance the catheter in the distal direction being accomplished by moving the finger or a different finger into direct contact with an operating portion of the catheter operating member to apply a force to the operating portion of the catheter operating member, the finger or the different finger directly contacting the operating portion of the catheter operating member at a location on the operating portion of the catheter operating member, the location of the operating portion of the catheter operating member that is directly contacted by the finger or the different finger being distal of the proximal-most end of the catheter hub to begin axially moving the catheter operating member in the distal direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising disconnecting the catheter operating member from the catheter hub after the distal end of the catheter is positioned at the target position in the blood.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the gripping member is a U-shaped portion possessing a U-shape in transverse cross-section, and wherein the puncturing of the blood vessel of the patient with the sharp needle point of the inner needle is performed while the catheter hub and the proximal end of the catheter are positioned in the U-shaped portion of the gripping member.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the guide wire operating member is positioned above the catheter operating member, and during the axially moving of the guide wire operating member, the guide wire operating member slides on the catheter operating member.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping member possesses a distal end at which is located a guide groove in which the catheter is arranged, and during the advancing the catheter in the distal direction, the catheter is guided by the guide groove.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising moving the gripping member in a proximal direction while the catheter operating member is held, the gripping member being moved in the proximal direction after the distal end of the catheter is inserted to the target position in the blood vessel.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operating portion of the catheter operating member directly contacted by the finger or the different finger to apply the force to the operating portion of the catheter operating member includes a projection projecting away from a main body section and gripped during the advancing of the catheter operating member, and wherein a distal end of the guide wire operating member and the projection of the catheter operating member are positioned distal of a proximal end of the catheter hub in an assembled state of the catheter assembly before use of the catheter assembly.

8. A method comprising:

positioning a catheter assembly adjacent a patient, the catheter assembly comprising: an inner needle having a sharp needlepoint at a distal end; a gripping member connected to the inner needle; a catheter fixed to a catheter hub, the catheter hub possessing a proximal-most end and the catheter possessing a distal end; a catheter operating member connected to the catheter hub; a guide wire possessing a distal end and slidably positioned in the inner needle; and a guide wire operating member connected to the guide wire so that movement of the guide wire operating member results in movement of the guide wire, the guide wire operating member being movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the inner needle and the catheter;

puncturing a blood vessel of the patient with the sharp needle point of the inner needle while gripping the gripping member;

axially advancing the guide wire operating member to axially advance the guide wire in a distal direction relative to the inner needle to move the guide wire along the blood vessel, the axially advancing of the guide wire operating member to axially advance the guide wire being accomplished by contacting a part of the guide wire operating member with a finger while the distal end of the guide wire is positioned proximal of the sharp needlepoint, and then performing the axially advancing of the guide wire operating member while the finger is in contact with the part of the guide wire operating member, the part of the guide wire operating member that is contacted by the finger while the distal end of the guide wire is positioned proximal of the sharp needlepoint axially overlapping a portion of the catheter operating member; and

axially advancing the catheter operating member to axially advance the catheter in the distal direction relative to both the inner needle and the guide wire such that the distal end of the catheter is positioned at a target position in the blood vessel, the axially advancing of the catheter operating member to axially advance the catheter in the distal direction being accomplished by directly contacting an operating portion of the catheter operating member with the finger or a different finger to apply a force to the operating portion of the catheter operating member, the finger or the different finger directly contacting the operating portion of the catheter operating member at a location on the operating portion of the catheter operating member, the location of the operating portion of the catheter operating member that is directly contacted by the finger or the different finger being distal of the proximal-most end of the catheter hub to begin axially moving the catheter operating member in the distal direction.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising disconnecting the catheter operating member from the catheter hub after the distal end of the catheter is positioned at the target position in the blood.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the gripping member is a U-shaped portion possessing a U-shape in transverse cross-section, and wherein the puncturing of the blood vessel of the patient with the sharp needle point of the inner needle is performed while the catheter hub and the proximal end of the catheter are positioned in the U-shaped portion of the gripping member.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the guide wire operating member is positioned above the catheter operating member, and during the axially moving of the guide wire operating member, the guide wire operating member slides on the catheter operating member.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the gripping member possesses a distal end at which is located a guide groove in which the catheter is arranged, and during the advancing the catheter in the distal direction, the catheter is guided by the guide groove.

13. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising moving the gripping member in a proximal direction while the catheter operating member is held, the gripping member being moved in the proximal direction after the distal end of the catheter is inserted to the target position in the blood vessel.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the operating portion of the catheter operating member directly contacted by the finger or the different finger to apply the force to the operating portion of the catheter operating member includes a projection projecting away from a main body section and gripped during the advancing of the catheter operating member, and wherein a distal end of the guide wire operating member and the projection of the catheter operating member are positioned distal of a proximal end of the catheter hub in an assembled state of the catheter assembly before use of the catheter assembly.