MEDICAL DRAINAGE CATHETER WITH BREAK-AWAY TIP AND EXTRALUMINAL RETENTION APPARATUS

Abstract

The invention features is an embodiment of a drainage catheter to be used to drain fluid or gas from any body space with an improved distal tip of variable configuration, to facilitate passage of a guide wire used for catheter exchange. The invention also features an embodiment of a retention mechanism used to stabilize the drainage catheter in the body, where in this embodiment the retention mechanism is located outside of the lumen of the tube as it courses from its distal attachment sites to the catheter hub.

Claims

1. A medical drainage catheter that comprises a hollow tube with a hub end that is external to the body and can be attached to a fluid management system, and a distal tip end that resides within a body space to allow drainage of fluid or gas out of the body, the tube distal tip end of said drainage catheter having an original configuration that can be transformed to a second configuration with a wider or more expansive guide wire passageway.

2. A medical drainage catheter of claim 1, where one embodiment has a distal tip end that achieves a second configuration with a wider or more expansive guide wire passage way upon mechanical pressure caused by advancement of the guide wire through the lumen of the tube drainage catheter.

3. A medical drainage catheter of claim 1, where an embodiment comprises a distal end with a second configuration with a wider guide wire passageway that is achieved by manipulation of elements of the catheter itself.

4. A medical drainage catheter of claim 1, where one embodiment has a distal end that achieves a second configuration with a wider or more expansive guide wire passage way using one or more incisions or slits in the material at the distal tip end to the catheter that permit the tip to break and thereby expand when the guide wire is advanced through the lumen of the drainage catheter if resistance is encountered because of obstruction of the lumen at the distal tip end of the drainage catheter.

5. A medical drainage catheter of claim 1, where one embodiment has a distal end that achieves a second configuration with a wider or more expansive guide wire passage way by one or more perforations of the material at the distal tip end of the catheter, that structurally weaken the tip and permit the material at the tip end to be penetrated by the guide wire when advanced through the catheter if resistance is encountered because of obstruction of the lumen at the distal tip end of the drainage catheter.

6. A medical drainage catheter of claim 1, where one embodiment has a distal end that achieves a second configuration with a wider or more expansive guide wire passage way by fabrication of the tip end with thinner material than the shaft of the drainage catheter, such that the material can be penetrated by advancement of the guide wire when advanced through the lumen of the catheter if resistance is encountered because of obstruction of the lumen at the distal tip end of the drainage catheter.

7. A medical drainage catheter in which one embodiment after placement within the body has a loop or other shape at its distal end that when formed helps retain the catheter within the body space to be drained, said shape being achieved by a retention apparatus that passes from the distal end of the tube drainage catheter to the proximal end, while extending from the body space to be drained to the exterior of the body while not residing within the lumen of the tube drainage catheter.

8. A medical drainage catheter of claim 7, in which an embodiment includes distal loop retention apparatus that run through connection anchor points on the tube drainage catheter but are not attached to those anchor points, such that the suture can be completely removed from the tube at any time, even while the tube is indwelling within the body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and use of the devices and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the present invention is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of the drainage catheter in its initial, pre-insertion configuration.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an illustrative embodiment of the drainage catheter in its final, post-insertion, formed configuration.

[0037] FIG. 3 is one view of the tip of the preferred embodiment of the tip of the catheter in its intact configuration.

[0038] FIG. 4 is an end-on view of the tip of the preferred embodiment of the tip of the catheter in its intact configuration.

[0039] FIG. 5 is one view of the tip of the preferred embodiment of the tip of the catheter showing an example of the tip in its break-away configuration.

[0040] FIG. 6 is an end-on view of the tip of the preferred embodiment of the tip of the catheter in its break-away configuration.

[0041] FIG. 7 is one view of the distal tip of the invention showing one embodiment of the loop retention sutures.

[0042] FIG. 8 is one view of the hub of one embodiment of the invention prior to insertion.

[0043] FIG. 9 is one view of the hub of one embodiment of the invention showing an example of suture anchoring after insertion of the catheter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0044] Referring to the drawing figures, like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements throughout the several figures. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a solvent” includes reference to one or more of such solvents, and reference to “the dispersant” includes reference to one or more of such dispersants.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the drainage catheter, as shown in FIG. 1, the tube drainage catheter comprises a hollow tube with a proximal hub 15, a distal tip 12, one or more side holes at a distal section of the catheter 11, loop-forming suture elements 14, and a loop-forming fastener element on the hub 16. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the drainage catheter in its straight configuration, which is a configuration that would be suitable for insertion into a space within the body. FIG. 2 is an illustrative example of the drainage catheter in its deployed configuration, with an exemplary mechanical reconfiguration 17 of a distal part of the drainage catheter to impede retraction of the drainage catheter out of the space within the body, in this case shown as a loop. FIG. 2 also shows retaining elements 14 that maintain the mechanical deformation of a distal part of the drainage catheter, in this example secured to a fastening element 16, shown here as an eye loop, on the proximal part of the drainage catheter.

[0046] FIG. 3 emphasizes one embodiment of the break-away tip configuration, in this case comprising incisions or slits 13 that are present at intervals at the distal end or catheter tip, arranged longitudinally or in some other manner, that allow the tip to change configuration under some mechanical force so that it comprises a larger tip diameter or so that it more readily permits the passage of a guidewire. FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of these incisions or slits 13, in this one example being longitudinally arrayed around the distal catheter endhole 12.

[0047] FIG. 5 is one embodiment of how the tip configuration might be altered upon mechanical manipulation so that any incisions or slits 13 assume an alternate shape or configuration such that the guide wire pathway or lumenis enlarged through the tip of the tube. FIG. 6 is an end-on view of one embodiment of the tip of the catheter showing an example of the tip in its altered configuration, with widening or separation of catheter tip elements 13 as might occur with mechanical manipulation, to enlarge the lumen at the tip of the catheter.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows one example of how elements 14 that change the configuration of a distal part of the catheter tip so that the catheter tip resists retraction from the body are routed through parts of the distal end of the catheter in a redundant way, with retaining element not traveling outside of the space to be drained within the body within the lumen of the drainage catheter. In this embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the retaining elements 14 for the distal tip retention configuration run alongside of the drainage catheter and outside of its lumen as the tube exits the space in the body to be drained, through soft tissues of the body, and out through the skin.

[0049] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a fastener 16 on the proximal end of the drainage catheter that permits attachment of the distal end retaining elements 14. FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of proximal end retaining elements attached to an example of a fastener 14 at the proximal end of the catheter.