Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A catheter/needle assembly for introducing an injectable medicament into the subarachnoid space of a patient comprising: an epidural needle having a proximal end, a distal end and a bore therethrough; an elongate flexible tube portion sized to fit within the bore of said epidural needle, said tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough; and an elongate needle portion, said needle portion having a distal point and a passageway therethrough, said needle portion being fit within, fixedly attached and fluidity sealed to said bore of said flexible tube, said point projecting distally a distance beyond said distal end of said tube, said passageway of said needle portion fluidity communicative with said bore of said tube portion, and said distal end of said tube forming a shoulder projecting radially outwardly from said needle portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said distance said point projects beyond said tube is within the range of 9 to 13 mm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said tube is sized to fit within an epidural needle sized from 16 to 25 gauge and has an overall length from said tube portion proximal end to said needle portion distal point of about 50 to 100cm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein said distal point of said needle portion has a pencil-point type tip, includes at least one side port opening, is 25 to 30 gauge and about 15 to 25mm long and is fixedly attached to said bore of said flexible tube portion by a method selected from the group consisting of adhesive bonding, crimping, and crimping including at least one external ring adjacent said distal end of said tube portion.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
236 words
A method for introducing an injectable medicament into the subarachnoid space of a patient comprising: providing an epidural needle having a proximal hub, a distal point and a bore therethrough; providing a catheter/needle assembly comprising an elongate flexible tube portion sized to fit within said bore of said epidural needle, said tube portion having a proximal end, a distal end and a hollow bore therethrough, and an elongate needle portion having a distal point and a passageway therethrough, said needle portion being fit within, fixedly attached and fluidity sealing said bore of said flexible tube, said point distally projecting a distance from said distal end of said tube, said passageway fluidity communicative with said bore of said flexible tube, and said distal end of said tube forming a shoulder projecting radially outwardly from said needle portion; introducing said epidural needle into the epidural space of the patient until said distal point of said epidural needle is in close approximation to the dural membrane; advancing said assembly within said bore of said epidural needle until said needle portion of said assembly penetrates the dural membrane and said bore of said assembly is in fluid communication with the subarachnoid space, said shoulder at said distal end of said flexible tube substantially preventing further penetration of said assembly into said dural membrane; and introducing the medicament into the subarachnoid space of the patient through the bore of the assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 further including aspirating cerebrospinal fluid through said assembly prior to said medicament introducing step to confirm that the dural membrane has been penetrated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said distal point of said needle portion is 25 to 30 gauge and about 15 to 25mm. long, has a pencil-point type tip with at least one side port and projects beyond said tube a distance within the range of about 9 to 13mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
A kit for the practice of the method of introducing an injectable medicament into the subarachnoid space of a patient comprising: an epidural needle having a distal tip and a hollow bore therethrough; and a catheter /needle assembly comprising an elongate flexible tube portion sized to fit within said bore of said epidural needle, said tube having a proximal end, a distal end and hollow bore therethrough, and an elongate needle portion having a distal point and a passageway therethrough being fit within, fixedly attached to and fluidity sealing said bore of said flexible tube, said point projecting distally a distance beyond said distal end of said flexible tube, said passageway of said needle portion fluidity communicative with said bore of said tube, and said distal end of said tube forming a shoulder projecting radially outwardly at said needle portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The kit of claim 8 further including a stylet for occluding said distal tip of said epidural needle and a removable guidewire stylet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The kit of claim 8 further including means for fluidly tightly attaching a delivery device for injectable medicaments to said proximal end of said assembly and filter means for the injectable medicament..