Catheter placement assembly having axial and rotational alignment means

Claim 1

In an intraveneous catheter assembly including (1) a catheter unit comprising: (a) a flexible plastic catheter having a distally tapered distal end, (b) a winged catheter insertion means having a lumen therethrough, the proximal end of said catheter in communication with said lumen of said catheter insertion means via its distal end, (c) a flexible tubing having its distal end in communication with said lumen of said catheter insertion means via its proximal end, (d) a tube hub having a lumen therethrough, the proximal end of said flexible tubing in communication with said lumen of said tube hub via its distal end, and (2) a needle inserted through said catheter, winged catheter insertion means, flexible tubing and tube hub, said needle having a sharpened distal end extending beyond said distal end of said catheter and a proximal end attached to a needle hub; the improvement which comprises: complementary means associated with said lumen of said winged catheter insertion means and said needle mechanically interlocked to provide axial and rotational alignment of said needle relative to said catheter unit at all times, wherein said needle comprises a first portion extending a predetermined distance from said distal end toward said proximal end and spliced to a second portion in juxtaposition to said first portion, which second portion extends to said proximal end of said needle.