Catheter guide apparatus for perpendicular insertion into a cranium orifice

Claim 2

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: open tubular means; support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein, and a rigid catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said support means, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter and adapted to contact and extend at least partially into said cranium orifice.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a plurality of legs.

Claim 4

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means comprising (i) open tubular means; (ii) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (iii) a rigid catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said support means, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, and (b) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and thereafter into a ventricle of said brain, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter and adapted to contact and extend at least partially into said cranium orifice.

Claim 5

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means comprising (i) open tubular means; (ii) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (iii) a rigid catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said support means, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, and (b) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and thereafter into a ventricle of said brain, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter and adapted to contact and extend at least partially into said cranium orifice.

Claim 6

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) open tubular means; (b) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (c) a rigid catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means, said catheter guide member comprising an elongated tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said tubular portion having a relatively larger diameter than said catheter and a relatively smaller diameter than said open tubular means, said catheter guide member further comprising, at said first end, a top portion formed integrally therewith which is wider than said second end and is configured and adapted to position said guide member within said open tubular means, said catheter guide member adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said support means, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter and adapted to contact and extend at least partially into said cranium orifice.

Claim 7

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) open tubular means; (b) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (c) a rigid catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means, said catheter guide member comprising an elongated tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said tubular portion having a relatively larger diameter than said catheter and a relatively smaller diameter than said open tubular means, said catheter guide member further comprising, at said first end, a top portion formed integrally therewith which is wider than said second end and is configured and adapted to position said guide member within said open tubular means, said catheter guide member adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said support means, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter and adapted to contact and extend at least partially into said cranium orifice.

Claim 8

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means comprising (i) open tubular means adapted to receive and guide catheter means therethrough, and (ii) a plurality of leg members configured and adapted to support said tubular means, said legs being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to said orifice, (b) a catheter guide member adapted for insertion through said open tubular means and adapted to extend at least partially into said cranium orifice, said catheter guide member comprising an elongated tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said tubular portion having a relatively larger diameter than that of said catheter and a relatively smaller diameter than that of said open tubular means, said guide member further comprising, at said first end, a relatively wider top portion formed integrally therewith and configured and adapted to position said guide member within said open tubular means, said guide member in addition adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said leg members directly over said orifice; said legs, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, and (c) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and thereafter into a ventricle of said brain, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter means while the free end of said catheter is inserted into said human brain.

Claim 9

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means comprising (i) open tubular means adapted to receive and guide catheter means therethrough, and (ii) a plurality of leg members configured and adapted to support said tubular means, said legs being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to said orifice, (b) a catheter guide member adapted for insertion through said open tubular means and adapted to extend at least partially into said cranium orifice, said catheter guide member comprising an elongated tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said tubular portion having a relatively larger diameter than that of said catheter and a relatively smaller diameter than that of said open tubular means, said guide member further comprising, at said first end, a relatively wider top portion formed integrally therewith and configured and adapted to position said guide member within said open tubular means, said guide member in addition adapted and configured for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said leg members directly over said orifice; said legs, said open tubular means and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, and (c) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and thereafter into a ventricle of said brain, said catheter guide member adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter means while the free end of said catheter is inserted into said human brain.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said open tubular means ranges between about 2-10 cm in length.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of legs terminates in a free end, said free ends forming a polygon defining a plane.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the distance between the free ends of each pair of said plurality of legs ranges between about 1-6 cm.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said plurality of legs comprises three support legs of equal length wherein an equilateral triangle is formed by said free ends of said legs.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said legs are connected to said open tubular means through a connecting platform.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said guide means is made of a rigid, non-deformable material.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said rigid, non-deformable material is a rigid engineering plastic or stainless steel.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said catheter guide member is made of a rigid, non-deformable material.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said rigid, non-deformable material is a rigid engineering plastic or stainless steel.

Claim 19

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means constructed of a rigid, non-deformable material, said guide means comprising (i) an open tubular member having a first end and a second end, said member ranging between about 2-10 cm in length and adapted to receive and guide a catheter therethrough, (ii) three leg members of equal length, each said leg member terminating in a free end, each pair of said free ends spaced apart an equal distance, said distance ranging between about 1-6 cm, and forming an equilateral triangle on said cranium, and (iii) a platform for connecting said leg members to said open tubular member, (b) a catheter guide member adapted for insertion through said open tubular member and adapted to extend at least partially into said cranium orifice, said guide member comprising an elongated tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said tubular portion having a relatively larger diameter than that of said catheter and a relatively smaller diameter than that of said open tubular member, said guide member further comprising, at said first end, a relatively wider top portion formed integrally therewith a configured and adapted to position said guide member within said open tubular member and said leg members directly over said orifice; said legs, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an equilateral triangle defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, said catheter guide member further adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter means while the free end of said catheter is inserted into said human brain, and (c) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and into a ventricle of said brain.

Claim 20

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means constructed of a rigid, non-deformable material, said guide means comprising (i) an open tubular member having a first end and a second end, said member ranging between about 2-10 cm in length and adapted to receive and guide a catheter therethrough, (ii) three leg members of equal length, each said leg member terminating in a free end, each pair of said free ends spaced apart an equal distance, said distance ranging between about 1-6 cm, and forming an equilateral triangle on said cranium, and (iii) a platform for connecting said leg members to said open tubular member, (b) a catheter guide member adapted for insertion through said open tubular member and adapted to extend at least partially into said cranium orifice, said guide member comprising an elongated tubular portion having a first end and a second end, said tubular portion having a relatively larger diameter than that of said catheter and a relatively smaller diameter than that of said open tubular member, said guide member further comprising, at said first end, a relatively wider top portion formed integrally therewith a configured and adapted to position said guide member within said open tubular member and said leg members directly over said orifice; said legs, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice and in a direction perpendicular to an equilateral triangle defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, said catheter guide member further adapted to be in guiding engagement with said catheter means while the free end of said catheter is inserted into said human brain, and (c) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and into a ventricle of said brain.

Claim 21

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: open tubular means; support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and a catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member including means for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said positioning and aligning means including a forward end thereof adapted to extend partially into said cranium orifice but not into said ventricle, said support means, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice.

Claim 22

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: open tubular means; support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and a catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member including means for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said positioning and aligning means including a forward end thereof adapted to extend partially into said cranium orifice but not into said ventricle, said support means, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said support means comprises a plurality of legs and said catheter guide member is made of a rigid material.

Claim 24

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) open tubular means; (b) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (c) a catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member including means for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said positioning and aligning means including a forward end thereof adapted to extend partially into said cranium orifice but not into said ventricle, said catheter guide member further including a rearward end which is of larger diameter than said forward end so that said rearward end rests upon said open tubular means, said support means, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice.

Claim 25

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) open tubular means; (b) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (c) a catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member including means for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said positioning and aligning means including a forward end thereof adapted to extend partially into said cranium orifice but not into said ventricle, said catheter guide member further including a rearward end which is of larger diameter than said forward end so that said rearward end rests upon said open tubular means, said support means, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice.

Claim 26

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means comprising (i) open tubular means; (ii) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (iii) a catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member including means for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said positioning and aligning means including a forward end thereof adapted to extend partially into said cranium orifice but not into said ventricle, said support means, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, and (b) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and thereafter into a ventricle of said brain.

Claim 27

A hand-held apparatus for accurately and reproducibly inserting a catheter through an orifice in a human cranium and guiding said catheter into a ventricle of a human brain, said apparatus comprising: (a) guide means comprising (i) open tubular means; (ii) support means for said open tubular means, said support means being adapted to rest unsecured on said human cranium in surrounding spaced relation to an orifice therein; and (iii) a catheter guide member inserted within said open tubular means and having a diameter larger than that of said catheter and smaller than that of said open tubular means, said catheter guide member including means for positioning and aligning said open tubular means and said support means directly over said cranium orifice; said positioning and aligning means including a forward end thereof adapted to extend partially into said cranium orifice but not into said ventricle, said support means, said open tubular member and said catheter guide member being related to each other and to said cranium so as to guide said catheter through said orifice in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary plane defined by a tangent to the cranium at said orifice, and (b) catheter means insertable through said catheter guide member and said orifice and thereafter into a ventricle of said brain.