Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula for insertion into a patient and delivering a catheter to a desired location within a patient comprising: (a) a body made of splittable material having sufficient strength for insertion through a needle puncture in the skin and through semi-hard tissue of a patient, the body having a proximal end and a distal end, the body defining a channel, the channel extending along the longitudinal length of the body and between the proximal and distal ends of the body, the channel further having a dimension to permit the catheter to be inserted into the channel at the proximal end and through the body and the distal end and delivered to the desired location within the patient; and (b) at least one strengthening strip embedded within the splittable material of the body and extending at least partially along the longitudinal length of the body, the material of the strengthening strip having a shear strength greater than the splittable material of the body, whereby the strengthening strip can be pulled along the longitudinal length of the body and is capable of cutting the body to thereby split the introducer cannula so that the introducer cannula can be removed from the catheter while leaving the catheter in the desired location within the patient.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
A reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula for insertion into a patient and delivering a catheter to a desired location within a patient comprising: (a) a body made of splittable material having sufficient strength for insertion through a needle puncture in the skin and through semi-hard tissue of a patient, the body having a proximal end and a distal end, the body defining a channel, the channel extending along the longitudinal length of the body and between the proximal and distal ends of the body, the channel further having a dimension to permit the catheter to be inserted into the channel at the proximal end and through the body and the distal end and delivered to the desired location within the patient; and (b) at least one strengthening strip embedded within the splittable material of the body and extending at least partially along the longitudinal length of the body, the material of the strengthening strip having a shear strength greater than the splittable material of the body, whereby the strengthening strip can be pulled along the longitudinal length of the body and is capable of cutting the body to thereby split the introducer cannula so that the introducer cannula can be removed from the catheter while leaving the catheter in the desired location within the patient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the body is cylindrical.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the strengthening strip is co-extruded with the splittable material of the body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the strengthening strip further has an end portion that is not embedded in the material of the body of the reinforced splittable introducer cannula, said end portion capable of being gripped and pulled along the longitudinal length of the body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 2 wherein the end portion of the strengthening strip is located at the proximal end of the body of the reinforced splittable introducer cannula.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the body of the reinforced splittable introducer cannula is tapered.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the strengthening strip is cylindrical.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the strengthening strip extends along the entire longitudinal length of the reinforced splittable introducer cannula.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the proximal end of the body further has a wing so that greater force can be exerted at the proximal end to insert the reinforced splittable introducer cannula more deeply into the patient as desired.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The reinforced splittable medical introducer cannula of claim 1 wherein the body has an outside wall having markings so that medical personnel can see how far the reinforced splittable introducer cannula has been inserted into a patient.