Valved catheters including high flow rate catheters

Claim 2

A pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly for a catheter, the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising: a first end; a second end; a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall defining a dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly, located between the first end and the second end; a flexible, thin disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough.

Claim 3

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the wall further defines connection ports located at the first end and the second end, the connection ports being in fluid communication with the dumbbell shaped channel.

Claim 4

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 2 wherein the first end comprises a barbed ending for attaching to a catheter.

Claim 5

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 2 wherein the second end comprises a luer ending for attaching to one of a dialysis machine and an end cap.

Claim 6

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the slit comprises an H-shape.

Claim 7

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the slit comprises a saw-tooth wave shape.

Claim 8

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising a safety rotatable valve key.

Claim 9

The pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly of claim 7 wherein the safety rotatable valve key is attached to the second end.

Claim 10

A medical device comprising: a catheter comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a housing defining at least one or more lumens extending between the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end being open, the proximal end including a pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising a first end, a second end, a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall defining a dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly, located between the first end and the second end and a flexible, think disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal Thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough.

Claim 11

A medical device comprising: a catheter comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a housing defining at least one or more lumens extending between the distal end and the proximal end, the distal end being open, the proximal end including a pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising a first end, a second end, a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall defining a dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly, located between the first end and the second end and a flexible, think disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal Thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough.

Claim 12

The medical device of claim 9 wherein the wall of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly further defines connection ports located at the first end and the second end, the connection ports being in fluid communication with the dumbbell shaped channel.

Claim 13

The medical device of claim 9 wherein the slit of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprises an H-shape.

Claim 14

The medical device of claim 9 wherein the slit of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprises a saw-tooth wave shape.

Claim 15

The medical device of claim 9 wherein the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly further comprises a safety rotatable valve key.

Claim 16

The medical device of claim 13 wherein the safety rotatable valve key is attached to the second end of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly.

Claim 17

The medical device of claim 9 wherein the housing of the catheter is coated with an anti-infective coating to inhibit bacteria growth.

Claim 18

A valved dialysis catheter comprising: an open-ended multi-lumen catheter including at least one lumen for withdrawing blood form a patient for dialysis and at least one lumen for returning blood from a dialysis machine to the patient, each lumen of the open-ended multi-lumen catheter including a pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising a first end connected to the open-ended multi-lumen catheter, a second end connectable to a dialysis machine, a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall defining a dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way valve assembly, located between the first end and the second end and a flexible, thin disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough.

Claim 19

A valved dialysis catheter comprising: an open-ended multi-lumen catheter including at least one lumen for withdrawing blood form a patient for dialysis and at least one lumen for returning blood from a dialysis machine to the patient, each lumen of the open-ended multi-lumen catheter including a pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprising a first end connected to the open-ended multi-lumen catheter, a second end connectable to a dialysis machine, a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the wall defining a dumbbell shaped channel, wherein the dumbbell shaped channel has a dumbbell shaped cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way valve assembly, located between the first end and the second end and a flexible, thin disk comprising a slit, the flexible, thin disk disposed within the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly such that the slit is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly and resides within the dumbbell shaped channel with a first dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel proximal to the disk and a second dumbbell shaped portion of the dumbbell shaped channel distal thereto, wherein the slit and the dumbbell shaped channel are sized to enable the slit to deform in response to a predetermined pressure differential across the slit to allow fluid to pass therethrough.

Claim 20

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 16 wherein the wall of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly further defines connection ports located at the first end and the second end, the connection ports being in fluid communication with the dumbbell shaped channel.

Claim 21

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 17 wherein the first end of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprises a barbed ending.

Claim 22

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 17 wherein the second end of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprises a luer ending.

Claim 23

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 16 wherein the slit of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprises an H-shape.

Claim 24

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 16 wherein the slit of the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly comprises a saw-tooth wave shape.

Claim 25

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 16 wherein the pressure activated two-way slit valve assembly further comprises a safety rotatable valve key.

Claim 26

The valved dialysis catheter of claim 16 wherein the open-ended multi-lumen catheter further comprises an anti-infective external surface.

Claim 29

The method of claim 24 wherein the predetermined pressure differential is between about 50 cm of water to about 120 cm of water.

Claim 30

The method of claim 24 wherein the predetermined pressure differential is between about 80 cm of water to about 120 cm of water.