Critikon, Inc

Rhein Medical, Inc.

Other

Anthony Y Van Heugten

Julian E Cannon

Richard G Holdaway

John A Bee

Gordon W Horgen

John W Egolf, Jr

Thomas E Sloane, Jr

Zinovy Altman

Susan L Van Heugten

Christina J Van Heugten

A surgical instrument that creates a circular cut of almost any diameter in the lens capsule of the eye, yet its entire diameter is less than 1 mm when inserted into the eye. A cutting edge is affixed to the distal tip of a super-elastic rod with its distal end formed into a circular loop. The circular loop is first retracted inside of an outer tube member and then the tube is inserted into the eye. The loop is then expelled from the tube allowing the loop to reform inside of the eye. As the loop is retracted back into the tube the cutting edge follows the circular path of the loop, cutting a circular opening (a capsulorrhexis) into the lens capsule

Capsulorrhexis device

A surgical knife blade of the type primarily intended for making incisions in the eye, though suitable for incising virtually any spherical surface, is disclosed. The blade is uniquely characterized by its construction to include cutting edge bevels of different transverse dimension on the anterior surface of the blade with respect to the transverse dimension of corresponding bevels on the posterior surface of the blade, such that the blade of this invention will incise a substantially straight, perpendicular cut into the eye or other spherical surface.

Surgical knife blade

A process and product and apparatus are disclosed wherein a laser is used to form a conical tapered tip on a catheter product. The catheter is placed on an insertion needle prior to the formation process, thus eliminating the problems associated with wearing out forming tooling. The process and product further call for the use of the laser to create a surface effect on the cannula to indicate the terminus of the catheter.

Laser beveling process for catheters

This invention relates to a novel needle for expeditiously determining proper insertion of the needle into a patient. A transparent shaft is positioned behind the tip of the needle. Upon insertion of the needle into the vein of a patient, blood is observed in the transparent shaft of the needle. Preferably, the shaft is formed of polyurethane or polycarbonate the needle can be used with an over-the-needle catheter.

Catheter with clear needle shaft

A catheter is provided which deters the backflow of blood between the insertion needle and the catheter cannula by forming the distal end of the catheter hub so as to restrict the inner diameter of the catheter cannula to a wiping fit with the engaged insertion needle. In a first embodiment the distal end of the catheter hub is pre-formed to its desired final inner dimension. The distal end of the hub is stretched to an oversize condition, the catheter cannula is attached to the hub, and the distal end of the catheter hub is heated, causing a stress relief of the previously stretched hub. The distal end of the catheter hub returns to its pre-formed dimension which will mechanically restrict the diameter of the catheter cannula at that point to form the wiping fit with the engaged needle. In a second embodiment the inner diameter of the distal end of the catheter hub is reduced by inserting the distal end of the hub between the opposing faces of a swaging press, which close to compress the hub in one direction. The degree of closure is controlled by the dimension of at least one of a pair of orthogonally opposing swaging press surfaces, which then close to compress the hub in the orthogonal direction. The distal end of the hub is thus swaged to the desired dimension, and the process advantageously produces a finished product without the production of flash material at the intersection points of the swaging surfaces.

Method of producing catheter assemblies for prevention of blood leakage

A catheter device is disclosed which contains a catheter in an insertion needle. The insertion needle is attached to a needle hub which contains a flash chamber. Within the flash chamber the proximal end of the needle is connected to a clear plastic tube so that flash is initially determined in this tube; overflow flash is then caused to flow into the larger flash chamber from the flash tube.

Flash tube for intravenous catheter

A catheter hub assembly is disclosed wherein the assembly contains a membrane useful in preventing backflow of blood into the flash chamber. The hub assembly contains a membrane opener which operates upon the insertion of a luer locking mechanism into the catheter hub. This membrane opener allows flow of nutritional fluid into the body by causing the opening of the membrane during use of the catheter after removal of the catheter needle.

Growing community of inventors

Tampa, FL, United States of America

Anthony Y Van Heugten