Catheter flushing systems

Abstract

A catheter is flushed intermittently at a flushing flow rate higher than a seeping flow rate with the aid of a valve connected to a supply of flushing liquid. The valve has an operator of an elastic material providing an integral elastic sleeve about a valve stem, for biasing the operator to a rest position before and after manual actuation to a depressed position for a temporary opening of the valve. The operator is protected against accidental depression at all points thereof by a shield completely surrounding and surpassing the operator, so that a human finger has to penetrate into the shield for engagement of the operator prior to depression from its rest position against the bias of the elastic sleeve for an opening of the valve. The seeping flow rate is realized with a capillary passage which may extend along either a valve body or a valve seat in the valve and which is laterally bounded either by the valve seat or the valve body when the valve body is seated in the valve seat. The capillary passage is intermittently opened between continual flushings at the seeping flow rate and is then flushed at the higher flushing flow rate simultaneously with the catheter.