INTRAVASCULAR NEEDLE AND CATHETER ASSEMBLY

摘要

An intravascular needle (300) and catheter (410) arrangement that ensures flashback is indicated after the catheter (410) is safely inserted through the needle puncture in the vascular wall and emplaced into the vessel. This placement location, at which flashback first occurs is sufficient to begin threading the catheter (410) without risk of over-insertion or under-insertion. The catheter (410) overlies a needle (300) having a distal tip (310) that defines a point (362). The needle tip (310) includes an enclosed distal-most end and a port (370) located along at least one of the proximal portion of the point (362) and an adjacent cylindrical sidewall (320) of the needle (300). The distal end (420) of the catheter (410) exposes the port (370) for entry of blood from a vessel thereinto only after the distal end (420) of the catheter (410) has entered sufficiently into the interior of the vessel. An opposing second side of the tip (310) defines a curved surface (340) that prevents puncturing of the back vessel wall.