APPARATUS FOR SHIELDING A NEEDLE

摘要

An apparatus is provided for capturing the tip of an epidural needle, which includes a substantially cylindrical body and a curved tip. The apparatus includes a cap having a distal end and a proximal end, a top and a bottom, and two side ends. The side ends provide a gripping surface for a user's fingers. A yoke is disposed on the proximal end of the cap. A rigid sleeve is attached to the yoke and extends in a distal direction from the collar. The sleeve may be formed of two distinct collars separated by a selected distance. A channel is disposed in the sleeve. An arm is attached to the distal portion of the sleeve and extends in the distal direction from the sleeve. A front plate is attached to the arm remote from the sleeve and disposed at the proximal end of the cap. An aperture is disposed in the front plate along the axis of the channel. The aperture is sized to permit passage of the body of the needle and the tip of the needle there through. The sleeve is sized to permit passage of the body of the needle but to prevent passage of the tip of the needle. The length of the sleeve may be increased to improve the performance of the apparatus. Specifically, as the length of the sleeve increases, the requirement for tight tolerances of the sleeve on the body of the needle is reduced. A clip may be included to prevent reemergence of the tip from the cap. Further, a tether may be provided to restrict movement of the cap off the needle tip.