SAFETY CATHETER

摘要

A catheter and introducer needle assembly having a needle attached to a need le hub, and a enlarged area disposed thereon, and a tubular catheter wherein the introducer needle being coaxially received within the catheter. The device has a hollow cathet er hub attached to the catheter and in fluid communication therewith. The catheter hub has a n interior having a raised annular rib disposed thereon. The assembly includes a needle tip protector disposed within the catheter hub and including at least one unrestrained radially extending lip disposed distal to the annular rib so as to retain the protector within the hub. The distal end of the protector does not abut against the hub interior. The protector has a proxim al opening at the proximal end having an unrestrained size greater than the size of the needle diameter and smaller than the enlarged area such that when the needle is removed from the catheter the protector remains attached to the needle.