CATHETER EMPLACEMENT APPARATUS

摘要

Apparatus for inserting a catheter into a selected vein and to a selected position within such vein comprises a tubular sheath (20) mountable in surrounding relation to a percutaneous needle (30) to permit the distal end of the tubular sheath to enter the vein penetrated by the needle (30). The tubular sheath (10) is rigidly bonded in the bore (20a) of a hub portion (20) of an operating element and has a pair of diametrically opposed, longitudinal score lines (10a). The hub element (20) is longitudinally divided by longitudinal slots (21) aligned with the sheath score lines (10a) except for two thin walled integral connecting sections (20c) having score lines (20d) aligned with the sheath score lines (10a). A pair of diametrically opposed, manually graspable wing portions (22) are integrally formed on the hub element (20) intermediate the hub score lines (20d) to permit the longitudinal severance of the hub element (20) and sheath (10) to remove same from a catheter (40) transversing the bores of the hub element (20) and sheath (10) to enter the selected vein after the needle (30) is removed.