Systems And Methods For Venipuncture And Catheter Placement

Abstract

Intravenous access is achieved by introducing a catheter having a guidewire safety tip at its distal end. The safety tip can be advanced and retracted using a slider disposed over an access needle which is initially present in the catheter. After the catheter has been properly positioned, the access needle and guidewire may be removed so that the catheter is available for use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical method, comprising:
 inserting a distal end of a catheter assembly into a vein of a patient through an access point, the catheter assembly including a catheter positioned coaxially over a needle, and a guidewire positioned in a lumen of the needle, the guidewire including a coiled safety tip having a coiled configuration outside of the lumen of the needle and a straightened configuration inside the lumen of the needle;   sliding the coiled safety tip out of a distal end of the needle and into the vein of the patient, the coiled safety tip transitioning from the straightened configuration to the coiled configuration in the vein of the patient;   advancing the guidewire, the needle, and the catheter concurrently from a first position in the vein to a second position in the vein, wherein a second length of the catheter in the vein at the second position is greater than a first length of the catheter in the vein at the first position; and   withdrawing the guidewire and the needle from the catheter.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein sliding the coiled safety tip comprises sliding a slider coupled to the guidewire over the needle. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein a proximal region of the catheter is disposed within a housing, and wherein the slider engages a proximal end of the catheter and a proximal end of the needle to advance the catheter and the needle concurrently with the guidewire relative to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the guidewire is fully advanced relative to the needle prior to advancing the guidewire, the needle and the catheter concurrently. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising locking the slider to a hub of the catheter. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein sliding the coiled safety tip comprises extending the coiled safety tip beyond a distal end of the catheter by a distance in a range from 5 mm to 100 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the catheter assembly further comprises a housing coupled to a hub of the catheter, and wherein the guidewire is attached to a slider on the housing, the sliding step including sliding the slider from a proximal position to a distal position with respect to the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the withdrawing step comprises uncoupling the hub of the catheter from the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the slider comprises a pin within the housing, the pin connected to a distal end of the guidewire, and a pair of engagement members attached to the pin, and wherein the sliding step comprises engaging the pair of engagement members with the housing as the slider moves from the proximal position to the distal position. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a pair of holes aligned with the pair of engagement members, and wherein the sliding step comprises moving the pair of engagement members through the pair of holes as the slider moves from the proximal position to the distal position, further comprising contacting the hub of the catheter with the engagement members to uncouple the hub of the catheter from the housing.