Valve port and method for vascular access

Abstract

Valved ports for accessing blood vessels and other body lumens include a lock mechanism which locks the valve fully open when a needle or other access tube is placed into the port. The lock mechanism includes a latch typically comprising one or more laterally deflectable elements, such as a pair of opposed balls. The deflected elements are pushed outwardly by the needle to engage a recess in the port which locks the valve open until the needle is removed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of priority from application Ser. No. 09 / 431,008, filed Nov. 1, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08 / 942,990, filed Oct. 2, 1997 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,516, issued Dec. 28, 1999), which claimed the benefit of provisional Application No. 60 / 036,124, filed on Jan. 21, 1997, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to the design and use of medical devices, and more particularly to the design and use of an implantable port for establishing temporary access to a patient's vascular system for hemodialysis and other extracorporeal blood treatments. [0004] Access to a patient's vascular system can be established by a variety of temporary and permanently implanted devices. Most simply, temporary access can be provided ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides devices and methods for accessing a body lumen through an implanted access port. The access port can be locked open using a valve assembly that is opened by inserting an access tube and closing when the access tube is removed or rotated. The valve assembly allows for high volume withdrawal and return of blood or other fluids, reducing blood loss and the risk of blood clumping during fluid transfers. The implantable access ports have a high volume withdrawal and can be used for extracorporeal blood therapy. The valve assembly is locked using a latch that shifts position to lock the valve open. The latch typically comprises a pair of balls or other space-filling elements that move outward and depress a plunger to open the valve. The space-filling elements can be displaced into receptacles within the valve assembly, allowing for locking the valve open. The invention provides a reliable and safe method for accessing bodily fluids and blood vessels."

Problems solved by technology

Likewise, it is beneficial to know that the valve is completely closed when the access tube is removed, either by careful disengagement or by accidental pull-out, since such high flow rates will cause a significant amount of fluid to be lost if the valve is unknowingly left open.

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