Squitieri hemodialysis and vascular access systems

Abstract

A hemodialysis and vascular access system comprises a subcutaneous composite PTFE silastic arteriovenous fistula having an indwelling silastic venous end which is inserted percutaneously into a vein and a PTFE arterial end which is anastomosed to an artery. Access to a blood stream within the system is gained by direct puncture of needle(s) into a needle receiving site having a tubular passage within a metal or plastic frame and a silicone upper surface through which needle(s) are inserted. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, percutaneous access to a blood stream may be gained by placing needles directly into the system (i.e. into the PTFE arterial end). The invention also proposes an additional embodiment having an arterialized indwelling venous catheter where blood flows from an artery through a tube and a port into an arterial reservoir and is returned to a vein via a port and a venous outlet tube distinct and distant from the area where the blood from the artery enters the arterial reservoir. The site where blood is returned to the vein is not directly fixed to the venous wall but is free floating within the vein. This system provides a hemodialysis and venous access graft which has superior longevity and performance, is easier to implant and is much more user friendly.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 219,998 filed on Aug. 15, 2002, which is a reissue of U.S. application Ser. No. 08 / 835,316 filed on Apr. 7, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,884, which claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) to U.S. Application No. 60 / 037,094, filed on Feb. 3, 1997, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Currently, HD (hemodialysis) and vascular access for chemotherapy and plasmapheresis is achieved in one of several ways. Applicant's invention involves a new method and instrumentation for HD and vascular access designed to eliminate the problems of the prior methods and create a new, more durable, easier to use, vascular access system. [0003] One prior art method involves a primary arteriovenous fistula. In this method, a native artery is sewn to a native vein creating a high flow system of blood in a vein which over ti...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The problem with this method is that few patients are candidates secondary to anatomy and in others the veins or shunt fail to enlarge and mature properly even if the primary fistula remains patent.

Further, the access end of the catheter protrudes through the skin making it cosmetically unappealing, cumbersome to live with, as well as more likely to become infected.

These catheters are prone to kinking, clotting, infection, and poor flow rates.

The ports are prone to clotting and must be continually flushed since they are a stagnant system.

The veins are spared repeated blood draws which results in vein thrombosis to such a degree that some patients “have no veins left” making routine blood draws impossible.

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