EXTERNAL TERMINATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING AN EXTERNAL TERMINATION DEVICE TO A FLOW LINE - Patent application

Abstract

The external termination device includes a housing (4) and a fitting (15) housed within the housing (4), the fitting having at least one distal portion (16) that engages the catheter (3) and two proximal passages (17, 17) that are inserted into a pair of curved tubes (18, 18) at their distal ends (180). The curved tubes (18, 18) have proximal ends (181) into which a pair of nozzles (190, 190) are inserted. Inside each of the nozzles (190) is a cap (20) adapted to hermetically seal the nozzle (190). A puncture connection conduit (24) is configured to reversibly puncture the cap (20) and connect the pair of nozzles (190, 190) to a flow line of a treatment device. Similarly, a method for connecting an external termination device to a flow line of a machine is disclosed.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an external termination device that can be used in, for example, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and chemotherapy. The present invention also describes a method for connecting an external termination device to a flow line of a treatment machine. [Background technology]

[0002] US Patent No. 5,399,633 describes a two-piece split hemodialysis device, comprising a part distal to the flow lines of the hemodialysis machine, connected to a dual lumen catheter implanted in the patient and secured to the patient by suture stitches, and a proximal part having separate extension tubes that can be attached to the dual lumen catheters and terminate in proximal luer connectors for connection to the flow lines. A flow blocking clamp is provided on each of the extension tubes.

[0003] If the proximal part of the device is separated from the distal part, the distal part remains open and therefore becomes susceptible to contamination and infection. If the proximal and distal parts are put together, the patient is forced to wear both the proximal and distal parts even when the device is disconnected from the hemodialysis machine. Similarly, in this case, the luer connector is exposed to the outside and becomes contaminated.

[0004] Patent document 2 describes an external termination device for long-term indwelling catheters, which comprises a container connectable on one side to at least one catheter and on the other side to a closing cap, the container containing a disposable absorbent material impregnated with a germicidal substance. The container contains two taps, which are provided with knobs that can be operated from the outside. The two taps are provided on the one hand with a first terminal for connection to the catheter and on the other hand with a second terminal protruding from the container for connection to an external device. The first terminal is connected to the catheter, which exits from the container through at least one non-rigid support sleeve and is integral with the container. The support sleeve carries externally a cuff intended to be positioned in the subcutaneous tissue of the patient's body. The second terminal is provided with a cup surrounded by a disposable absorbent material and is located within the closing cap. The closing cap attaches the absorbent material to the cap, covers the cap and externally protects it from bacterial attack by means of a germicidal substance also impregnated in the absorbent material. Knobs located on the outside of the container operate taps connected to the catheters, each of which moves a bulb located inside a separate conduit connected to the catheter to open or close blood flow as needed.

[0005] The spheroids are the outer material across which the blood traverses, and which are stressed by friction as they traverse the spheroids and by the flow being impeded by the spheroids.

[0006] To overcome this, US Pat. No. 5,399,663 describes an external termination device for chronic indwelling catheters, in which two sleeve valves and two elastic tubes acting as valve sleeves replace the taps of the device described in US Pat. No. 5,399,663. Although the device according to US Pat. No. 5,399,663 avoids the mechanical action of the taps on the blood, it does not eliminate the stress on the blood caused by the impinging vertical elements, which act on the two elastic tubes and obstruct the blood flow when the patient is disconnected from, for example, a hemodialysis treatment machine.

[0007] An access system for hemodialysis treatment is described in US Pat. No. 5,399,663, the assignee of which, Biolink's founders, contributed to the development of a product known as Dialock. The system described in this patent comprises an interface fluid conduit between the machine and the patient's blood supply. This conduit may be repeatedly connected along a guided path through the epidermis and subcutaneous tissue. While the device described in US Pat. No. 5,399,663 has considerable advantages, it requires the placement of a subcutaneous port and the puncturing of the patient's skin, which is repeated for each hemodialysis treatment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 6,969,381 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2010 / 146614 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2013 / 108280 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Pat. No. 9,295,773 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and difficulties.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an external termination device for one or more chronic indwelling catheters that improves isolation of the catheter from the environment and therefore from pathogens, and isolation of the opening and closing device of the catheter.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to eliminate frictional stress, or "shear stress," induced on the blood.

[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a termination device that does not have a tap or valve and therefore does not require verification of the actual closed position of the tap or valve.

[0013] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an end device that allows for detection of the concentration of an analyte in a patient's blood. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In a first aspect of the present invention, an external termination device is provided as set out in claim 1 and the claims dependent thereon.

[0015] In a second aspect of the present invention, a method for connecting an external termination device to a flow line of a medical device is provided as defined in claim 11.

[0016] Further features and advantages will become most apparent in the present description of an embodiment of the external termination device, given as a non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a device in a closed position according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the external termination device of FIG. 1, including a puncture connection conduit for connection to a flow line of a treatment apparatus for hemodialysis. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of FIG. 2, particularly of the puncture connection conduit; [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a top view of an external termination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 5 is a top view of the external termination device according to the second embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 4 without the removable cover and lid to show the inside of the device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 5 in longitudinal section with parts removed for clarity. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 4 is an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view of the piercing connection device of FIG. 3 along a flow line in an exploded state. [Figure 9] 4 is an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view of the piercing connection device of FIG. 3 in an assembled state along a flow line; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Reference is made to FIG. 1, which is a general perspective view of a device according to a first embodiment of the invention, in a closed position, i.e. not connected to the flow lines of a blood treatment machine. The external termination device, generally indicated with the reference number 1, is connected to a two-lumen catheter 3, hereafter referred to as catheter 3, which is to be implanted in a patient. The catheter 3 passes through a tubular coating 2, which is adapted to fix the termination device on the outside of the patient. The external termination device 1 comprises a housing 4, which has a base 5 and a removable cover 6, which is fixed to the base 5 by means of a screw generally indicated with the reference number 7. Two rings 8 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 1) for sewing the external termination device 1 to the skin of the patient are integrated into the base 5. A cuff 9 is attached to the tubular coating 2 and is intended to be placed in a subcutaneous position. The housing 4 is closed with a closure 10, which is better visible in FIG. 2, which shows an exploded perspective view of the external termination device 1 of FIG. 1, which is provided with a puncture connection conduit to be connected to the flow lines of a treatment machine for hemodialysis.

[0019] The base 5 has side walls 50 to which the removable cover 6 is fixed by means of screws 7 with an intervening gasket 11. In the side walls 50, the base 5 has a distal opening 12 and a pair of proximal openings 13, 13 for the flow lines of a treatment device for hemodialysis.

[0020] The distal opening 12 and the proximal opening 13, 13 are bounded on three sides by grooves designed to form a guide for inserting the septum. In particular, the distal opening 12 is provided for inserting a perforated septum 14, which is provided with a wall 140 and a tubular passage 141 passing through the wall 140. The catheter 3 passes through the tubular passage 141 to engage with the fitting 15 located in the base 5. The distal part 16 of the fitting 15 is a two-lumen catheter passage that generally engages with the catheter 3. The two proximal passages 17, 17 of the fitting 15 fit into the distal ends 180 of the curved tubes 18, 18. The proximal ends 181 of the curved tubes 18, 18 are inserted into nozzles 190, 190 respectively connected to nozzle chambers 191, 191, as shown in Figure 3, which is a partially exploded perspective view, in particular of the piercing connection conduit, on an enlarged scale of Figure 2. The nozzle chambers 191, 191 are received through partitions 19, 19 intended to be held in proximal openings 13, 13 in the wall 50 of the housing 4. The nozzle chambers 191, 191 have a generally cylindrical shape tapering towards the nozzles 190. The caps 20 are inserted inside each of the nozzle chambers 191, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0021] The cap 20 is reversibly pierceable and comprises a generally cylindrical shape tapering distally, similar to the nozzle chamber 191. The reversibly pierceable feature means that the cap 20 can be pierced by a piercing member and return to a fully sealed state after withdrawal of the piercing member. The reversibly pierceable cap 20 can be formed of silicone or other suitable material.

[0022] In this way, when the external termination device 1 is not in use, the silicone cap 20 completely closes the passage of the nozzle 190 and the housing 4 is closed by the lid 10 with the germicidal sponge 21 interposed therebetween. The lid 10 has distal projections 22, 22 whose ends engage corresponding recesses, indicated by reference numeral 23, in the removable cover 6 and similar recesses (not shown) formed externally in the bottom wall of the base 5 of the housing 4.

[0023] Reference is now made to Figures 4 and 5, which are top views of a second embodiment of an external termination device, with Figure 5 showing the device without the removable cover and lid, and to Figures 6 and 7, which respectively show a longitudinal cross-sectional view and a perspective view of the device of Figure 5, with parts removed for clarity.

[0024] According to a second embodiment of the invention, the external termination device comprises a biosensor 60 with a reactive element 62. For this purpose, the catheter 3 is provided with a transparent window 300 facing the reactive element 62 of the biosensor 60, so that the reactive element 62 has in its field of view the blood surrounding the catheter 3. In addition to the two proximal passages 17, the fitting 15 comprises an access conduit 182 to the catheter 3, inside which the biosensor 60 is partially arranged. The biosensor 60 comprises an optical fiber 61, at the end of which the reactive element 62 is arranged. The optical fiber 61 is threaded through the access conduit 182. An optical system 63 is connected to the optical fiber 61. The biosensor 60 detects the analyte found in the blood by optical reaction of the reactive element of the biosensor according to known techniques.

[0025] A defined detection and transmission system 64 is also provided. The detection and transmission system 64 is a microprocessor that manages the signal processing, the mathematical manipulation of the signals and the data storage. The detection and transmission system 64 can be in a physical or wireless connection. The optical system 63 comprises a variable wavelength light source that makes it possible to scan for different substances dissolved in the blood that have different levels of reactivity to the wavelength of light provided. To do what is described, reference is made to WO 2006 / 044973, which describes an optical fiber suitable for detecting the concentration of a test substance, in particular the glucose concentration, in the blood of a patient.

[0026] Reference is now made to Figures 3, 8 and 9, which respectively show an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view along only one flow line of the puncture connection conduit of Figure 3 and an exploded longitudinal cross-sectional view in an assembled state.

[0027] The reference numbers in FIG. 3 are shown for only a portion of this conduit for the sake of clarity; the other portions remain the same.

[0028] When connecting the external termination device 1 to the line of the hemodialysis treatment machine, as will be described later in the method description, the cap 10 and the sterile sponge 21 are removed. A passage for blood is then formed through the cap 20 of the external termination device by means of a puncture connection conduit 24. The puncture connection conduit 24 comprises, starting from the distal side, a pair of rigid tubes 25, 25 respectively provided in clamps 26, 26. Each clamp 26 comprises a central body 27 with a central hole for forming a connection between the rigid tube 25 and a coupling body 28 located on the opposite side of the central body 27 from the rigid tube 25. Above and below the central body 27 are provided gripping arms 29, 29 which have a hook 30 on the distal side for holding the housing 4. The gripping arms 29, 29 are sized to engage in recesses 23 formed in the removable cover 6 and in the base 5 on both sides relative to the central body 27. This provides a proper connection of the puncture connection conduit 24 to the housing 4 and thus to the flow lines of the treatment device.

[0029] On the opposite side, i.e. the proximal path, to the gripping arms 29, 29 is a gripping lever 31 which is suitably externally notched.

[0030] The coupling 28 has inserted therein the distal end 320 of an elastic tube 32 which is coupled at its proximal end 321 to a respective locking element, such as a Luer lock, indicated at 33, for attachment to the flow lines. An occlusion clip 34 is positioned on each of the elastic tubes 32. A piercing member 35 for each of the flow lines completes the piercing connection conduit 24. Each of the piercing members 35 has a needle 36 and an internal hollow head 37 which closes off the locking element 33.

[0031] 8 shows, for simplicity, a single puncture connection conduit 24 in which the clamp 26 is connected to an elastic tube 32 which, after insertion of an occlusion clip 34, is in turn connected to a locking element 33. The puncture member 35 is shown separately.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 9, the puncture connection conduit 24, once fully assembled, is approached by an external termination device, passing through the locking element 33, the elastic tube 32, the coupling body 28, the central body 27 of the clamp 26 and the rigid tube 25, and puncturing the cap 20 located in the nozzle chamber 191 of the piercing septum 19. When the gripping arms 29, 29 engage the nozzle of the piercing septum 19 with the hook 30, the cap 20 is punctured, and the rigid tube 25 passes inside the cap, coaxial with the needle 36. In this way, the piercing members 35, 35 are withdrawn to connect the locking elements 33, 33 to the flow lines of the hemodialysis treatment machine, forming a connection between the flow lines of the treatment machine and the nozzles 190, 190. The occlusion clips 34, 34, which are closed to the elastic tubes 32, 32 before the insertion of the piercing members 35, 35, open and the treatment can begin.

[0033] At the end of the treatment, the occlusion clips 34, 34 are closed and the puncture connection conduit 24 is withdrawn from the external termination device 1. During withdrawal, the rigid tubes 25, 25 exit separately from the caps 20, which seal their outlets. In this way, blood leakage is prevented and the packaging of the external termination device 1 can be closed with the sterile sponge 21 and the lid 10.

[0034] Briefly, a method for connecting an external termination device in accordance with the present invention to a flow line of a medical device comprises the following steps: - removing the cover 10 and the germicidal sponge 21 from the housing 4 of the external termination device; - assembling in series a pair of clamps 26, 26, a pair of elastic tubes 32, 32, a pair of closure clips 34, 34 around each of the elastic tubes 32, 32, a pair of locking elements 33, 33 and a pair of piercing members 35, 35; - coupling a pair of clamps 26, 26 to the housing 4, thus bringing the piercing connection conduit 24 close to the pair of nozzles 190, 190, until it reversibly pierces the inside of the chambers 191, 191 of the nozzles, thus mounting them coaxially; - removing the pair of piercing members 35, 35 from the piercing connection conduit 24 and at the same time closing the pair of closure clips 34, 34 around the pair of elastic tubes 32, 32; - connecting a pair of locking elements 33, 33 to a flow line of a treatment device; Equipped with.

[0035] What should be understood is that the intended purpose is achieved. The external termination device of the present invention has performance and efficiency close to that described in the patent application WO 2005 / 023361, but has the advantage that it does not require piercing the patient's skin for each connection to the treatment equipment. This performance is ensured by the hermetic sealing of the package 4 and by minimizing contact of the patient's blood with the outside world, thereby reducing the risk of infection. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 3 catheter, 4 housing, 5 base, 6 cover, 7 screw, 9 subcutaneous cuff, 10 lid, 11 gasket, 12 distal opening, 13 proximal opening, 14 perforated septum, 15 attachment, 16 distal portion, 17 proximal passage, 18 curved tube, 20 cap, 21 sterilizing sponge, 22 distal protrusion, 23 recess, 24 puncture connection conduit, 25 rigid tube, 26 clamp, 27 central body, 28 coupling body, 29 gripping arm, 30 hook, 32 elastic tube, 33 locking element, 34 occlusion clip, 35 puncture member, 36 needle, 37 head, 50 side wall, 60 biosensor, 61 optical fiber, 62 responsive element, 63 optical system, 64 detection, recording and transmission system, 180 distal end, 181 Proximal end, 182 access conduit, 190 nozzle, 191 nozzle chamber, 300 transparent window, 320 distal end, 321 proximal end

Claims

1. An external termination device adapted to be connected to at least one catheter (3) on one side to which a subcutaneous cuff (9) is attached and to be connected to a cap (10) or to a flow line of a treatment device on the other side, - a housing (4) having a base (5) defined by a number of side walls (50), the base having a distal opening (12) and a pair of proximal openings (13, 13) for said flow line, and a removable cover (6) on said side walls (50); - a fitting (15) housed in said housing (4) and having at least one distal portion (16) for engagement in at least one said catheter (3) and two proximal passages (17, 17); a pair of curved tubes (18, 18) each having a distal end (180) and a proximal end (181) adapted to be inserted into each of the separate proximal passages (17) of the fitting (15); Equipped with The external termination device: a pair of nozzles (190, 190) equipped with nozzle chambers (191, 191) and inserted into the proximal end (181, 181) of the curved tube (18, 18), with a cap (20) inside each of the nozzles, said caps being configured to hermetically close said nozzles (190) and being reversibly pierceable; a puncture connection conduit (24) designed to reversibly puncture the cap (20) and to connect a pair of the nozzles (190, 190) to the flow lines of the treatment device; The external termination device further comprises:

2. The lid (10) has a distal protrusion (22, 22), The external termination device of claim 1, characterized in that the base (5) of the housing (4) and the removable cover (6) have a recess (23) with which the distal protrusion (22, 22) of the lid body (10) can engage when the external termination device is closed with a disinfectant sponge (21) interposed between the nozzle chamber (191, 191) closed by the cap (20) and the lid body (10).

3. said distal opening (12) and said proximal opening (13, 13) being bounded on three sides by grooves suitable for forming guides for the insertion of a bulkhead, a perforated septum (14) is received within the distal opening (12) for passage of at least one of the catheters (3) and for attachment to the fitting (15); 2. The external termination device according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of partitions (19, 19) housing a pair of the nozzle chambers (191, 191) are received separately in the proximal opening (13, 13).

4. The puncture connecting conduit (24) is arranged in parallel lines starting from the distal end of the puncture connecting conduit (24): a pair of clamps (26, 26), each of which has a central body (27) drilled in its center along said line and a rigid tube (25) intended to be connected to a respective one of said nozzles (190) in a pair of partitions (19) housing a pair of said nozzle chambers (191, 191), and a coupling body (28) located on said central body (27) on the opposite side of said rigid tube (25); a pair of elastic tubes (32, 32), each of which has a distal end (320) and a proximal end (321) that are inserted onto said coupling body (28); a pair of locking elements (33, 33), each of which is connected on one side to the proximal end (321) of the elastic tube (32) and on the other side to the flow line of the treatment device; a pair of closure clips (34, 34), each of which is positioned around a respective one of said elastic tubes (32); a pair of piercing members (35, 35), each of which has a needle (36) and a hollow head (37) that closes said locking element (33), said needle (36) passing through said locking element (33), said elastic tube (32) and said clamp (26) and emerging from the distal end of said rigid tube (25); 2. The external termination device of claim 1, comprising:

5. The base (5) and the removable cover (6) of the housing (4) have a recess (23); The external termination device according to claim 4, characterized in that the pair of clamps (26, 26) have gripping arms (29, 29) each provided at the distal side with a hook (30, 30) suitable for engaging in the recess (23) on either side of the central body (27) to properly connect the puncture connection conduit (24) to the housing (4).

6. 2. The external termination device of claim 1, wherein the reversibly puncturable cap (20) is formed from silicone.

7. The fitting (15) has an access conduit (182) for the catheter (3) in addition to the two proximal passages (17, 17), a biosensor (60) partially inserted within said access conduit (182); 2. The external termination device of claim 1, wherein the biosensor (60) comprises a reactive element (62) capable of optically reacting with the blood surrounding the catheter (3).

8. The external termination device of claim 7, characterized in that the biosensor (60) comprises a reactive element (62) fixed to an optical fiber (61) received in the catheter (3) through the access conduit (182), an optical system (63) connected to the optical fiber (61) and having a light source with a variable wavelength, and a detection, recording and transmission system (64).

9. 9. The external termination device of claim 8, wherein the catheter (3) has a transparent window (300) facing the reactive element (62) of the biosensor (60).

10. 2. The external termination device according to claim 1, characterized in that the removable cover (6) is fastened to the side wall (50) by means of screws (7) with a gasket (11) interposed therebetween.

11. 1. A method for connecting an external termination device to a flow line of a medical device, comprising: The external termination device: - a housing (4) having a base (5), a removable cover (6) and a lid (10) with a germicidal sponge (21) interposed therebetween; a pair of nozzles (190, 190) equipped with nozzle chambers (191, 191) and connected at their distal ends to at least one catheter (3) through a fitting (15), inside each of said nozzle chambers (191) there is a reversibly pierceable cap (20) suitable for sealingly closing said nozzles (190); a puncture connection conduit (24) configured to reversibly puncture the cap (20) and connect the pair of nozzles (190, 190) to the flow lines of the treatment device; Equipped with The puncture connecting conduit (24) is arranged in parallel lines starting from the distal end of the puncture connecting conduit (24): a pair of clamps (26, 26) suitable for hooking said puncture connection conduit to said housing (4); a pair of elastic tubes (32, 32); a pair of locking elements (33, 33) connectable to the flow lines of the treatment device; a pair of closure clips (34, 34) positioned around each of said elastic tubes (32); a pair of piercing members (35, 35), each of which has a needle (36) and a hollow head (37) that closes said locking element (33), said needle (36) passing through said locking element (33), said elastic tube (32) and said clamp (26) to emerge from said distal end of the rigid tube (25); Equipped with The method comprises: - removing the lid (10) and the germicidal sponge (21) from the housing (4); - assembling the piercing connection conduit (24) in series by connecting a pair of the clamps (26, 26), a pair of the elastic tubes (32, 32), a pair of the closure clips (34, 34) around each of the elastic tubes (32), a pair of the locking elements (33, 33) and a pair of the piercing members (35, 35); - coaxially approaching the pair of nozzles (190) with the attached piercing connection conduits (24) until the pair of clamps (26) are connected to the housing (4), resulting in reversible piercing of the caps (20) inside the nozzle chambers (191, 191); - removing the pair of piercing members (35) from the piercing connection conduit (24) and at the same time closing the pair of closure clips (34, 34) around the pair of elastic tubes (32, 32); - connecting a pair of said locking elements (33, 33) to said flow lines of said treatment device; 23. A method comprising:

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