US 11,918,755 B2
Catheter patency systems and methods
Steven J. Tallarida, Mansfield, MA (US); John M. Butziger, East Greenwich, RI (US); and Richard P. Rodgers, Hudson, MA (US)
Assigned to VERSAGO VASCULAR ACCESS, INC., West Bridgewater, MA (US)
Filed by VERSAGO VASCULAR ACCESS, INC., West Bridgewater, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/506,899.
Application 17/506,899 is a continuation of application No. 14/974,851, filed on Dec. 18, 2015, granted, now 11,154,687.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/093,750, filed on Dec. 18, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0280750 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61M 5/142 (2006.01); A61M 39/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0017 (2013.01) [A61M 39/0247 (2013.01); A61M 2005/14284 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0018 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0019 (2013.01); A61M 2039/0258 (2013.01); A61M 2039/0261 (2013.01); A61M 2039/0273 (2013.01); A61M 2039/0282 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medical system, said medical system comprising:
an indwelling medical device configured to be implanted into a subject including an implantable catheter coupled to an implantable access port, a needle having a pointed tip and coupled within said access port, said needle containable within said access port and exposable outside said access port;
said needle having a lumen with a diameter, said catheter having a lumen with a diameter, and said access port having a lumen in fluid communication with said lumen of said needle and said lumen of said catheter;
an elongated shaft configured to be received within said lumens of said needle, said access port and said catheter of said indwelling medical device;
at least one cleaner disposed on said elongated shaft, said at least one cleaner configured to dislodge at least a portion of debris formed within said lumens of said needle, said access port and said catheter of said indwelling medical device;
wherein the lumens of the needle, the access port and the catheter collectively form a lumen of the indwelling medical device having opposing ends;
wherein a first opening at one of the ends of the lumen of the indwelling medical device is provided by an end of the needle and a second opening at the other end of the lumen of the indwelling medical device is provided by an end of the catheter;
wherein, when the access port is implanted in the subject and the needle connected to the access port is exposed outside the access port, the needle is arranged such that the pointed tip is disposed outside the access port and the subject; and
wherein the needle originates with the implantable access port and, when said indwelling access port is implanted in said subject, selectively extends out of said subject from said indwelling
access port as to be exposed outside of said subject and retracts into said subject to said indwelling access port.