Importance

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Abstract

The skin and a subjacent body vessel is pierced with a needle mounted on a fluid-fillable chamber at the opposite end of which is a plunger movable into the chamber. In one embodiment, disposed within the needle and chamber is a closed-ended flexible catheter. A flexible stylet is disposed in the catheter. The catheter is drawn through the needle and into the body vessel by pushing into the chamber the plunger which engages the distal portion of the stylet. The closed-ended pliable catheter is drawn into place in the body vessel by the pushing stylet while fluid is simultaneously infused into the body vessel to dilate it and thereby ease the advancement of the catheter with minimal damage to the vessel wall. The chamber and needle are removable from the catheter, leaving it in place in the body for the infusion of fluid. In another embodiment a stiffer, open-ended catheter is used and plunger pushes directly against the catheter to push it into the body vessel.

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First Claim