Thermally softening stylet
US5762630A · kind A · utility
140Cited by
17References
17Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 9, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M2025/0064
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention describes a stylet that softens dramatically upon insertion into a living body with a temperature of about 37.degree. C. The stylet has a distal end and a proximal end. Upon insertion of the distal end into a living body, the distal end softens from a stiffness of about 78 Durometer Shore D units to 25 Durometer Shore D units in a preferred embodiment. Moreover, the proximal end of the stylet, which is not inserted into the living body, retains its stiffness to aid a physician or a nurse in inserting and placing the catheter and stylet assembly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.