Vascular access device

A vascular access device for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel of a patient comprising: a housing having a proximal end and a distal end; an introducer needle having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the introducer needle being attached to the distal end of said housing, the introducer needle being substantially hollow and having a tip at its distal end; a flexible wire having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end secured within said housing and the distal end extending within the introducer needle; actuating means disposed within said housing for advancing the flexible wire beyond the tip of the introducer needle and into the blood vessel, wherein the actuating means comprises a spring, a disk and a trigger, and wherein the spring is attached to the disk and the disk is attached to the flexible wire, wherein the expansion of the spring is capable of being prevented by the force of the trigger against the disk; and means for receiving a catheter such that said catheter is concentrically fitted over the introducer needle and secured to said housing.

A vascular access device for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel of a patient comprising: a housing having a proximal end and a distal end; an introducer needle connected to the housing; a wire movably secured within the housing; a plunger disposed within the housing connected to the wire; a resilient member disposed within the housing and engaging the plunger; and a pivotable lever which engages the plunger and prevents the resilient member from advancing the plunger axially in a first position and which pivots to a second position to disengage from the plunger to propel the wire past the beveled tip of the introducer needle and into the blood vessel.

A vascular access device for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel comprising: a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a nose connected to the distal end of the housing; a hollow introducer needle having a tip and being attached to the nose; a catheter concentrically fitted over the introducer needle and engaged with the nose; and a guide wire actuating mechanism comprising: a resilient member; a disk attached to the resilient member; a guide wire attached to the disk and extending into the hollow introducer needle; and trigger means for selectively releasing said resilient member such that such guide wire is advanced past the tip of said needle.

A vascular access device for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel comprising: a housing with a proximal end and a distal end, a nose connected to the distal end of the housing, a hollow introducer needle with a beveled tip attached to the nose, a catheter concentrically fitted over the introducer needle and engaged with the nose, and a guide wire actuating mechanism having a plunger having a face disposed within the housing; a resilient member disposed within the plunger; a guide wire attached to the face of the plunger; and a beam attached to the housing, the beam engaging the plunger face thus preventing the resilient member from advancing the plunger distally within the housing and propelling the guide wire past the beveled tip of the introducer needle and into the blood vessel.