Intraosseous-needle stabilizer and methods

Abstract

Stabilizers for intraosseous devices, such as, for example, stabilizers that may be coupled to an intraosseous device (e.g., a device including an intraosseous needle) while a portion of the device extends into a patient's bone and/or while the device is coupled to a fluid source (e.g., IV bag, syringe, etc.).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stabilizer for an intraosseous device, the stabilizer comprising:
 a first stabilizer member including a first coupling surface and a first connection portion;   a second stabilizer member including a second coupling surface and a second connection portion;   where the first the first connection portion of the first stabilizer member is releasably engageable with the second connection portion of the second stabilizer member;   where the first and second coupling surfaces cooperate to define an opening for receiving a portion of the intraosseous device when the first connection portion engages the second connection portion, the opening extending from a proximal end of the stabilizer to a distal end of the stabilizer; and   where the stabilizer is operable to keep the intraosseous device in a stable position relative to the patient when the first connection portion of the first stabilizer member engages the second connection portion of the second stabilizer member.   
     
     
         2 . The stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the opening has a longitudinal axis disposed at a non-zero degree angle relative to a plane of a proximal surface of the first stabilizer member and a plane of a proximal surface of the second stabilizer member. 
     
     
         3 . The stabilizer of claim of  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the opening is perpendicular to the plane of the proximal surface of the first stabilizer member and the plane of the proximal surface of the second stabilizer member. 
     
     
         4 . The stabilizer of  claim 2 , where the first stabilizer member comprises a first sidewall and a first tab coupled to the first sidewall, and the second stabilizer member comprises a second sidewall and a second tab coupled to the second sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The stabilizer of  claim 2 , further comprising a first tab extending from the first stabilizer member, and a second tab extending from the second stabilizer member. 
     
     
         6 . The stabilizer of  claim 5 , further comprising an adhesive layer coupled to at least one of the first and second tabs for adhering the stabilizer to the skin of the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The stabilizer of  claim 5 , wherein the first tab comprises a first double-sided adhesive layer having an upper side coupled to a lower surface of the first stabilizer member, and the second tab comprises a second double-sided adhesive layer having an upper side coupled to a lower surface of the second stabilizer member. 
     
     
         8 . The stabilizer of  claim 7 , wherein the first tab further comprises a first single-sided adhesive layer having a lower side coupled to an upper surface of the first stabilizer member and to a portion of the upper side of the first double-sided adhesive layer that is not coupled to the lower surface of the first stabilizer member; and the second tab further comprises a second single-sided adhesive layer having a lower side coupled to an upper surface of the second stabilizer member and to a portion of the upper side of the second double-sided adhesive layer that is not coupled to the lower surface of the second stabilizer member. 
     
     
         9 . The stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein the first tab further comprises a first liner layer coupled to a lower side of the first double-sided adhesive layer, the first liner layer configured to be removable from the lower side of first double-sided adhesive layer such that the lower side of the first double-sided adhesive layer can be adhered to the skin of the patient; and the second tab further comprises a second liner layer coupled to a lower side of the second double-sided adhesive layer, the second liner layer configured to be removable from the lower side of second double-sided adhesive layer such that the lower side of the second double-sided adhesive layer can be adhered to the skin of the patient. 
     
     
         10 . The stabilizer of  claim 9 , wherein the first liner layer includes a first tab portion extending beyond a peripheral edge of the first double-sided adhesive layer, and the second liner layer includes a second tab portion extending beyond a peripheral edge of the second double-sided adhesive layer. 
     
     
         11 . The stabilizer of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second tabs are flexible. 
     
     
         12 . The stabilizer of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second stabilizer members include a respective outer portion for gripping by a user. 
     
     
         13 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the outer portion includes an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         14 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the outer portion includes a square shape. 
     
     
         15 . The stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the outer portion includes an expanded or indented portion. 
     
     
         16 . The stabilizer of  claim 2 , wherein the first connection portion of the first stabilizer member is configured as a male connection portion, and the second connection portion of the second stabilizer member is configured as a female connection portion, such that the female connection portion of the second stabilizer member is configured to receive the male connection portion of the first stabilizer member. 
     
     
         17 . The stabilizer of  claim 16 , wherein the female connection portion comprises a ledge, and the male connection portion of the first stabilizer member is configured to contact the ledge of the second stabilizer member to resist separation of the first and second stabilizer members. 
     
     
         18 . The stabilizer of  claim 17 , wherein the male connection portion of the first stabilizer member is configured to move past the ledge of the second stabilizer member and mechanically resist separation of the first and second stabilizer members. 
     
     
         19 . The stabilizer of  claim 2 , wherein the opening is configured to receive the portion of the intraosseous device in a first position relative to the proximal surface of the first stabilizer member and the proximal surface of the second stabilizer member. 
     
     
         20 . The stabilizer of  claim 19 , wherein the opening is further configured to receive the portion of the intraosseous device in a second position relative to the proximal surface of the first stabilizer member and the proximal surface of the second stabilizer member.