Fluid Conveyance Safety Devices, Methods, and Systems

Abstract

A vascular access device may include a blood circuit having an arterial blood line and a venous blood line. The venous blood line is connected to a first access needle and the arterial blood line is connected to a second access needle. The venous blood line is connected to an access component affixed to the second access needle and configured such that when the second access needle is used to infuse blood into a patient, the access component is positioned to withdraw blood and convey it into the venous line. The withdrawn blood may also be conveyed to an air detector to detect withdrawal of the second access needle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual-lumen needle, comprising:
 an inner cannula having an inner lumen;   an outer cannula having an inner lumen;   a hub having first and second ports, the hub being configured to support the inner and outer cannulas with the outer cannula in coaxial relation to the inner cannula thereby defining an annular channel between the inner and outer cannulas;   the hub being further configured to define a first fluid channel connecting the first port with the inner cannula inner lumen and second fluid channel connecting the annular channel to the second port;   wherein the inner and outer cannulas are blunt tip needles adapted for use with buttonhole-type vascular accesses and the inner cannula extends through and beyond the outer cannula at a distal end thereof extending away from the hub.   
     
     
         2 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 1 , wherein the hub is a rigid structure such that the inner and outer cannulas are held in fixed relation to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 2 , wherein the inner and outer cannulas are metal and the hub is of resin. 
     
     
         4 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 2 , wherein the hub has a T shape with one of the first and second ports on a crossbar opposite the inner and outer cannulas and the other of the first and second ports on a stem of the hub. 
     
     
         5 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 1 , wherein the inner and outer cannulas are metal and the hub is of resin. 
     
     
         6 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 5 , wherein the hub has a T shape with one of the first and second ports on a crossbar opposite the inner and outer cannulas and the other of the first and second ports on a stem of the hub. 
     
     
         7 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 1 , wherein the hub has a T shape with one of the first and second ports on a crossbar opposite the inner and outer cannulas and the other of the first and second ports on a stem of the crossbar. 
     
     
         8 . The dual-lumen needle of  claim 1  wherein the hub has a Y shape. 
     
     
         9 . A vascular access device, comprising:
 a blood circuit having an arterial blood line and a venous blood line; the venous blood line being connected to a first access needle and the arterial blood line being connected to a second access needle; the venous blood line being connected to an access component affixed to the second access needle and configured such that when the second access needle is used to infuse blood into a patient, the access component is positioned to withdraw blood and convey it into the venous line.   
     
     
         10 . The vascular access device of  claim 9 , wherein second access needle is a dual-lumen needle and the access component is a lumen of the dual-lumen needle. 
     
     
         11 . The vascular access device of  claim 9 , wherein the access component is further configured to convey withdrawn blood to an air detector.