Suturing saddle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION An adapter is shown for use in combination with a catheter in an over-the-needle insertion procedure.
The adapter includes laterally wings extending from an elongated hollow tubular body having distal and proximal end openings aligned along a common axis of the hollow tapered tubular body.
The catheter is in fluid communication with and extends from the distal end opening of the hollow adapter body.
The other end of the hollow tubular adapter body forms a fastener such as a luer lock connection.
This facilitates the attachment of the adapter to the tubing fitting from an administration set for the introduction of for example, blood or saline.
Along the patient contacting surface of the adapter body is a flat, generally planar, support surface that extends outwardly in a lateral fashion to form thin flexible wings.
The planar surface is angled relative to the axis of the adapter body in order to tip the distal end of the body toward the patient, thus positioning the catheter for location in the blood vessel.
As a result of this angularity, the catheter extends from the body without kinking between its connection to the adapter tip and the entrance to the skin.
The catheter axis lies generally along a line which is nearly parallel to the central axis of the blood vessel once the catheter is placed within the lumen.
This is a consequence of the position of the planar surface of the adapter against the flesh.
Transverse to the axis of the adapter body opposite the planar surface is a saddle formed from a pair of upstanding ribs, a suture drawn between these ribs may be extended across the proximal portion of the wings at their juncture with the sides of the adapter body.
The suture can also be sewn through the wings and into the flesh or skin of the patient.
Either approach will assure that the adapter body and supported catheter will not move axially relative to the insertion site in the blood vessel.
The angular placement of the winged/planar surface is such that the radial extent of the luer lock fitting at the proximal end of the tubular adapter body and the radial extent of the catheter connection at the other end of the tubular body are generally in the plane of the wings whereby any concern about rocking of the catheter support adapter body either longitudinally or laterally is overcome by this particular geometric construction