CLOSED SYSTEM INTRAVENOUS CATHETER

PATENT An improved intravenous catheter is disclosed which, when properly positioned within a vein, provides a closed system catheter. The closed system intravenous catheter comprises a catheter having a tapered portion, a hub portion and a fluid-flow passageway extending therethrough. A fluid-impermeable elastomeric gasket member is disposed within the hub portion of the catheter for sealing the hub portion and the fluid-flow passageway of the catheter. A skin-penetrating stylet of a stylet assembly extends through the elastomeric gasket member and the fluid-flow passageway of the catheter so that a puncture tip on a proximal end of the skin-penetrating stylet extends outwardly from the tapered portion of the catheter. As air-permeable, liquid-impermeable vent assembly is connected to an observation chamber of the stylet assembly so that blood flow into a flashpoint cavity defined by the observation chamber can be observed and controlled. The vent also permits auxiliary equipment to be connected without leakage of blood. A retractable sheath for the skin-penetrating stylet is also provided which covers the skinpenetrating stylet when same is removed from the catheter so as to minimize exposure of health care workers to the potentially contaminated puncture tip of the skin-penetrating stylet.