COVIDIEN ACUTE & CHRONIC CATHETER REPAIR KIT

Hemodialysis catheters are a conduit for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) treatment. In the case of long-term dialysis, patients receive chronic dialysis catheters placed under the skin. Dialysis treatments occur at least three times a week, with repetitive attachments of syringes, bloodlines, and caps to the Luer fittings. This ongoing stress to the Luer fittings can result in damage such as cracking or breaking, leading to the need for replacement. Replacement involves completely removing the catheter surgically and replacing it. Since the procedure requires surgery, it increases cost, time, and patient harm. Synectic was approached by Covidien to develop a catheter repair kit for replacing cracked or broken female Luer lock connections on the patient’s existing catheters. The biggest challenge involved designing a universal product for all acute and chronic catheters that was easy to use by clinicians and did not require surgery.

Synectic started by assessing the existing catheter design to determine if a repair could occur using the existing equipment. Since the repair requires cutting the old catheter tubing and applying a new clamp, sufficient tubing is needed. Once we determined that the available tubing was insufficient, we developed a new catheter and connector. Our medical device engineers designed the connector so that there was only one way to assemble it. This simplistic design made it foolproof and clinician-friendly, allowing for proper use with minimal training. We designed the connector to have two components, minimizing the chances of dropping or losing a piece during installation. To fully round out the kit, we developed accessories that aided the clinician in repairing the catheter. Finally, packaging was designed and developed for sterility, ease of use, and optimal shipping and storage.