| abstract |
A device for placing a catheter in a patient comprises a splittable hollow needle having a bifurcated proximal end and a pair of handles, each having a body portion and an extension, which are attached to a respective bifurcation of the hollow needle. With each handle attached to a respective bifurcation, the body portions of the handles are juxtaposed and the catheter is slidably received within the hollow needle. A squeezing together of the extensions will cause the body portions to separate and spread the bifurcations to split the needle. The splitting of the needle permits disjoining the needle from the catheter. |