Connector for use with a medical catheter assembly and medical catheter
assembly including the connector. In one embodiment, the connector comprises a
rear portion, an intermediate portion, and a front portion. The rear portion is
frusto-conical in shape and tapers rearwardly in cross-sectional diameter from
its front end. A centrally-disposed, smaller-diameter, longitudinal bore is provided
in the rear portion, the bore being appropriately dimensioned to receive a guidewire
therethrough. The intermediate portion is generally cylindrical and is shaped to
include a centrally-disposed, larger-diameter longitudinal bore and a pair of longitudinally-extending
slots providing access to the larger-diameter bore. The front portion is frusto-conical
in shape and tapers forwardly in cross-sectional diameter from its rear end. In
use, a silicone tube is inserted into the larger-diameter bore of the intermediate
portion, and the rear and intermediate portions of the connector are inserted into
a gastrostomy feeding tube. A silicone glue is then used to bond the silicone tube
to the gastrostomy feeding tube. The front end of the connector is inserted into
a dilator and is secured thereto by spin-welding.