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.