Wicking methods and structures for use in sampling bodily fluids

• US 20030060730A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Perez, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,264,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14514 using means for aiding extraction of interstitial fluid, e.g. microneedles or suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15105 Purely manual piercing, i.e. the user pierces the skin without the assistance of any driving means or driving devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15128 comprising 2D- or 3D-shaped elements, e.g. cams, curved guide rails or threads comprising tooth-shaped elements A61B5/15132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin

Abstract

A sampling member defines a passageway including an inlet opening for reception of a bodily fluid therein, and a wicking member having a first portion coupled with the sampling member adjacent to the inlet opening. The wicking member further includes a second portion displaced from the first portion for initially contacting the bodily fluid. In use the sampling member is placed adjacent to an incision site with the second portion of the wicking member positioned to have the bodily fluid first contact the wicking member and thereby draw the fluid from the incision site to the inlet opening. In related embodiments there is provided a sampling system and method which further includes a lancing device to create the incision and optionally expression members to urge the bodily fluid from the incision, preferably in an integrated unit.

Claims

1. A sampling device for bodily fluids comprising:

a sampling member defining a passageway including an inlet opening, the passageway configured for reception of the bodily fluid therein, said sampling member being positionable adjacent an incision site;

a wicking member having a first portion coupled with said sampling member at a location adjacent to the inlet opening, said wicking member further including a second portion displaced from the first portion, the second portion being closer to the incision site than the first portion when said sampling member is positioned adjacent to the incision site.

2. A method for collecting a bodily fluid from an incision site comprising:

providing a sampling device including a sampling member defining a passageway including an inlet opening, the passageway configured for reception of the bodily fluid therein, the sampling device further including a wicking member having a first portion coupled with the sampling member at a location adjacent to the inlet opening, the wicking member further including a second portion displaced from the first portion;

positioning the sampling device adjacent to the incision site to have the second portion of the wicking member closer to the incision site than the first portion, whereby fluid at the incision site first contacts the wicking member and is thereby drawn from the incision site to the inlet opening of the sampling member.