Method and apparatus for sequential delivery of multiple injectable substances stored in a prefilled syringe

• US 20040097875A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyongtae T. Bae
• Original Assignee: Kyongtae T. Bae
• Inventors: Bae, Kyongtae T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,866,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1787 Syringes for sequential delivery of fluids, e.g. first medicament and then flushing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3132 having flow passages for injection agents at the distal end of the barrel to bypass a sealing stopper after its displacement to this end due to internal pressure increase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2466 by piercing without internal pressure increase A61M5/2429 takes precedence

Abstract

A syringe, which may be pre-filled, and a method of using the syringe is disclosed to provide sequential injection of two different fluids without mixing thereof. The syringe comprises in a first version a plunger and an intermediate disc sealingly disposed within a generally cylindrical barrel, with an outlet portion distal of the barrel, the outlet portion being generally larger in diameter so that as the disc is advanced into it far enough to substantially inject the first fluid the disc loses sealing engagement and the second fluid is then expelled around the disc and through the syringe opening. Baffles are provided within the outlet portion to prevent the disc from inadvertently sealing the opening, and channels may be provided around the baffles. In a second version a bag is provided adjacent the plunger, with the first fluid being contained within the barrel and the second fluid being contained within the bag, and at least one barb is provided in the bottom of the syringe to burst the bag after the first fluid is expelled to thereby expel the second fluid.

Claims

1. A pre-filled, sequential injection syringe comprising a generally cylindrical barrel portion, a plunger and an intermediate disc being disposed in a spaced apart relationship within said barrel portion, each of said plunger and disc being sized to be in sealing engagement with said barrel portion, an outlet portion disposed generally at a distal end of said syringe, said outlet portion having an outlet opening through which fluids contained within said syringe are expelled, a first fluid contained within said syringe and between the outlet portion and the disc, and a second fluid contained within said syringe and between the disc and the plunger, said outlet portion having a discontinuity so that as said intermediate disc is advanced thereinto it loses sealing engagement with said syringe to thereby allow the second fluid to flow through the outlet opening after the first fluid has been substantially expelled therethrough.

2. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 1 further comprising at least one baffle located within said outlet portion, said at least one baffle separating the disc from the opening so that as said disc loses sealing engagement with the syringe it does not block the outlet opening.

3. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 2 wherein said discontinuity comprises a generally cylindrical portion having a larger diameter than said barrel portion.

4. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 3 wherein said discontinuity has a central axis offset from a central axis of said barrel portion.

5. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 3 wherein said discontinuity has a central axis generally co-axial with a central axis of said barrel portion.

6. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 2 wherein said at least one baffle is formed at a bottom of the syringe.

7. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 2 wherein said at least one baffle is formed in a sidewall of said outlet portion.

8. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 2 further comprising at least one channel formed between the at least one baffle and the syringe through which the second fluid flows to reach the outlet opening.

9. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 8 wherein said at least one baffle further comprise a seat for receiving the disc as it is advanced into the outlet portion.

10. The pre-filled, sequential injection syringe of claim 1 wherein said discontinuity comprises a generally cylindrical portion having a larger diameter than said barrel portion.

11. A sequential injection syringe comprising a generally cylindrical barrel portion, a plunger and an intermediate disc being disposed in a spaced apart relationship within said barrel portion, each of said plunger and disc being sized to be in sealing engagement with said barrel portion, an outlet portion disposed generally at a distal end of said syringe, said outlet portion having an outlet opening through which fluids contained within said syringe are expelled, a first chamber for containing a first fluid within said syringe formed between the outlet portion and the disc, and a second chamber for containing a second fluid within said syringe formed between the disc and the plunger, said outlet portion having a discontinuity so that as said intermediate disc is advanced thereinto it loses sealing engagement with said syringe to thereby allow the second fluid to flow through the outlet opening after the first fluid has been substantially expelled therethrough.

12. The sequential injection syringe of claim 111 further comprising at least one baffle located within said outlet portion, said at least one baffle separating the disc from the opening so that as said disc loses sealing engagement with the syringe it does not block the outlet opening.

13. The sequential injection syringe of claim 12 wherein said discontinuity comprises a generally cylindrical portion having a larger diameter than said barrel portion.

14. The sequential injection syringe of claim 13 wherein said discontinuity has a central axis offset from a central axis of said barrel portion.

15. The sequential injection syringe of claim 13 wherein said discontinuity has a central axis generally co-axial with a central axis of said barrel portion.

16. The sequential injection syringe of claim 12 wherein said at least one baffle is formed at a bottom of the syringe.

17. The sequential injection syringe of claim 12 wherein said at least one baffle is formed in a sidewall of said outlet portion.

18. The sequential injection syringe of claim 12 further comprising at least one channel formed between the at least one baffle and the syringe through which the second fluid flows to reach the outlet opening.

19. The sequential injection syringe of claim 18 wherein said at least one baffle further comprise a seat for receiving the disc as it is advanced into the outlet portion.

20. The sequential injection syringe of claim 19 wherein said discontinuity comprises a generally cylindrical portion having a larger diameter than said barrel portion.

21. A pre-filled, sequential injection syringe comprising a generally cylindrical barrel portion for containing a first fluid, a plunger, a bag for containing a second fluid, said bag being positioned adjacent the plunger, the barrel portion having an outlet opening, and at least one barb located near the outlet opening so that as the plunger advances the bag to substantially expel the first fluid the at least one barb breaches the bag and the second fluid is then expelled out the opening.

22. The pre-filled sequential injection syringe of claim 21 wherein the bag has substantially the same diameter as the barrel to thereby fill its cross-section as the plunger is advanced.

23. A method for sequentially expelling at least two fluids from a single syringe without mixing of the fluids comprising the steps of:

providing the syringe with a first fluid between a syringe opening and an intermediate disc and a second fluid between the intermediate disc and a plunger, each of the disc and plunger being in sealing engagement with the syringe,

advancing the plunger and disc within the syringe to expel the first fluid,

disengaging the disc from its sealing engagement with the syringe to thereby put the second fluid in communication with the syringe opening, and

continuing to advance the plunger to thereby expel the second fluid from the syringe.

24. A method for sequentially expelling at least two fluids from a single syringe without mixing of the fluids comprising the steps of:

providing the syringe with a first fluid between a syringe opening and a bag and a second fluid within the bag, the bag being adjacent a plunger

advancing the plunger within the syringe to expel the first fluid through the syringe opening,

continuing to advance the plunger to bring the bag into contact with at least one barb to thereby breach the bag and thereby put the second fluid in communication with the syringe opening, and

continuing to advance the plunger to thereby expel the second fluid from the syringe.

25. A syringe comprising a barrel and an outlet portion, with a plunger and an intermediate disc being disposed for sealing engagement within the barrel, said outlet portion having means to disrupt the sealing engagement of the disc as the disc is advanced into the outlet portion.