Injector system and fluid control device providing air purging and sharp bolus injection

• US 20040242996A1
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Kwo, Jennie, Callan, Gerald W., Trombley, Frederick W. III, Reilly, David M., Zirps, Christopher T., Beaulieu, Roderick H., Schmidt, Robert M., Griffiths, David M., Hirschman, Alan D., Pedraza, Luis A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,326,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1403 Flushing or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/005 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/22 Valves or arrangement of valves A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• 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: Y10T 137/7727 Excessive flow cut-off

Abstract

An injector system includes a source of injection fluid, a pump device, a fluid path set disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device, and a fluid control device operatively associated with the fluid path set. The fluid control device is adapted to permit purging of air from the fluid path set and to stop flow of the injection fluid to a patient at substantially any pressure or flow rate generated by the pump device for delivering a sharp bolus of the injection fluid to the patient. The fluid control device is preferably part of the fluid path set between the source of injection fluid and the pump device.

Claims

1. An injector system comprising:

a source of injection fluid;

a pump device;

a fluid path set disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device; and

a fluid control device operatively associated with the fluid path set, the fluid control device adapted to stop flow of the injection fluid to a patient at substantially any pressure or flow rate generated by the pump device for delivering a sharp bolus of the injection fluid to the patient.

2. The injector system of claim 1 wherein the fluid control device comprises an automated multi-position valve adapted for fluid communication with the pump device and the source of injection fluid via the fluid path set.

3. The injector system of claim 2 wherein the automated multi-position valve comprises an automated stopcock.

4. The injector system of claim 2, further comprising an air column detector operatively associated with the fluid path set.

5. The injector system of claim 1 wherein the fluid control device is part of the fluid path set and comprises a multi-position valve disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device.

12. The injector system of claim 1 wherein the fluid path set comprises a drip chamber and a fluid level sensing mechanism operatively associated with the drip chamber for sensing the injection fluid level in the drip chamber.

13. The injector system of claim 1, further comprising:

a source of medical fluid; and

a pump operatively associated with the source of medical fluid for supplying the medical fluid to the patient via the fluid path set.

14. The injector system of claim 13 wherein the fluid path set comprises a drip chamber and a fluid level sensing mechanism operatively associated with the drip chamber for sensing the medical fluid level in the drip chamber.

15. The injector system of claim 13, further comprising an air column detector operatively associated with the fluid path set.

16. The injector system of claim 13, further comprising a second fluid control device comprising an automated multi-position valve adapted for fluid communication with the pump and the source of medical fluid via the fluid path set.

17. The injector system of claim 16 wherein the automated multi-position valve comprises an automated stopcock.

18. The injector system of claim 1 wherein the pump device comprises a syringe.

19. The injector system of claim 13 wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

6. The injector system of 1, further comprising a hand held control device for controlling the flow rate of the injection fluid from the pump device.

7. The injector system of claim 6 wherein the hand held control device comprises a piston slideably disposed within a chamber and adapted to engage a switch that controls the flow rate of the injection fluid from the pump device.

8. The injector system of claim 7 wherein the piston and switch are configured such that the further the piston is depressed into the chamber the greater the flow rate of the injection fluid.

9. The injector system of claim 7 wherein a spring is disposed within the chamber and is associated with the piston, such that the further the piston is depressed into the chamber the more tactile resistance a user of the hand held control device experiences when operating the hand held control device.

10. The injector system of claim 6 wherein the hand held control device is adapted to provide at least one of audio and visual feedback to a user of the hand held control device indicating the flow rate of the injection fluid from the pump device.

11. The injector system of claim 6, further comprising a user display adapted to provide at least one of audio and visual feedback to a user of the hand held control device indicating the flow rate of the injection fluid from the pump device.

20. A method of purging air from a fluid delivery system comprising a source of injection fluid, a pump device, and a fluid path set comprising a fluid control device disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device, the method comprising:

actuating the fluid control device to permit fluid communication between the pump device and the source of injection fluid;

actuating the pump device to draw injection fluid from the source of injection fluid into the pump device; and

actuating the pump device in a different mode to purge air from the fluid path set into the source of injection fluid.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

using a hand held control device to control the pump device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the pump device comprises a syringe.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first step or act of actuating the pump device comprises moving a syringe plunger in a proximal direction within the syringe to draw injection fluid into the syringe from the source of injection fluid.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the second step or act of actuating the pump device comprises reversing the direction of the syringe plunger in the syringe to purge air from the fluid path set.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the fluid control device comprises an automated multi-position valve.

26. A method of delivering a sharp bolus injection to a patient with a fluid delivery system comprising a source of injection fluid, a pump device, and a fluid path set comprising a fluid control device disposed between the source of injection fluid and the pump device, the method comprising:

actuating the fluid control device to prevent fluid communication between the pump device and the source of injection fluid and to permit fluid communication between the pump device and the patient;

actuating the pump device to deliver pressurized injection fluid to the patient; and

actuating the fluid control device to stop fluid communication between the pump device and the patient at substantially any pressure or flow rate generated by the pump device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the pump device comprises a syringe or a peristaltic pump.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the fluid control device comprises an automated multi-position valve.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the step or act of actuating the pump device comprises moving a syringe plunger in a distal direction within the syringe to force fluid out of the syringe and into the patient via the fluid path set.