Implantable Infusion Device With Multiple Controllable Fluid Outlets

• US 20060270983A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research
• Inventors: Lord, Peter C., Gibson, Scott R., Das, Stephen D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,002,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• 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

Abstract

An implantable infusion system includes at least two controllable fluid transfer devices that may be used to transfer different fluid flows to the same or different body sites.

Claims

1. An infusion device configured for implantation in a patient'"'"'s body, the infusion device comprising:

a housing;

a reservoir mounted in the housing and configured to contain at least one fluid medication;

a first fluid transfer device mounted in the housing actuatable to transfer a first fluid flow from a first fluid inlet coupled to the reservoir to a first fluid outlet;

a second fluid transfer device mounted in the housing actuatable to transfer a second fluid flow from a second fluid inlet coupled to the reservoir to a second fluid outlet;

a common actuator associated with the first and second fluid transfer devices such that the common actuator actuates the first fluid transfer device when in a first actuation mode, actuates the second fluid transfer device when in a second actuation mode, and does not actuate the first and second fluid transfer devices when in a neutral mode; and

a controller mounted in the housing that controls the common actuator.

2. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the first fluid transfer device comprises a first pump mechanism.

3. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the first fluid transfer device comprises a valve mechanism.

4. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein

the first fluid transfer device includes a first fluid chamber and a first pump element mounted for movement between an intake position and a discharge position;

and

the common actuator is configured to move the first pump element to the discharge position when in the first actuation mode.

5. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein

the first fluid transfer device comprises a first fluid chamber and a first piston mounted for reciprocal linear movement between an intake position and a discharge position;

and

the second fluid transfer device comprises a second fluid chamber and a second piston mounted for reciprocal linear movement between an intake position and a discharge position.

6. The infusion device of claim 5 wherein the common actuator is configured to move the first piston to its discharge position when in the first actuation mode and is configured to move the second piston to its discharge position when in the second actuation mode.

7. The infusion device of claim 5 wherein the common actuator includes a linearly movable member that is configured to move in a first direction during the first actuation mode to move the first piston to its discharge position and is configured to move in a second direction during the second action mode to move the second piston to its discharge position.

8. The infusion device of claim 5 wherein the common actuator comprises an electrically powered actuator with an armature that is driven in a first direction during the first actuation mode to move the first piston to its discharge position and is driven in a second direction during the second actuation mode to move the second piston to its discharge position.

9. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the housing defines at least one fill port coupled to the reservoir.

10. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the controller includes electronic circuitry for specifying a first fluid flow delivery schedule and for controlling the common actuator in accordance with the schedule.

11. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to operates the common actuator to actuate the first fluid transfer device at a constant rate and actuate the second fluid transfer device a variable rate.

12. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the controller includes electronic circuitry for specifying first and second fluid flow delivery schedules and for controlling the common actuator in accordance with the first and second schedules.

13. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein

the reservoir includes at least first and second reservoir compartments;

the first fluid inlet is coupled to the first reservoir compartment; and

the second fluid inlet is coupled to the second reservoir compartment.

14. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein the first fluid transfer device comprises a pump mechanism.

15. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein the first fluid transfer device includes a valve mechanism.

16. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein

the first fluid transfer device comprises a first fluid chamber and a first piston mounted for reciprocal linear movement between an intake position and a discharge position;

and

the second fluid transfer device comprises a second fluid chamber and a second piston mounted for reciprocal linear movement between an intake position and a discharge position.

17. The infusion device of claim 16, wherein the common actuator comprises an electrically powered actuator with an armature that is driven in a first direction during the first actuation mode to move the first piston to its discharge position and is driven during a second direction in the second actuation mode to move the second piston to its discharge position.

18. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein the reservoir includes a pressure transmissive interior partition between the first and second reservoir compartments configured to equalize pressure within the first and second reservoir compartments.

19. The infusion device of claim 18 further comprising

means for producing a reference pressure internal to the reservoir compartments.

20. The infusion device of claim 19 wherein the reference pressure is negative with respect to ambient pressure.

21. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein the housing includes first and second fill ports respectively coupled to the first and second reservoir compartments.

22. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein the housing includes first and second outlet ports adapted to be coupled to first and second catheters.

23. The infusion device of claim 13 wherein the housing includes first and second outlet ports adapted to be coupled to catheter means for delivering the first fluid flow to a first body site and the second fluid flow to a second body site different from the first body site.

24. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the common actuator comprises an electrically powered actuator with an armature that is driven in a first direction during the first actuation mode and is driven in a second direction during the second actuation mode.

25. The infusion device of claim 1 wherein the common actuator comprises a piezo element that is configured to deflect in a first direction during the first actuation mode and is configured to deflect in a second direction during the second actuation mode.

26. An infusion device configured for implantation in a patient'"'"'s body, the infusion device comprising:

a housing;

a reservoir in the housing including at least first and second reservoir compartments;

a pressure transmissive interior partition between the first and second reservoir compartments configured to equalize pressure within the first and second reservoir compartments;

a first fluid transfer device operably connected to the first reservoir compartment and to a first fluid outlet;

a second fluid transfer device operably connected to the second reservoir compartment and to a second fluid outlet; and

a controller that controls at least one of the first and second fluid transfer devices.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the reservoir includes a propellant that produces a consistent positive pressure.

28. The device of claim 26 wherein the reservoir includes a propellant that produces a consistent negative pressure.

29. The device of claim 26 wherein the reservoir includes a pressure transmissive outer wall configured to negatively bias the pressure in the compartments relative to the ambient pressure.

30. The device of claim 26 further comprising

a third reservoir compartment;

and

a pressure transmissive interior partition between the second and third reservoir compartments configured to equalize pressure within the second and third reservoir compartments.

31. An infusion device configured for implantation in a patient'"'"'s body, the infusion device comprising:

a housing including first and second fluid outlets;

a reservoir mounted in the housing and configured to contain a fluid;

a first fluid transfer device operably connected to the reservoir and to the first fluid outlet;

a second fluid transfer operably connected to the reservoir and to the second fluid outlet;

means for controlling the first fluid transfer device to deliver fluid from the reservoir to the first fluid outlet at a first rate and the second fluid transfer device to deliver fluid from the reservoir to the second fluid outlet at a second rate.

32. The infusion device of claim 31 wherein

the reservoir includes at least first and second reservoir compartments;

the first fluid transfer device is operably connected to the first reservoir compartment; and

the second fluid transfer device is operably connected to the second reservoir compartment.

33. The infusion device of claim 31 further comprising

a pressure transmissive interior partition between the first and second reservoir compartments configured to equalize pressure within the first and second reservoir compartments.

34. The infusion device of claim 31 wherein at least one of the first and second fluid transfer devices comprises a pump mechanism.

35. The infusion device of claim 31 wherein at least one of the first and second fluid transfer devices comprises a valve mechanism.