Variable flow infusion pump system
First Claim
1. An implantable infusion pump system for dispensing an active substance at one or varying flow rates to a patient comprising:
- a constant flow pump having a housing having an active substance chamber, an outlet duct, and an upper surface; and
a removable module having a bottom surface contacting the upper surface of the constant flow pump, such that the module facilitates fluid communication between the active substance chamber and the outlet duct.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable infusion pump system is disclosed. The pump system preferably includes an implantable pump and a removable module. The module may provide for varying flow rates of fluid being dispensed from the pump or may provide for a constant flow rate of such fluid. In the case of varying flow rate capabilities, the module preferably includes one or more sensors to determine information relating to the flow rate, electronics for analyzing the flow rate information, and a mechanism for physically altering the flow rate. Methods of dispensing a medicament to a patient are also disclosed, as are variations of the pump system.
178 Citations
126 Claims
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1. An implantable infusion pump system for dispensing an active substance at one or varying flow rates to a patient comprising:
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a constant flow pump having a housing having an active substance chamber, an outlet duct, and an upper surface; and
a removable module having a bottom surface contacting the upper surface of the constant flow pump, such that the module facilitates fluid communication between the active substance chamber and the outlet duct. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 126)
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56. A method of implanting an infusion pump comprising the steps of:
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determining the need for a variable or constant flow infusion pump;
selecting, based upon the determining step, a pump housing and a module, the module selected from a variable flow module and a constant flow module;
engaging a bottom surface of the module with an upper surface of the housing to construct the infusion pump, such that the restrictor module is in fluid communication with the housing; and
implanting the infusion pump in the body of a patient. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. An implantable infusion pump for dispensing an active substance at varying flow rates to a patient comprising:
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a constant flow pump having a housing defining an upper surface, an active substance chamber, a propellant chamber separated from the active substance chamber by a first flexible membrane, an outlet duct having a catheter attached thereto, an exit opening in fluid communication with the active substance chamber and a entrance opening in fluid communication with the outlet duct; and
a removable module including a bottom surface contacting the upper surface of the constant flow pump, an entry formed in the bottom surface in fluid communication with the exit opening of the housing, an exit in fluid communication with the entrance opening of the housing, a needle valve portion having a longitudinally varying cross section along its length disposed within a valve body, means for longitudinally moving the needle portion within the valve body, a fixed flow restrictor in fluid communication between the entry of the module and the valve body of the module, and first and second pressure sensors for sensing pressure on either side of the fixed flow restrictor, wherein during operation of the pump system, a fluid dispelled from the active substance chamber by a force from the propellant chamber passes through the exit opening of the housing, through the entry of the module, into contact with the first pressure sensor, through the fixed flow restrictor, into contact with the second pressure sensor, through the valve body of the module, through the exit of the module, through the entrance opening of the housing, through the outlet duct, and through the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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106. A method of monitoring the amount of medicament dispensed from an implantable infusion pump, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a pump having the medicament disposed housed therein;
dispensing at least some of the medicament from the pump at varying actual flow rates;
measuring the actual flow rate of the medicament from the pump at least two different times;
storing information relating to the actual flow rate; and
calculating the overall amount of medicament dispensed based upon the information relating to the actual flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125)
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Specification