MALFUNCTION DETECTION IN INFUSION PUMPS

• US 20080154187A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Lifescan Incorporated (Duv Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Bohm, Sebastian, Gearhart, Michael, Krulevitch, Peter, Anex, Deon, Zhao, Mingqi
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066

Abstract

The present application is directed to systems and methods associated with infusion pumps, which can optionally utilize an electrokinetic driving mechanism. Infusion pumps, including electrokinetically-driven pumps, are discussed, along with schemes for controlling their operation. As well, systems and methods of detecting malfunctions in infusion pumps are discussed. Any number of malfunctions can be detected including the presence of occlusions and/or leaks. In some instances, a measurement associated with some aspect of electrokinetic phenomena (e.g., an electrode measurement such as voltage or current) is compared with one or more sample values, the comparison allowing an indication of pump malfunction to be determined. A variety of such measurements and comparison techniques are discussed in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a malfunction in an infusion pump, comprising:

obtaining an electrode measurement between two sides of a porous media through which electrokinetic working fluid can flow; and

comparing the electrode measurement with at least one sample value to determine whether the infusion pump is malfunctioning.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrokinetic working fluid drives flow of infusion fluid from the infusion pump.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein flow of infusion fluid is driven by a non-electrokinetic source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode measurement is a current measurement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode measurement is a voltage measurement.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the comparing the electrode measurement includes providing a pressure difference measurement in the infusion pump.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein comparing the electrode measurement includes indicating bubble formation on an electrode of the infusion pump under conditions where the voltage measurement deviates from an expected charging profile.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sample value includes an electrode value corresponding with a normally functioning infusion pump.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sample value includes a previous electrode measurement taken from the infusion pump.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the electrode measurement includes determining whether an occlusion or leak is present in the infusion pump.

11. A method for detecting a malfunction in an electrokinetic infusion pump, comprising:

operating the electrokinetic infusion pump using a plurality of activate/de-activate cycles, each cycle comprising activating the pump for a first period of time, and de-activating the pump for a second period of time;

obtaining an electrode transient measurement between two sides of a porous media through which electrokinetic working fluid can flow; and

comparing the electrode transient measurement with at least one sample transient to determine whether the electrokinetic infusion pump is malfunctioning.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrode transient measurement corresponds with an open-circuit voltage transient measurement.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrode transient measurement corresponds with a current transient measurement taken during at least one activate portion of the activate/de-activate cycles.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein comparing the electrode transient measurement includes indicating the presence of a malfunction under conditions where a magnitude of the electrode transient measurement deviates from a magnitude of the at least one sample transient.

15. A system for detecting a malfunction in an infusion fluid delivery apparatus, comprising:

an infusion pump coupled to electrodes, the electrodes configured to provide a measurement between opposite sides of a porous media; and

a processor coupled to the infusion pump, the processor configured to provide an indication of pump malfunction based at least on a comparison between the measurement and at least one sample value.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the infusion pump is configured to drive infusion fluid flow with flow of an electrokinetic working fluid.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the electrodes and processor are configured as a electrokinetic sensing device independent of a drive mechanism of the infusion pump.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an alert mechanism coupled to the processor, the processor configured to activate the alert mechanism if pump malfunction is indicated.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the electrodes is a capacitive electrode.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the electrodes is configured to apply a driving voltage to cause electrokinetic fluid to flow through the porous media.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the electrodes is a measurement electrode only.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor comprises at least one memory configured to store the at least one sample value and the measurement.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to write at least one sample value to the at least one memory based upon at least one measured value obtained from the electrodes.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one memory is configured to store electrode transients corresponding to the at least one sample voltage value and an electrode voltage measurement.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the electrodes are configured to provide an open-circuit voltage measurement between opposite sides of the porous media.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the electrodes are configured to provide a current draw measurement between opposite sides of the porous media.