AUTOMATIC RELAY PUMP SYSTEM & METHOD

• US 20080269678A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: REBOURS, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3355 Controlling downstream pump pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• 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 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure

Abstract

An automatic pump relay system includes controllers coupled to drivers for sequentially discharging fluid from a plurality of medication containers into a coupler having a reflux barrier from which fluid is administered to a patient. The internal fluid pressure of the coupler is determined by a pressure sensing device or devices that provide signals to the controllers that, based at least on the sensor signals, cause the drivers to operate in reverse and forward directions so as to rapidly decrease and raise the fluid pressure within the coupler during a relay from an empty syringe to a filled syringe, thereby avoiding bolus formation and an interruption in infusion therapy. Independently operable syringes pumps are contemplated to be connected in relay fashion to form a modular system. An associated method is also disclosed wherein a fluid administration pressure is stored for use as a reference during a syringe changeover.

Claims

1. A continuous pump relay system comprising:

a plurality of drivers configured to discharge fluid from a plurality of medication containers;

a fluid communication device including a plurality of fluid inputs, each one of the fluid inputs configured to receive fluid from a medication container, and a fluid output having a reflux barrier configured to allow fluid in the fluid communication device to flow through the reflux barrier;

a pressure sensing device configured to generate sensor signals representative of fluid pressure at one or more locations within the fluid communication device; and

a controller coupled to the driver and the pressure sensing device, the controller configured to operate the driver based at least on the sensor signals from the pressure sensing device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid communication device comprises extension tubes having proximal ends and distal ends, the proximal ends each having a valve mechanism configured to open when connected to a medication container and to close when disconnected from a medication container, the distal ends adapted to be joined by a connector to the reflux barrier.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the pressure sensing device includes sensors disposed between the proximal ends and the distal ends of the extension tubes.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein when fluid is being discharged from a first medication container, the controller operates the respective driver in a reverse direction with respect to the first medication container to decrease the pressure within the fluid communication device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein after the controller operates the driver in the reverse direction with respect to the first medication container, the controller operates the respective driver in a forward direction with respect to a second medication container to increase the pressure within the fluid communication device to a reference pressure.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the controller operates the second driver in the forward direction with respect to the second medication container to raise the pressure within the fluid communication device at a first rate of increase for a fraction of the increase required to reach the reference pressure, and at a second rate of increase, less than the first rate of increase, for the remaining increase required to reach the reference pressure.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the reference pressure is a pressure at which fluid flows out of the reflux barrier of the fluid communication device.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the reference pressure is a pressure at a time corresponding to an interruption in a pressure increase arising after the driver begins to discharge fluid from the first medication container.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the pressure sensing device includes sensors configured to generate sensor signals representative of pressure at a plurality of monitoring locations within the fluid communication device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the reference pressure is a pressure at a time corresponding to an interruption in a pressure increase arising after the driver begins to discharge fluid from the first medication container, the interruption in the pressure increase occurring at two or more of the monitoring locations within the fluid communication device.

11. A continuous medication infusion relay method comprising:

discharging fluid contained in a first medication container through a fluid communication device;

determining fluid pressure within the fluid communication device;

storing a reference pressure at a time corresponding to fluid flow out of the fluid communication device;

reducing the fluid pressure within the fluid communication device;

increasing the fluid pressure within the fluid communication device to the stored reference pressure; and

discharging fluid contained in a second medication container through the fluid communication device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein discharging the fluid contained in the first medication container comprises moving a plunger of a syringe.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein discharging the fluid contained in the first medication container comprises peristaltic pumping of the fluid.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein determining the fluid pressure comprises measuring a distance between walls of the fluid communication device.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein determining the fluid pressure comprises measuring a load exerted on a sensor by a wall of the fluid communication device.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein determining the fluid pressure comprises obtaining signals generated by a sensor contacting fluid within the fluid communication device.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein storing the reference pressure comprises:

monitoring a pressure increase within the fluid communication device that occurs after fluid begins to be discharged from the first medication container, and

storing the reference pressure when there is in interruption in the pressure increase within the fluid communication device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein monitoring the pressure increase within the fluid communication device comprises monitoring the pressure increase at a plurality of monitoring locations within the fluid communication device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein storing the reference pressure comprises storing the reference pressure when an interruption in pressure increase has occurred at two or more of the monitoring locations within the fluid communication device.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein reducing fluid pressure within the fluid communication device comprises reversing the operation of a pump associated the first medication container without affecting fluid pressure within an administration tube distal to the fluid communication device.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein increasing the fluid pressure within the fluid communication device to the reference pressure comprises operating a pump associated with the second medication container.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein operating the pump associated with the second medication container comprises:

operating the pump at a first predetermined speed for a fraction of the pressure increase required to reach the reference pressure, and

operating the pump at a second predetermined speed, less than the first predetermined, for the remaining pressure increase required to reach the reference pressure.

23. The method of claim 11 further comprising replacing the first medication container with a third medication container without introducing air into the fluid communication device.

24. A continuous medical pump relay system comprising:

a plurality of drivers configured to discharge fluid from a plurality of medication containers;

a fluid communication device having a plurality of fluid inputs, each one of the fluid inputs configured to receive fluid from a medication container, and a fluid output including a reflux barrier, the reflux barrier configured to provide resistance to fluid flow out of the fluid communication device and into an administration tube connected to a patient and configured to prevent a decrease in fluid pressure in the fluid communication device from decreasing fluid pressure within the administration tube;

a pressure sensing device configured to generate sensor signals representative of fluid pressure at one or more locations within the fluid communication device; and

a controller coupled to the driver and the pressure sensing device, the controller configured to operate the driver based at least on the sensor signals from the pressure sensing device such that fluid pressure within the communication device is decreased by running the driver in a reverse direction with respect to a first medication container, whereafter fluid pressure within the communication device is raised to a reference pressure by running the driver in a forward direction with respect to a second medication container, the reference pressure being a pressure required to overcome the reflux barrier'"'"'s resistance to fluid flow out of the fluid communication device.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the fluid communication device comprises extension tubes having proximal ends and distal ends, the proximal ends each having a valve mechanism configured to open automatically when connected to a medication container and to close automatically when disconnected from a medication container, the distal ends adapted to be joined to the reflux barrier by a connector.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the pressure sensing device includes sensors configured to generate sensor signals representative of pressure at a plurality of monitoring locations within the fluid communication device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the reference pressure is a pressure at a time corresponding to an interruption in a pressure increase arising after the driver begins to discharge fluid from the first medication container, the interruption in the pressure increase occurring at two or more of the monitoring locations within the fluid communication device.