SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF DELIVERING A DILATED SLURRY TO A PATIENT

• US 20090012497A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Trocki, Mark, Uber, Arthur E. III, Cowan, Kevin P., Reilly, David M., Griffiths, David M., Hirschman, Alan D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/518
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/09 Body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1407 Infusion of two or more substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14216 Reciprocating piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14236 Screw, impeller or centrifugal type pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1121 pin-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/119 Stirrers with rigid wires or flexible rods
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/50 Pipe mixers, i.e. mixers wherein the materials to be mixed flow continuously through pipes, e.g. column mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/724 with a single helix closely surrounded by a casing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 29/81 with stationary mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/441 performing a rectilinear reciprocating movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/65 the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by means of an oscillating piston or air column
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/651 Mixing by successively aspirating a part of the mixture in a conduit, e.g. a piston, and reinjecting it through the same conduit into the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/841 with a vibrating element inside the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/452 using independent floating stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/50112 of the syringe or cartridge type

Abstract

A system for delivering a slurry to a patient includes a fluid, a material that is non-dissolvable or immiscible in the fluid, thereby forming a slurry, a container adapted to contain the slurry and a supernate of the slurry, the container defining an outlet through which the slurry is delivered to the patient, a fluidizing system associated with the container, a pressurizing mechanism adapted to create a pressure to cause the slurry contained within the container to flow for delivery to the patient and a control unit in communication with and adapted to control the fluidizing system and the pressurizing mechanism. The fluidizing system is adapted to effect dilation of the slurry while maintaining at least a portion of the supernate.

Claims

1. A system for delivering a slurry to a patient, comprising:

a fluid;

a material that is non-dissolvable or immiscible in the fluid, thereby forming a slurry;

a container adapted to contain the slurry and a supernate of the slurry, the container defining an outlet through which the slurry is delivered to the patient;

a fluidizing system associated with the container and adapted to effect dilation of the slurry while maintaining at least a portion of the supernate;

a pressurizing mechanism adapted to create a pressure to cause the slurry contained within the container to flow for delivery to the patient; and

a control unit in communication with and adapted to control the fluidizing system and the pressurizing mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises at least a first plunger slidably disposed within the container.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the container further comprises a second plunger defining first and second passages therethrough, the second plunger slidably positioned within the container between the first plunger and the container outlet, the second plunger being slidable within the container independently of the first plunger, a conduit being in fluid connection with the first passage so that the conduit is in fluid connection with a volume defined between the second plunger and the first plunger, the second passage in fluid connection with the supernate and the volume, the second passage including a one-way valve in fluid connection therewith so that the supernate can pass through the second passage into the volume.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a conduit defining a conduit inlet in fluid connection with a source of fluid and a conduit outlet positioned within and in fluid connection with the slurry contained in the container;

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the source of fluid is the supernate within the container.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the source of fluid is a vessel other than the container.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the conduit outlet is in the vicinity of the container outlet.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the pressurizing mechanism is a syringe in fluid communication with the container.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluidizing system comprises a bulk motion system adapted to impart motion to the container or to a portion of the container.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluidizing system comprises a stirring system associated with the container and adapted to impart motion to the slurry therewithin.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the stirring system comprises a moveable element disposed within the container.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the moveable element is a plunger that is slidably positioned within the container, the plunger being rotatable about an axis thereof.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a processing/memory unit, a user interface adapted to allow an operator to program the control unit and a communications interface in communications with one or more additional systems.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor in communication with the control unit and associated with the container, the sensor adapted to determine the amount of dilation of the slurry.

15. A syringe comprising:

a main body defining an outlet;

a first plunger slidably positioned within the main body;

a second plunger defining a first passage and a second passage, the second plunger being slidably positioned within the main body between the first plunger and the outlet; and

an extending conduit having a first end toward the outlet from the second plunger and a second end in fluid connection with a first passage through the second plunger so that the conduit is in fluid connection with a volume between the second plunger and the first plunger,

wherein the second passage is positioned to be in fluid connection with a volume forward of the second plunger, the second passage having a one-way valve in fluid connection therewith so that fluid can pass through the second plunger into the volume between the second plunger and the first plunger.

16. The syringe of claim 15, further comprising a second one-way valve in fluid connection with the first passage of the second plunger.

17. A method of delivering a slurry to a patient, the method comprising:

providing a container to hold the slurry;

fluidizing the slurry in the container to generate a dilated slurry;

controlling the fluidizing step to maintain a supernate of the slurry in the container; and

delivering the dilated slurry to the patient.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the slurry is fluidized for a defined period of time before delivering the dilated slurry to the patient.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the fluidizing step comprises introducing a fluid into the slurry.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of stirring the slurry.

21. A method of optimizing the dilation of a slurry, the method comprising:

fluidizing the slurry to dilate the slurry;

monitoring the level of dilation of the slurry;

terminating the fluidization of the slurry when a desired level of dilation is achieved; and

recording one or more parameters required to achieve the desired level of dilation.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the one or more parameters comprises (1) the energy required, (2) the amount of liquid introduced into the slurry, (3) the amount of time required, or (4) the level of agitation required.