VACUUM SAMPLE EXPRESSION DEVICE

• US 20090131828A1
• Filed: 01/19/2009
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Kennedy, John, Schuettenhelm, Shilpa, Wong, Daniel, Raney, Charles C., Chan, Frank A.
• Application Number:
  US12/355,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/578
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150229 Pumps for assisting the blood sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15107 Piercing being assisted by a triggering mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15123 comprising magnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15125 comprising a vacuum or compressed fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin

Abstract

A body fluid sampling device is used to sample a bodily fluid from an incision in skin. The device includes a housing that defines a sample cavity with one open end that contacts skin. The device also includes a lancing mechanism that forms an incision in the skin. A vacuum mechanism is used to create a vacuum inside the sample cavity to express fluid from the incision site. To release the vacuum, a valve is connected with the sample cavity to exchange atmospheric air and further works to minimize fluid splatter. The fluid sample can then be tested or analyzed as desired.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

placing a body fluid sampling device against skin, wherein the body fluid sampling device includes a sampling cavity, a vacuum mechanism, a lancing mechanism with a lancet, and a piston slidably disposed inside the sampling cavity;

creating a vacuum inside the sampling cavity with the vacuum mechanism;

forming an incision in the skin by extending the lancet into the skin and retracting the lancet from the incision with the lancing mechanism;

pressing the piston of the sampling device against the skin after said forming the incision to express body fluid from the incision by extending the piston inside the sampling cavity against the skin while the vacuum mechanism applies the vacuum in the sampling cavity; and

collecting the body fluid from the surface of the skin with the lancet retracted from the incision.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating the vacuum occurs before said forming the incision.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating the vacuum occurs after said forming the incision.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming the incision occurs before said placing the body fluid sampling device against the skin.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising testing the body fluid with the sampling device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the depth of the incision in the skin.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said controlling the depth of the incision in the skin includes flattening the skin with a lancing cap.