KEEP VEIN OPEN METHOD AND INJECTOR WITH KEEP VEIN OPEN FUNCTION
First Claim
1. A method of using a syringe having a plunger with an elastic head located within a barrel of the syringe, the method comprising:
- elastically expanding the head of the plunger without sliding the head within and relative to the barrel of the syringe; and
elastically contracting the head of the plunger without sliding the head within and relative to the barrel of the syringe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention embodies a method and an injector adapted to incorporate this method, for keeping a patient'"'"'s vein open during an intravenous contrast injector procedure without injecting a saline solution from a separate syringe. The injector includes a controller having a programmable software module to allow an operator to configure the injector to push some contrast media fluid through an injection site and then retract a plunger drive ram. A syringe is adapted to allow a patient'"'"'s blood pressure to move the syringe plunger back towards its starting position, thus enabling a patient'"'"'s blood to pass through the injection site. Alternatively, the syringe is adapted with an elastic plunger which as it enlarges and contracts facilitating fluid communication through the injection site. Additionally, the plunger drive ram can be adapted to gradually pull as well as push the plunger, thereby causing fluid to flow across the injection site.
25 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of using a syringe having a plunger with an elastic head located within a barrel of the syringe, the method comprising:
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elastically expanding the head of the plunger without sliding the head within and relative to the barrel of the syringe; and elastically contracting the head of the plunger without sliding the head within and relative to the barrel of the syringe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for injecting a fluid into a patient at an injection site comprising:
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controlling a drive motor to advance and retract a plunger drive ram to; moving the drive ram toward a plunger of a syringe; contacting the plunger with the drive ram; depressing the plunger with the drive ram; transferring fluid from the syringe through the injection site in a direction that flows from the end of the injection site that is proximal to the plunger toward the end of the injection site that is distal to the plunger; moving the drive ram away from the plunger; separating the drive ram from contact with the plunger; and allowing fluid to travel from the end of the injection site that is distal to the plunger to the end of the injection site that is proximal to the plunger. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for injecting a fluid into a patient at an injection site during an auxiliary injection cycle comprising:
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controlling a drive motor to repeatedly and cyclically move a drive ram of the injector toward the injection site and away from the injection site during an auxiliary injection cycle; contacting a plunger positioned within a syringe with the drive ram; moving the plunger towards the injection site with the drive ram; pushing with the plunger between about 0.1 to about 1 milliliter of a contrast agent fluid through the injection site during the auxiliary injection cycle; and allowing between about 0.1 to about 1 milliliter of the contrast agent and blood fluid to flow back through the injection site when the drive ram moves away from the injection site during the auxiliary injection cycle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification