SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FLUID PRESSURE DURING A MEDICAL INFUSION

• US 20100100071A1
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engineering Resources Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Engineering Resources Group, Inc.
• Inventors: ROSS, CHRISTOPHER D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,784,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0018 having a plug, e.g. an inflatable plug for closing catheter lumens
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0079 Separate user-activated means, e.g. guidewires, guide tubes, balloon catheters or sheaths, for sealing off an orifice, e.g. a lumen or side holes, of a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0075 Valve means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0082 Catheter tip comprising a tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A system for controlling an infusion of fluid into living tissue includes a catheter shaped to be introduced within living tissue and operable to deliver a fluid to a location within the living tissue, a fluid infusion pump mechanically coupled to the catheter and operable to pump fluid through the catheter and, thereby, into the location, the fluid infusion pump having at least two fluid pumping states, a fluid pressure monitor fluidically coupled to the catheter and operable to measure a pressure of the fluid within the catheter, and a processor communicatively coupled to the fluid infusion pump and the fluid pressure monitor, the processor operable to select between the at least two fluid pumping states based upon the measured pressure of the fluid within the catheter.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an infusion of fluid into living tissue, the method comprising:

inserting a tubular catheter into living tissue, thereby creating a passageway for fluid introduction into the living tissue;

initiating a fluid pumping process through the passageway;

monitoring a pressure of the fluid within the passageway; and

modifying the fluid pumping process in response to determining that the pressure exceeds a predefined limit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises:

producing a visual representation of the pressure.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the passageway comprises:

a tubular hollow cannula.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid pumping process comprises one of:

pumping fluid into the passageway with an electrical, automatic, pumping device; and

pumping fluid into the passageway with a mechanical, hand-controlled, pumping device.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises:

carrying out the monitoring step with a pressure transducer.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying comprises one of:

halting the fluid pumping process; and

pulsing the fluid pumping process.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying comprises:

halting the fluid pumping process;

withdrawing the passageway a distance; and

reinitiating the fluid pumping process.

8. A system for controlling an infusion of fluid into living tissue, the system comprising:

a catheter shaped to be introduced within living tissue and operable to deliver a fluid to a location within the living tissue;

a fluid infusion pump mechanically coupled to the catheter and operable to pump fluid through the catheter and, thereby, into the location, the fluid infusion pump having at least two fluid pumping states;

a fluid pressure monitor fluidically coupled to the catheter and operable to measure a pressure of the fluid within the catheter; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the fluid infusion pump and the fluid pressure monitor, the processor operable to select between the at least two fluid pumping states based upon the measured pressure of the fluid within the catheter.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the catheter comprises:

a tubular hollow cannula.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the fluid infusion pump comprises one of:

an electrical, automatic, pumping device; and

mechanical, hand-controlled, pumping device.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein:

the fluid pressure monitor is a pressure transducer.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least two fluid pumping states includes:

halting a fluid pumping process; and

pulsing a fluid pumping process.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the fluid comprises:

a medically-therapeutic substance.

14. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor and operable to display a visual representation of the measured pressure of the fluid.