FLUID CARTRIDGES AND PARTIALLY IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES FOR USE WITH SAME

• US 20100217241A1
• Filed: 02/21/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: IncuMED, LLC
• Inventors: Mann, Alfred E., He, Tom Xiaohai
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/04 having pierceable self-sealing members
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure

Abstract

Partially implantable medical devices and methods associated with partially implantable medical devices.

Claims

1. A fluid cartridge, comprising:

a housing including a substantially cylindrical side wall and an end wall;

a needle extending from the end wall; and

a plurality of circumferentially spaced sensible members carried by the housing.

2. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a bladder located within the housing.

3. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bladder includes a cylindrical side wall and an end wall, and the cylindrical side wall of the bladder is secured to the cylindrical side wall of the housing.

4. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing cylindrical side wall includes an aperture and an external ring that is located between the aperture and the end wall.

5. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the needle comprises a non-coring needle.

6. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing defines a longitudinal axis and the needle defines a longitudinal axis that is substantially coaxial with the housing longitudinal axis.

7. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced sensible members are carried on the exterior of the housing.

8. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced sensible members are associated with the end wall.

9. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced sensible members comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced electrically conductive members separated by non-conductive regions.

10. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a drug within the housing.

11. A fluid cartridge for use with a partially implantable medical device including a sensor, the fluid cartridge comprising:

a housing including a substantially cylindrical side wall and an end wall;

a needle extending from the end wall; and

means for facilitating the sensing of fluid cartridge rotation by the sensor.

12. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a bladder located within the housing.

13. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bladder includes a cylindrical side wall and an end wall, and the cylindrical side wall of the bladder is secured to the cylindrical side wall of the housing.

14. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 13, wherein the housing cylindrical side wall includes an aperture and an external ring that is located between the aperture and the end wall.

15. A fluid cartridge as claimed in claim 11, wherein the needle comprises a non-coring needle.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a fluid cartridge including a housing, a needle extending from the housing, and at least one sensible member; and

a partially implantable medical device including a percutaneous port with an interior configured to receive the fluid cartridge and permit rotation of the fluid cartridge, an implantable operative portion including a fluid transfer device, and a sensor for sensing the at least one sensible member.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one sensible member comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced sensible members.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a first and second circumferentially spaced sensors.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensible members are sized and spaced such that a single sensible member may be circumferentially aligned with one of the first and second sensors, both of the first and second sensors, or none of the first and second sensors, depending upon the rotational orientation of the cartridge relative to the percutaneous port.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced sensible members are separated by non-conductive regions.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises first and second circumferentially spaced sensors, each including a pair of electrical contacts.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the percutaneous port includes an exterior having a porous region configured to promote soft tissue ingrowth.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a controller operably connected to the sensor and configured to perform a predefined operation in response to sensed rotational movement of the fluid cartridge relative to the percutaneous port.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the fluid transfer device is configured to transfer fluid at a plurality of flow rates;

and

the predefined operation comprises increasing or decreasing the flow rate.