Method and Apparatus to Indicate Prior Use of a Medical Item
First Claim
1. An apparatus for notifying a user of prior use of a medical item containing a medical fluid, wherein said medical item includes a port with a passage to enable insertion of a substance into said medical item via an instrument, said apparatus comprising:
- an indicator disposed within said passage, wherein said indicator is responsive to insertion of said instrument within said passage to alter an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid to indicate use of said medical item.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention monitors an IV bag injection port and informs the user of prior injections. The present invention employs an object and/or a sealed chamber within a transparent IV fluid bag injection port. In the case of the object, notification of prior use is achieved when the object'"'"'s or IV fluid'"'"'s appearance is altered. With respect to the sealed chamber, the chamber'"'"'s seal is breached to allow fluid to pass between the chamber and the IV bag to change the appearance of the contents of the chamber. Since the injection port and bag walls are at least partially transparent, medical personnel are able to observe the altered appearance of either the object, IV fluid or the sealed chamber.
108 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for notifying a user of prior use of a medical item containing a medical fluid, wherein said medical item includes a port with a passage to enable insertion of a substance into said medical item via an instrument, said apparatus comprising:
an indicator disposed within said passage, wherein said indicator is responsive to insertion of said instrument within said passage to alter an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid to indicate use of said medical item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A medical item notifying a user of prior use comprising:
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a receptacle including a medical fluid; a port with a passage to enable insertion of a substance into said receptacle via an instrument; and an indicator disposed within said passage, wherein said indicator is responsive to insertion of said instrument within said passage to alter an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid to indicate use of said medical item. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification