IMPLANTABLE INFUSION DEVICE

• US 20110125137A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Christenson, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0244 having means for detecting an inserted needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/242 designed to open when a predetermined pressure or flow rate has been reached, e.g. check valve actuated by fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/141 with capillaries for restricting fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16813 by controlling the degree of opening of the flow line

Abstract

An implantable infusion device includes a positive pressure reservoir, a pump, a flow restrictor, and an outlet. The device includes a first fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, where the pump is downstream of the reservoir, and the outlet is downstream of the pump. The device further includes a second fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, where the flow restrictor is downstream of the reservoir, and the outlet is downstream of the restrictor. The device may also include one or more controllable, MRI-safe valves to select whether fluid is delivered via the first or second flow path.

Claims

1. An implantable infusion device comprising:

a positive pressure reservoir;

a pump;

a flow restrictor;

an outlet,

a first fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, wherein the pump is downstream of the reservoir, and the outlet is downstream of the pump;

a second fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, wherein the flow restrictor is downstream of the reservoir, and the outlet is downstream of the flow restrictor.

2. The implantable infusion device of claim 1, wherein the pump is a programmable pump.

3. The implantable infusion device of claim 1, wherein the pump is a piston pump or a peristaltic pump.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the second flow path is configured to provide a bolus flow rate of greater than 50 microliters per minute.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second flow path is configured to provide a bolus flow rate of greater than 250 microliters per minute.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the second flow path is configured to provide a bolus flow rate of greater than 500 microliters per minute.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein, the pump is configured to prevent fluid from flowing from the reservoir to the outlet via the first flow path when the pump is inactive.

8. The implantable infusion device of claim 1, further comprising a first controllable valve,

wherein the second flow path includes the first controllable valve upstream of the flow restrictor and downstream of the reservoir,

wherein the first controllable valve is stable when exposed to a magnetic field.

9. The implantable infusion device of claim 8, wherein the first controllable valve is a piezoelectric valve.

10. The implantable infusion device of claim 8, further comprising a second controllable valve,

wherein the first flow path includes the second controllable valve downstream of the pump and upstream of the outlet.

11. The implantable infusion device of claim 10, further comprising a third fluid flow path from the pump to the first controllable valve,

wherein the first controllable valve is configured to prevent flow from the reservoir to the outlet via the second flow path unless the second controllable valve is closed and the pump is activated.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first controllable valve comprises a first chamber in communication with the pump via the third flow path, a second chamber in communication with the reservoir via the second flow path, and a diaphragm sealingly dividing the first and second chambers.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first controllable valve further comprises a sealing member, a third chamber in communication with the second chamber and the restrictor, wherein the sealing member is operably coupled to the diaphragm and is configured to permit fluid to flow from the second chamber to the third chamber or to fluidly seal the third chamber relative to the second chamber.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising a passive valve in the first and third fluid paths, wherein the passive valve is located downstream of the pump and upstream of the first controllable valve and the second controllable valve, and wherein the passive valve has a cracking pressure greater than the reservoir pressure.

15. The device of claim 11, further comprising a fourth leakage flow path configured to provide a leakage flow from the first controllable valve to the flow restrictor.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first controllable valve comprises a first chamber in communication with the pump via the third flow path, a second chamber in communication with the reservoir via the second flow path, and a diaphragm sealingly dividing the first and second chambers, wherein the first chamber comprises a bleed hole in communication with the fourth leakage pathway.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the second controllable valve has an open state and a closed state and wherein the device further comprises control electronics operably coupled to the second controllable valve and the pump, wherein the processor is capable providing instructions to close the second controllable valve and to cause the pump to deliver fluid to the first controllable valve to open the first controllable valve and permit fluid to flow from the reservoir to the outlet via the second flow path.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a third controllable valve in the second fluid pathway, wherein the third controllable valve is downstream of the flow restrictor, and the outlet is downstream of the third controllable valve

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the control electronics are configured to cause the third controllable valve to cycle between an open state and a closed state to control the rate at which fluid is delivered to the outlet via the second flow path.

20. A system comprising:

a device according to claim 17; and

an external programmer configured to provide wireless instructions to the control electronics to instruct the first active valve to close.

21. The implantable infusion device of claim 1, further comprising a controllable valve,

wherein the second flow path includes the controllable valve downstream of the flow restrictor and upstream of the outlet,

wherein the controllable valve is stable when exposed to a magnetic field.

22. The implantable infusion device of claim 21, wherein the controllable valve is a piezoelectric valve.

23. A method for delivering a bolus of therapeutic substance from a device of claim 1, the method comprising:

delivering the therapeutic substance via the second flow path of the device of claim 1.

24. An implantable infusion device comprising:

a positive pressure reservoir;

a pump;

a flow restrictor;

an outlet,

a first fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, wherein the first fluid flow path includes the pump;

a second fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, wherein the second flow path includes the reservoir.

25. An implantable infusion device comprising:

a positive pressure reservoir;

a pump;

a first active valve;

a safety valve;

a flow restrictor;

an outlet,

a first fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, wherein the pump is downstream of the reservoir, the first active valve is downstream of the pump, and the outlet is downstream of the first active valve;

a second fluid flow path from the reservoir to the outlet, wherein the safety valve is downstream of the reservoir, the flow restrictor is downstream of the safety valve, and the outlet is downstream of the safety valve; and

a third fluid flow path from the pump to the safety valve,

wherein the safety valve is configured to prevent flow from the reservoir to the second active valve unless the first active valve is closed and the pump is activated.