Medical Fluid Delivery System with Reusable RFID Fixture

• US 20120035472A1
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Bruce, John K., Gibson, Chad M., Strobl, Geoffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,770,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14553 comprising a pressure jacket
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/04 Tools for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for delivering medical fluids to a patient. A data storage device (120) is either separately attached to or incorporated within the structure of a reusable fixture that may be detachably connected to a barrel (111) of a syringe (107). A filling station (110) and an power injector (108) may each include a read-write device (114, 122) that is operable to read the data storage device (120) within its field of view. When the read-write devices (114, 122) are attached to the filing station (110) and the power injector (40), respectively, and when the fixture including the data storage device (120) is attached to the syringe (107), the read-write devices (114, 122) may be operable to store data on and read data from the data storage device (120) associated with the syringe (107). After an injection procedure, the fixture may be detached from the syringe (107) and reused with a new or resterilized syringe (107).

Claims

1. A power injector syringe assembly, comprising:

a syringe barrel;

a plunger movable relative to said syringe barrel and comprising a plunger head disposed within said syringe barrel;

a fixture detachably connected to said syringe barrel, wherein said fixture comprises a band which in turn comprises first and second edge portions that cooperate to define a lock when said fixture is installed on said syringe barrel; and

a data storage device on said fixture.

3. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pre-filled syringe that in turn comprises said syringe barrel and said plunger, wherein said pre-filled syringe comprises medical fluid within said syringe barrel.

9. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said band is flexible to accommodate flexure of said band to increase a spacing between said first and second edge portions, to in turn accommodate both installation and removal of said band relative to said syringe barrel.

10. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second edge portions comprises a tab and the other of said first and second edge portions comprises a notch, and wherein said lock comprises said tab and said notch.

11. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, further comprising an unlocking tool.

12. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 11, wherein said unlocking tool is engageable with said lock to change said lock from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration, wherein said band is removable from said syringe barrel with said lock being in said unlocked configuration.

13. A power injector comprising the power injector syringe assembly of claim 11, wherein said unlocking tool is detachably connected with said power injector.

14. A power injector comprising the power injector syringe assembly of claim 11, wherein said unlocking tool is integrated into the structure of said power injector.

15. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second edge portions are disposed in overlapping relation when said band is installed on said syringe barrel.

16. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixture structurally reinforces said syringe barrel.

17. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixture is reusable.

18. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixture extends about an entirety of a perimeter of said syringe barrel.

19. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixture comprises a lock.

20. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 19, further comprising an unlocking tool.

21. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 20, wherein said unlocking tool is engageable with said lock to change said lock from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration, wherein said fixture is removable from said syringe barrel with said lock being in said unlocked configuration.

22. A power injector comprising the power injector syringe assembly of claim 20, wherein said unlocking tool is detachably connected with said power injector.

23. A power injector comprising the power injector syringe assembly of claim 20, wherein said unlocking tool is integrated into the structure of said power injector.

24. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said data storage device comprises an RFID tag.

25. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said data storage device comprises stored data, which in turn comprises at least one of a syringe status, fluid type, concentration, manufacture date, lot, date filled, volume filled, expiration date, patient identification information, patient medical information, or injection protocol information.

26. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said data storage device is separately attached to said fixture.

27. The power injector syringe assembly of claim 1, wherein said data storage device is incorporated into the structure of said fixture.

2. A power injector syringe assembly, comprising:

a syringe barrel;

a plunger movable relative to said syringe barrel and comprising a plunger head disposed within said syringe barrel;

a fixture detachably connected to said syringe barrel, wherein said fixture comprises a sleeve which in turn comprises first and second edges that are freely movable relative to each other, wherein said sleeve is disposable in a first configuration by a flexing of said sleeve to increase a spacing between said first and second edges, to in turn accommodate both installation and removal of said sleeve relative to said syringe barrel; and

a data storage device on said fixture.

4-8. -8. (canceled)

28. A method for delivering a medical fluid, comprising:

loading a medical fluid into a medical container at a second location;

installing a fixture on said medical container, wherein said fixture comprises a data storage device, and wherein said installing step comprises flexing said fixture for positioning on said medical container;

storing data on said data storage device;

transporting said medical container from said second location to a first location and with said fixture being installed on said medical container;

discharging said medical fluid from said medical container at said first location and after each of said loading, installing, and storing steps, and with said fixture remaining installed on said medical container; and

removing said fixture from said medical container after said discharging step, wherein said removing step comprises allowing said fixture and said data storage device to be reused for a subsequent execution of said method.

29-47. -47. (canceled)