SYRINGE PUMP RAPID OCCLUSION DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20120203195A1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pope, Brian, Liu, Zhan
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/16863 Occlusion detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16859 Evaluation of pressure response, e.g. to an applied pulse
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile

Abstract

An apparatus, method and program product detects an occlusion in a fluid line by determining if a relationship between force measurements departs from an expected relationship.

Claims

1. A method of automatically detecting an occlusion in a fluid line of a syringe pump, the syringe pump including a housing adapted to support a syringe containing a plunger moveable inside the syringe by pushing an end of a plunger with a pusher to expel fluid from an outlet of the syringe into a fluid line connected to the outlet and configured to carry the fluid under pressure to a patient, the method comprising:

mounting the syringe onto the housing with the plunger end extended;

coupling the pusher to the end of the plunger;

initiating a pumping sequence to cause the fluid to flow into the fluid line;

during the pumping sequence, determining a first force value indicative of force in the fluid line at time T1;

altering delivery of the fluid if the first force value deviates from an expected value; and

automatically resuming the delivery of the fluid after a delay period.

2. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 1, wherein altering the delivery of the fluid further includes determining the delay period.

3. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 1, wherein resuming the delivery of the fluid further includes resuming the delivery at a reduced infusion rate.

4. A method of automatically detecting an occlusion in a fluid line of a medical pumping system, the fluid line being configured to carry fluid under pressure between a fluid source and a patient, the method comprising:

during a pumping sequence, determining a first force value indicative of force in the fluid line at time T1;

altering delivery of the fluid if the first force value deviates from an expected value; and

automatically resuming the delivery of the fluid after a delay period.

5. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 4, further comprising providing an indication of the occlusion if a second force value indicative of force in the fluid line at time T2 deviates from the expected value.

6. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 4, wherein altering the delivery of the fluid further includes determining the expected value.

7. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 4, wherein resuming the delivery of the fluid further includes determining the delay period.

8. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 4, wherein resuming the delivery of the fluid further includes resuming the delivery at a reduced infusion rate.

9. The method of automatically detecting an occlusion of claim 4, further comprising determining if a bolus infusion is indicated.

10. A pumping system comprising:

a fluid source;

a fluid line configured to carry fluid under force between the fluid source and a patient;

a sensor for determining at least one of first and second force values indicative of the force between the fluid source and the patient taken at times T1 and T2, respectively;

a pump configured to generate the force between the fluid source and the patient;

a processor in communication with the pump; and

a memory bearing program code, the processor being configured to execute the program code, the program code when executed on the processor enabling the processor to (a) initiate altering delivery of the fluid in response to determining that the at least one of the first and second force values deviates from an expected value, and (b) to initiate resuming the delivery of the fluid after a delay period.

11. The pumping system of claim 10, the pumping system being a syringe pumping system for a syringe configured to contain fluid and including an outlet, the syringe pumping system including a housing adapted to support the syringe, a plunger having an end and configured to move within the syringe and a pusher adapted to attach to and push the end of the plunger so as to cause the fluid to exit out of the outlet of syringe.

12. The pumping system of claim 11 further comprising a syringe configured to contain fluid and including an outlet, the fluid line connected to the syringe outlet.

13. The pumping system of claim 10, wherein the program code initiates determining if a bolus infusion is being delivered.

14. The pumping system of claim 10, wherein the program code initiates resuming the delivery of the fluid at a reduced infusion rate.

15. A pumping system, comprising:

a fluid source;

a fluid line configured to carry fluid under force between the fluid source and a patient;

a sensor for determining at least one of first and second force values indicative of the force between the fluid source and the patient taken at times T1 and T2, respectively;

a pump configured to generate the force between the fluid source and the patient;

a memory bearing program code; and

a processor in communication with the pump, the processor being configured to execute the program code, the program code when executed on the processor enabling the processor to determine steady state by determining a primed status and at least one of;

(a) a comparison of a volume delivered to a startup volume, and (b) a slope and at least one of (i) a startup time limit and (ii) an occlusion time limit.

16. The pumping system of claim 15 wherein the pumping system is a syringe pumping system for a syringe configured to contain fluid and including an outlet, the pumping system further comprising a housing adapted to support the syringe;

a plunger having an end and configured to move within the syringe; and

a pusher adapted to attach to and push the end of the plunger so as to cause the fluid to exit out of the outlet of the syringe.

17. The pumping system of claim 16 further comprising a syringe configured to contain fluid and including an outlet, the fluid line connected to the syringe outlet.

18. The pumping system of claim 15 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to initiate comparing a steady state slope to a trial slope.

19. The pumping system of claim 18 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to determine steady state by including comparison of the steady state slope to the trial slope.

20. The pumping system of claim 18, the program code including the steady state slope.

21. The pumping system of claim 15 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to initiate comparing an occlusion slope to a trial slope.

22. The pumping system of claim 21 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to determine steady state by including the comparison of the occlusion slope to the trial slope.

23. The pumping system of claim 21, the program code including the occlusion slope

24. The pumping system of claim 18 wherein a trial slope is generated from the first and second force values.

25. The pumping system of claim 19 wherein a trial slope is generated from the first and second force values and wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to follow the comparison to the trial slope by a comparison of the time since determination of the first and second force values with an occlusion startup time limit and to declare steady state only if the time since determination exceeds the occlusion startup time limit.

26. The pumping system of claim 25, the program code including the occlusion startup time limit.

27. The pumping system of claim 22 wherein a trial slope is generated from the first and second force values and wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to follow the comparison to the trial slope by a comparison of the time since determination of the first and second force values with an occlusion startup time limit and to declare steady state only if the time since determination exceeds the occlusion startup time limit.

28. The pumping system of claim 27, the program code including the occlusion startup time limit.

29. The pumping system of claim 15 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to determine steady state by including a comparison of startup time to a startup time limit.

30. The pumping system of claim 29, the program code including the startup time limit.

31. The pumping system of claim 15 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to determine whether the pump is primed prior to determining steady state.

32. The pumping systems of claim 15 wherein the program code when executed on the processor enables the processor to determine steady state by including a comparison of a volume delivered to a startup volume.