FLUID CHARACTERISTIC MEASUREMENT

• US 20120316415A1
• Filed: 08/20/2012
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Critical Device Corp. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Paul J. Gilbert
• Inventors: Gilbert, Paul J
• Granted Patent: US 9,173,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/367
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/007 for taking urine samples measuring urological functions A61B5/20; genital receptacles A61F5/451; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0061 Alimentary tract secretions, e.g. biliary, gastric, intestinal, pancreatic secretions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1427 Multiple blood sampling, e.g. at periodic or pre-established intervals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09008 having a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09183 having tools at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3324 PH measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a detection indicator, a housing, and an exoskeleton in which the housing nests. The detection indicator is configured to furnish a visual indication upon contact with a fluid responsive to a characteristic of the fluid. The housing comprises an interior chamber configured to receive the fluid and to provide contact between the fluid and the detection indicator. The housing is configured to removably engage a conduit coupled to a source of a fluid sample, which may be a lumen inserted into a patient to receive fluid therefrom. In methods for use with the apparatus, a sample is collected, a characteristic is measured by the apparatus, and the apparatus is disconnected so as to avoid leakage of the sample and exposure of personnel.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a detection indicator configured to display at least one visual indication when in contact with a body fluid, said at least one visual indication representing a value of a characteristic of the body fluid;

a housing with an interior chamber configured to receive the body fluid and to provide contact between the body fluid and the detection indicator;

wherein the housing is configured to removably engage a conduit adapted for fluid-transfer coupling with a patient so as to enable receiving body fluid from the patient through the conduit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an exoskeletal member into which said housing is nestably disposed.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said exoskeletal member is adapted to seal the housing from leaks in that portion of the housing nested in the exoskeletal member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reference indicator configured to provide a reference visual indication for visual comparison with at least one of said at least one visual indication so as to enable determination of the value of the characteristic of the body fluid by a user.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an exoskeletal member into which said housing is nestably disposed;

wherein the reference indicator is wrapped around at least half of a perimeter of the exoskeletal member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the exoskeletal member is substantially optically transparent such that said detection indicator is viewable therethrough;

and said reference indicator and said detection indicator are simultaneously viewable.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the reference indicator is wrapped around the entire perimeter of the exoskeletal member.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an exoskeletal member into which said housing is nestably disposed;

wherein the exoskeletal member is formed as an optically transparent tube, and the reference indicator is disposed on an interior surface of said tube.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the exoskeletal member is substantially optically transparent such that said both the detection indicator and the reference indicator are simultaneously viewable therethrough.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a filter disposed between the conduit and the interior chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an automatic valve disposed between the conduit and the interior chamber to permit fluid communication substantially exclusively in a single direction.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adaptor disposed in an opening of the apparatus in fluid communication with the interior chamber, the adaptor having body with a plurality of conical ribs thereon.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a resilient sleeve circumferentially covering at least some of the plurality of conical ribs.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a manually-operated valve disposed between the conduit and the interior chamber, which valve may be operated to allow or prevent fluid communication therebetween.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body fluid is a liquid.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body fluid is gastric aspirate.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conduit is a nasogastric tube.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a detection indicator configured to display at least one visual indication when in contact with a body fluid, said at least one visual indication representing a value of a characteristic of the body fluid;

a first body portion;

a second body portion adapted to mate with the first body portion;

the first body portion having an interior chamber adapted to house the detection indicator and to receive the body fluid and provide contact between the body fluid and the detection indicator.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first body portion and said second body portion are configured when in a mated assembly to form a fluid conduit from a first end of the mated assembly to a second end of the mated assembly, the fluid conduit being in fluid communication with the interior chamber.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the mated assembly is configured to removably engage a conduit adapted for fluid-transfer coupling with a patient so as to enable receiving body fluid from the patient through the conduit.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first body portion comprises a tubular member and the interior chamber is at least partially defined by an interior wall of the tubular member and a panel extending across points on the interior wall.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the interior chamber forms a slot for receiving the detection indicator.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the interior chamber forms a curved slot conforming to the interior wall of the tubular member for receiving the detection indicator.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the body fluid is a liquid.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the body fluid is gastric aspirate.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said conduit is a nasogastric tube.

27. A method comprising:

coupling a fluid characteristic indicator to a conduit coupled to a patient source of body fluid so as to enable body fluid transfer between the patient and the fluid characteristic indicator;

aspirating a quantity of body fluid from said patient into said fluid characteristic indicator to saturate the fluid characteristic indicator; and

insufflating air into the fluid characteristic indicator to flush body fluid therefrom.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

before aspirating body fluid from the patient, insufflating a predetermined quantity of air into the conduit.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

further coupling said conduit to suction through a valve; and

before coupling the conduit to suction, operating the valve to temporarily disable the suction.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

after aspirating body fluid from the patient, operating the valve to enable the suction, whereby the suction substantially prevents body fluid flushed from the fluid characteristic indicator from returning to the patient.

31. A method comprising:

coupling a fluid characteristic indicator to a conduit coupled to a patient source of body fluid, the couplings enabling body fluid transfer between the patient and the fluid characteristic indicator;

aspirating a quantity of body fluid from said patient into said fluid characteristic indicator to saturate the fluid characteristic indicator; and

insufflating air into the fluid characteristic indicator to flush body fluid therefrom, returning to the patient substantially all body fluid obtained therefrom.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

before aspirating body fluid from the patient, insufflating a predetermined quantity of air into the conduit.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

applying a cap to the conduit.

34. A method comprising:

providing a fluid characteristic measurement housing comprising a generally tubular body having an interior lumen and a sealing member;

placing a detection indicator adjacent a portion of the housing; and

wrapping the sealing member around the housing and the detection indicator.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising applying an adhesive to the detection indicator prior to placing the detection indicator.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising placing the detection indicator on the sealing member prior to wrapping the sealing member.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising applying an adhesive to the sealing member prior to placing the detection indicator.

38. The method of claim 34 further comprising applying a sealant to the sealing member prior to wrapping.

39. The method of claim 34 further comprising applying a sealant to the housing prior to wrapping.

40. The method of claim 34 further comprising sealing the sealing member to the housing after wrapping.

41. Apparatus comprising:

a container;

a fluid characteristic measurement apparatus disposed in the container, the fluid characteristic measurement apparatus having a detection indicator configured to display at least one visual indication when in contact with a body fluid, said at least one visual indication representing a value of a characteristic of the body fluid;

a syringe disposed in the container; and

a right-angle adaptor disposed in the container.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising a flexible tubing adaptor disposed in the container.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising a barb adaptor disposed in the container.