INTRAVENOUS INFILTRATION DETECTION

• US 20130131506A1
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Phoenix Children's Hospital Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Murray M. Pollack
• Inventors: POLLACK, MURRAY M.
• Application Number:
  US13/299,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20130131506A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1588 having means for monitoring, controlling or visual inspection, e.g. for patency check, avoiding extravasation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1408 in parallel, e.g. manifolds, sequencing valves access sites A61M39/02; tube connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body

Abstract

A process and apparatus system for detecting an intravenous infiltration. A separate infiltration detecting solution containing an intravenously administerable infiltration indicator is intravenously administered singly or on a periodic basis and a qualitative and/or quantitative assessment of the indicator in tissue proximate and/or distal to the site of intravenous administration of a biological fluid is carried out.

Claims

1. A process for determining whether an infiltration has been caused in a patient by an intravenously administered biological fluid, which comprises during substantially continuous administration of the biological fluid, intravenously administering to the patient an infiltration detecting solution containing an indicator of infiltration and determining the presence of the indicator in patient tissue proximate and/or distal to a site of administration of the biological fluid into the patient.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the infiltration detecting solution is administered once following the start of administration of the biological fluid.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the infiltration detecting solution is administered periodically following the start of administration of the biological fluid.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the administration of the biological fluid is stopped during the administration of the infiltration detecting solution.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein at least one indicator of infiltration sensor is positioned over patient tissue proximate or distal to the site of administration of the biological fluid into the patient.

6. The process of claim 1 comprising the step of qualitatively assessing the presence of the indicator in tissue of the patient.

7. The process of claim 1 comprising the step of quantitatively assessing the presence and quantity of the indicator in tissue of the patient.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein one or more array(s) of indicator of infiltration sensors is (are) positioned over patient tissue proximate and/or distal to the site of administration of the biological fluid into the patient.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the infiltration detecting solution is administered from an intravenous fluid bag containing the infiltration detecting solution.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the infiltration detecting solution is administered from a syringe containing the infiltration detecting solution.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the infiltration detecting solution is a cooled intravenously administerable solution.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the infiltration detecting solution is at a temperature of about 40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit as administered into the patient.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein at least one array of temperature sensors is positioned over patient tissue proximate and/or distal to the site of administration of the biological fluid into the patient.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the temperature sensors comprise thermistors.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the indicator of infiltration is a dye.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the dye is a colored dye.

17. The process of claim 15 wherein the dye is a fluorescent dye.

18. The process of claim 1 wherein the indicator of infiltration is radiation.

19. The process of claim 8 wherein signals from the indicator sensors are analyzed by a signal analyzer.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein data produced by the signal analyzer is processed by an alarm processor programmed, when a threshold signal reading is reached, to automatically decrease the flow of the biological fluid to the patient.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein the indicator of infiltration is radiation.

41. The process of claim 1 wherein the biological fluid does not contain a therapeutic agent or a nutrient.

42. The process of claim 1 wherein the biological fluid contains a therapeutic agent or a nutrient.

22. An apparatus for detecting an infiltration in tissue of a patient being intravenously administered a biological fluid, the apparatus comprising:

a receptacle means containing an infiltration detecting solution;

a multichannel port and valve means through which intravenously administered fluid is inserted into the patient; and

a fluid transport element having one terminus thereof connected to the receptacle means and another terminus thereof connected to a first channel of the multichannel port and valve means.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the receptacle means is an intravenous fluid bag.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the receptacle means is a syringe.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 also comprising:

an intravenous fluid bag containing the biological fluid and

a second fluid transport element having one terminus thereof connected to the intravenous fluid bag containing the biological fluid and having another terminus thereof connected to another channel of the multichannel port and valve means.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the multichannel port and valve element comprises a separate valve associated with each channel thereof used for administering a fluid to the patient.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 also comprising at least one indicator of infiltration sensing means.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 also comprising at least one array of indicator of infiltration sensors.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sensors are temperature sensors.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the sensors comprise thermistors.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sensors are dye sensors.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the sensors are color sensors.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the sensors are fluorescence sensors.

34. The apparatus of claim 27 also comprising a signal analyzer for analyzing data generated by said sensing means.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 also comprising an alarm processor for processing data generated by said signal analyzer.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 also comprising an intravenous fluid receptacle controller regulated by said alarm processor.

37. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the signal analyzer is a temperature analyzer.

38. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the signal analyzer is a dye intensity analyzer.

39. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the signal analyzer is a radiation analyzer.

40. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the sensors are radiation sensors.