Method and Apparatus for Controlling Temperature of Medical Liquids

• US 20130197437A1
• Filed: 01/21/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I., Heymann, Bruce R., Tsang, Ray, Faries, Tarry Ann, Davis, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,211,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media

Abstract

A system for controlling temperature of intravenous fluids includes a thermal treatment device and a temperature sensing device to measure a temperature of the fluid flowing through the sensor. The temperature sensing device may simultaneously collect two temperature measurements. For example, the sensing device may include sensors that measure the temperature of the fluid at two disparate locations along the medical fluid line. Additionally, the sensors may measure the temperature of the fluid within the medical fluid line, as well as the ambient temperature outside of the line. The thermal treatment device includes a conduit configured to have a nonlinear flow path through the device. The thermal treatment device thermally treats fluid within the conduit to a desired temperature or range.

Claims

1. A temperature sensing system for measuring temperature of a sterile medical fluid, the temperature sensing device comprising:

a medical fluid line configured to couple to a medical fluid container housing a sterile medical fluid, the medical fluid line receiving the sterile medical fluid from the medical fluid container and directing the sterile medical fluid downstream toward a patient;

a thermal treatment device coupled to the medical fluid line, the thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container;

a temperature sensing device disposed along the medical fluid line at a position downstream from the thermal treatment device, the temperature sensing device comprising;

an inline conduit coupled to the medical fluid line, the inline conduit permitting the passage of fluid downstream to the patient, and

a sensor housing mounted on the inline conduit, the sensor housing including a first temperature sensor to indicate a first measured temperature and a second temperature sensor to indicate a second measured temperature; and

a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller operable to compare the first measured temperature to said second measured temperature.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further in communication with the thermal treatment device, the controller engaging or disengaging the thermal treatment device in response to comparing the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the system further comprises an alerting device to notify a user of an abnormal condition;

the controller is further in communication with the alerting device; and

the controller engages the alerting device in response to comparing the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a flow rate of the medical fluid through the temperature sensing device via comparison of the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed downstream from the first temperature sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the system further comprises an alerting device to notify a user of an abnormal condition;

the controller is further in communication with the alerting device; and

the controller activates the alerting device when the second measured temperature is equal to or greater than the first measured temperature.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor housing comprises a housing inlet disposed upstream from a housing outlet;

the first temperature sensor is disposed proximate the housing inlet such the first measured temperature indicates temperature of the fluid proximate the housing inlet (T_f); and

the second temperature sensor is disposed proximate the housing outlet such that the second measured temperature indicates temperature of the fluid proximate the housing outlet (T_e).

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor housing comprises;

a body defining an exterior surface, and

an interior channel extending through the body;

the first sensor is mounted on the body interior channel; and

the second sensor is mounted on the body exterior surface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the interior channel defines a housing inlet and a housing outlet, the housing outlet being located downstream from the housing inlet;

the first sensor is disposed proximate the housing inlet such that the first measured temperature indicates a temperature of medical fluid proximate the housing inlet; and

the second sensor indicates ambient temperature.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the system further comprises an alerting device to notify a user of an abnormal condition;

the controller is further in communication with said alerting device; and

the controller activates the alerting device if the second measured temperature is equal to or greater than greater than the first measured temperature.

11. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medical fluid, the thermal treatment system comprising:

a medical fluid line configured to couple to a medical fluid container housing a sterile medical fluid, the medical fluid line receiving the sterile medical fluid from the medical fluid container and directing the sterile medical fluid downstream toward a patient;

a thermal treatment device coupled to the medical fluid line, said thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container along the medical fluid line, the thermal treatment device comprising a tubular conduit in fluid communication with the medical fluid line, wherein the tubular conduit includes at least one curved section to define a non-linear flow path for the medical fluid passing through the thermal treatment device;

a temperature sensing device disposed along the medical fluid line at a location downstream from the thermal treatment device, the temperature sensing device including a temperature sensor to indicate a measured temperature of the sterile medical fluid.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tubular conduit comprises a plurality of curved sections thereby defining a generally serpentine flow path.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermal treatment device comprises a support member including a groove adapted to receive the tubular conduit and wherein the tubular conduit is positioned in the groove of the support member.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the thermal treatment device comprises a heating element in thermal communication with the support member and a controller operable to selectively engage and disengage the heating element, the heating element operable to apply heat to the support member.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the thermal treatment device comprises;

a support member having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface,

a groove formed into the first surface of the support member, and

a heating element in thermal communication with the second surface of the support member; and

the tubular conduit is received within said groove formed in the first surface of the support member.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first surface of the support member comprises a plurality of grooves, and the tubular conduit is received in each of the grooves.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the thermal treatment device comprises;

a first support member defining an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface,

a first groove formed into the inner surface of the first support member,

a first heating element in thermal communication with the outer surface of the first support member,

a second support member defining an inner surface and an outer surface,

a second groove formed into the inner surface of the second support member, and

a second heating element in thermal communication with the outer surface of the second support member;

the first support member is coupled to the second support member such that the first and second grooves are generally aligned to define a channel extending through the coupled support members; and

the tubular member is positioned within the channel defined by the coupled support members, the sterile medical fluid passing between the coupled support members as the sterile medical fluid is directed downstream toward a patient.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the temperature sensing device further comprises an inline conduit coupled to the medical fluid line, the inline conduit permitting passage of the sterile medical fluid downstream to the patient; and

the temperature sensor is mounted on the inline conduit.

19. A method of measuring temperature of a sterile medical fluid flowing within a medical fluid line, the method comprising:

directing a sterile medical fluid along a medical fluid line and through a thermal treatment device, the thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from a medical fluid container and toward a patient; and

directing said sterile medical fluid through a temperature sensing device, the temperature sensing device comprising;

an inline conduit coupled to the medical fluid line, the inline conduit permitting the passage of the sterile medical fluid downstream to the patient, and

a sensor housing mounted on said inline conduit, the sensor housing including a first temperature sensor to indicate a first measured temperature and a second temperature sensor to indicate a second measured temperature, and

a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller being operable to compare the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature,

wherein the temperature sensing device is positioned along the medical fluid line at a location downstream from the thermal treatment device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

measuring a first measured temperature via the first temperature sensor, the first measured temperature indicating a first temperature of the sterile medical fluid flowing within the inline conduit at a first conduit position;

measuring a second measured temperature, the second measured temperature indicating a second temperature of the sterile medical fluid flowing within the inline conduit at a second conduit position, the second conduit position being downstream from the first conduit position; and

comparing the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the temperature sensing device further comprises an alerting device to alert a user of a condition;

the controller is in communication with the alerting device; and

the controller activates the alerting device when the second temperature is greater than the first temperature by a predetermined value.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

measuring a first measured temperature via the first temperature sensor, the first measured temperature indicating a first temperature of the sterile medical fluid flowing within the inline conduit;

measuring a second measured temperature via the second temperature sensor, the second measured temperature indicating ambient temperature outside the conduit; and

comparing the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the temperature sensing device further comprises an alerting device to alert a user of a condition;

the controller is in communication with the alerting device; and

the controller activates the alerting device when the second temperature is equal to the first temperature or is greater than the first temperature by a predetermined value.

24. A method of thermally treating sterile medical fluid flowing within a medical fluid line, the method comprising:

positioning a thermal treatment device along a medical fluid line, the medical fluid line being operable to direct sterile medical fluid from a medical fluid container to a patient, the thermal treatment device being operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container along the medical fluid line, wherein the thermal treatment device comprises a tubular conduit in fluid communication with the medical fluid line, the tubular conduit including at least one curved section to define a non-linear flow path for the sterile medical fluid passing through the thermal treatment device;

directing the sterile medical fluid through the tubular conduit of the thermal treatment device; and

thermally treating the sterile medical fluid as the fluid flows through the tubular conduit.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising measuring temperature of the sterile medical fluid via a temperature sensing device disposed along the medical fluid line at a location downstream from the thermal treatment device, the temperature sensing device including a temperature sensor to indicate a measured temperature of the sterile medical fluid.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the tubular conduit comprises a plurality of curved sections thereby defining a generally serpentine flow path.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the thermal treatment device further comprises a support member including a groove adapted to receive the tubular conduit; and

the method further comprises receiving the tubular conduit within the groove of the support member.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the thermal treatment device comprises a heating element in thermal communication with the support member and a controller operable to selectively engage and disengage the heating element; and

the method further comprises heating the support member via the heating element.