PREDICTION, VISUALIZATION, AND CONTROL OF DRUG DELIVERY BY INFUSION PUMPS

• US 20140303591A1
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark A. Lovich, Steward St. Elizabeth'S Medical Center Of Boston, Inc. (Steward Health Care Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterfreund, Robert A., Sims, Nathaniel M., Lovich, Mark A., Parker, Michael, DeMonaco, Harold J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,764,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14292 Computer-based infusion planning or simulation of spatio-temporal infusate distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

Systems for predicting a drug delivery profile as described herein include at least one drug pump and/or a controllable valve that produce a drug flow. The drug pump and/or controllable valve dispense at least a first drug. The system also includes at least one carrier fluid pump and/or another controllable valve that produces a carrier fluid flow, a flow junction structure configured to receive the drug flow and the carrier fluid flow to produce a mixed flow, and a fluid path for carrying the mixed flow between the flow junction structure and a delivery point. The system further includes a processing device configured to predict the drug delivery profile at the delivery point based on determining a predicted time variation of drug concentration at the delivery point using at least a model of the mixed flow. The model includes a plurality of parameters related to propagation of the mixed flow through the fluid path.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A system for controlling a drug delivery profile, the system comprising:

at least one drug pump that produces a drug flow, wherein the at least one drug pump dispenses at least a first drug;

at least one carrier fluid pump that produces a carrier fluid flow;

a flow junction structure configured to receive the drug flow and the carrier fluid flow to produce a mixed flow;

a fluid path for carrying the mixed flow between the flow junction structure and a delivery point; and

a control module configured to control the drug delivery profile at the delivery point by controlling a drug flow rate and a carrier fluid flow rate such that a ratio between the drug flow rate and the carrier fluid flow rate is substantially fixed over a range of time, and the mixed flow is varied to achieve a particular drug delivery profile.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least one controllable valve disposed upstream from the flow junction structure and wherein the control module controls the drug delivery profile at the delivery point by controlling a flow through the controllable valve.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a constant pressure valve disposed upstream from the controllable valve, wherein the constant pressure valve is configured to maintain a constant pressure upstream of the controllable valve for a fluid that flows through the controllable valve.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the control module is further configured to adjust a drug delivery rate at the delivery point within the range of time by simultaneously controlling the drug flow rate and the carrier fluid flow rate.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein a drug concentration in the drug flow is substantially fixed over the range of time.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the control module adjusts the drug delivery rate to achieve a predicted drug delivery rate calculated using at least a model of the mixed flow.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the control module is further configured to adjust the drug delivery profile such that excess volume delivery over time is substantially reduced while maintaining target drug delivery within allowable tolerances.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the model includes a plurality of parameters related to propagation of the mixed flow through the fluid path.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the control module is further configured to:

set an initial drug flow rate and an initial carrier fluid flow rate at substantially high values within corresponding allowable ranges at an onset of the range of time; and

reduce, after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the drug flow rate and the carrier fluid flow rate such that the drug delivery profile is achieved at the delivery point.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the predetermined amount of time is substantially equal to a time taken by the mixed flow to traverse the fluid path when the drug flow rate and the carrier fluid flow rate are set at the initial drug flow rate and the initial carrier fluid flow rate, respectively.

31-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method for predicting delivery rate at a delivery point, the method comprising:

receiving, at a processing device, one or more operating parameters related to a first container that dispenses a drug and a second container that dispenses a carrier fluid, wherein at least one of the drug and the carrier fluid is dispensed at a predefined pressure; and

determining, by the processing device, a delivery rate of the drug at the delivery point by predicting time variation of a concentration of the drug at the delivery point based at least on a mathematical model of a mixed flow through a fluid path that terminates at the delivery point,

wherein the mixed flow includes the drug and the carrier fluid, and the model includes the one or more operating parameters and a plurality of flow-parameters related to the mathematical model of the mixed flow.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the pre-defined pressure is controlled by an inline pressure control valve.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the pre-defined pressure is controlled by a substantially constant force.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the substantially constant force is provided by gravity.

39. A system for controlling a drug delivery profile, the system comprising:

a first controllable valve that controls a flow of a drug;

a second controllable valve that controls a carrier fluid flow;

a flow junction structure configured to receive the drug flow and the carrier fluid flow to produce a mixed flow;

a fluid path for carrying the mixed flow between the flow junction structure and a delivery point; and

a control module configured to control the drug delivery profile at the delivery point by controlling a drug flow rate and a carrier fluid flow rate such that a ratio between the drug flow rate and the carrier fluid flow rate is substantially fixed over a range of time, and the mixed flow is varied to achieve a particular drug delivery profile.