COLOSTRUM COLLECTION SYSTEM

• US 20170095600A1
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lansinoh Laboratories Inc. (Pigeon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maternal Life, LLC
• Inventors: BARTLETT, II, Rush Lloyd, SHERMAN, Jules P., WANG, Frank T., VAN WERT, Ryan J.F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,426,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0053 Syringes, pipettes or oral dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/062 Pump accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1033 Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/105 Multi-channel connectors or couplings, e.g. for connecting multi-lumen tubes multi-channel connectors in general F16L37/56
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/22 Valves or arrangement of valves A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405

Abstract

An adapter system for facilitating collection of colostrum from a breast may include an adapter, a removable reservoir and a hand-expression funnel. The adapter may include a first open end for connecting to a breast shield of a breast pump system, a second open end for connecting to a breast pump connector of the breast pump system, and a third open end, disposed between the first and second open ends. The removable reservoir may include a wide end for removably attaching to the third open end and a narrow end for attaching to a colostrum delivery device. The hand-expression funnel may include a wide end for receiving colostrum and a narrow end for attaching to the colostrum delivery device. In some embodiments, the colostrum delivery device is a syringe.

Claims

1. An adapter system for facilitating collection of colostrum from a breast, the adapter system comprising:

an adapter, comprising;

a first open end for connecting to a breast shield of a breast pump system;

a second open end for connecting to a breast pump connector of the breast pump system; and

a third open end, disposed between the first and second open ends, configured for allowing the colostrum to pass out of the adapter;

a removable reservoir comprising a wide end for removably attaching to the third open end and a narrow end for attaching to a colostrum delivery device; and

a hand-expression funnel comprising a wide end for receiving colostrum and a narrow end for attaching to the colostrum delivery device.

2. The adapter system of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises:

a cylindrical body, between the first and second open ends;

a blocking member inside the body, between the second open end and the third open end, for directing the colostrum through the third open end; and

an aperture in the blocking member to allow suction force applied at the second open end to generate suction at the first open end.

3. An adapter as in claim 2, wherein the blocking member comprises a wall, and the aperture comprises a hole through the wall.

4. An adapter as in claim 3, wherein the hole is located closer to a top of the adapter than to a bottom of the adapter.

5. The adapter system of claim 1, wherein the first open end has a first inner diameter that is larger than a second inner diameter of the second open end.

6. The adapter system of claim 1, wherein the removable reservoir and the hand-expression funnel each comprise fluid level markings for measuring an amount of the colostrum.

7. The adapter system of claim 1, wherein the colostrum delivery device comprises a syringe.

8. The adapter system of claim 7, wherein the narrow end of the removable reservoir comprises threads on its inner surface for coupling with outer threads on the syringe.

9. The adapter system of claim 8, wherein the wide end of the removable reservoir comprises threads on its inner surface for coupling with outer threads on the third open end of the adapter.

10. The adapter system of claim 7, wherein the narrow end of the hand-expression funnel comprises threads on its inner surface for coupling with outer threads on the syringe.

11. The adapter system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one additional adapter; and

at least one additional removable reservoir.

12. A method for collecting colostrum from a breast and delivering the colostrum to a newborn, the method comprising:

attaching an adapter with a removable reservoir to a breast pump shield at one end and a breast pump connector at an opposite end;

attaching the removable reservoir with a syringe;

expressing colostrum from the breast, into the removable reservoir;

drawing the colostrum into the syringe by pulling back a plunger of the syringe;

detaching the syringe from the removable reservoir; and

delivering the colostrum to the newborn directly from the syringe.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

hand-expressing colostrum from the breast into a funnel attached to an additional syringe;

drawing the colostrum into the syringe by pulling back a plunger of the additional syringe;

detaching the additional syringe from the funnel; and

delivering the colostrum to the newborn directly from the additional syringe.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising measuring a fluid level of the colostrum in the funnel by viewing the colostrum and a fluid level marker on a side of the funnel.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after the detaching step and before the delivering step:

attaching the syringe to a funnel;

hand-expressing colostrum from the breast into a funnel;

drawing the colostrum into the syringe by pulling back the plunger of the syringe; and

detaching the syringe from the funnel.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising measuring a fluid level of the colostrum in the reservoir by viewing the colostrum and a fluid level marker on a side of the reservoir.