ARTERIAL BLOOD SAMPLER

• US 3,785,367 A
• Filed: 03/13/1972
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Larry A. Sims, Robert F. Fortin
• Inventors: Fortin, Robert F., Sims, Larry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US05/234,267
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2F,2R,DIG.5,2.5D,214F,216,215,218R,276 73/409
• US Class Current: 600/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150236 Pistons, i.e. cylindrical bodies that sit inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slide in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150244 Rods for actuating or driving the piston, i.e. the cylindrical body that sits inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slides in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150519 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the single-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150732 Needle holders, for instance for holding the needle by the hub, used for example with double-ended needle and pre-evacuated tube,
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1535 comprising means for indicating vein or arterial entry A61B5/1545 takes precedence

Abstract

A blood sampler with an arterial needle and a collapsed flexible blood pouch that snaps into inflated condition with arterial blood pressure but not with venous blood pressure. This provides a visual indication that an artery and not a vein has been punctured.

Claims

1. An artery-vein distinguishing blood collection device comprising:

a flexible pouch with an interior surface for contact with blood and an exterior surface for contact with atmospheric air;

a needle of sufficient length for puncturing a human artery, which needle has a blunt rear end connected in flow communication with the interior surface of the pouch, said needle extending outwardly therefrom to a sharpened artery-puncturing forward end of the needle;

a rigid transparent sleeve surrounding the pouch;

adapter means rigidly mounting the needle on the rigid sleeve;

said device having atmospheric vent means communicating with the exterior surface of the pouch;

said flexible pouch having a structure that defines a first visible position relative to the rigid sleeve at a pressure drop from the internal surface to the external surface of the pouch in the range of 3.7 to 8 mm. Hg, and the pouch has structure defining a substantially different second visible position relative to the sleeve when there is a pressure dRop from the inner surface to the outer surface of the pouch in the range of 90 to 150 mm. Hg, whereby the two substantially different structural positions are readily visible through the transparent sleeve to distinguish whether the needle is in an artery or a vein.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first structural position includes a space between the flexible pouch and the rigid sleeve at a pressure drop of 3.7 to 8 mm. Hg.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second structural position includes annular physical contact between the flexible pouch and the rigid sleeve at a pressure drop of 90 to 150 mm. Hg.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first structural position includes a toggle cone section of the pouch with a convex inner surface facing the needle'"'"''"'"'s rear end, with structure resists inversion of its convex inner surface into a concave structure with a pressure drop of 3.7 to 8 mm. Hg applied from the inner surface to the outer surface of the pouch.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein the second structural position includes the cone section with its inner surface inverted to a concave structure with a pressure drop of 90 to 150 mm. Hg applied from the inner surface to the outer surface.

6. An artery-vein pressure distinguishing blood collecting device comprising in combination:

deformable pouch means having an interior surface for contact with a pressurized blood sample and an exterior surface subject to atmospheric pressure;

tubular needle means of a length sufficient to puncture an artery and having a distal end sharpened to penetrate an artery and an opposite end portion connected in flow communication with the interior surface of the deformable pouch means for subjecting the same to arterial blood pressure, said pouch means being constructed and arranged to be deformable to one condition when subject to internal pressures in the range of 3.7 to 8 mm. Hg and being constructed and arranged to be snap-action deformable to another readily discernable condition when subject to internal pressures in the range of 90 to 150 mm. Hg, which ranges of pressures respectively comprise the venous and arterial pressures normally to be distinguished;

adapter means including means for mounting the needle means in an operative position;

a rigid sleeve circumposed about said pouch means and including means so that the pouch can be observed in any of its deformed conditions.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 6 in which said pouch comprises an elongated flexible, resilient sack extending longitudinally of said sleeve from said needle means and substantially the length of said sleeve, said sack having a normal substantially reduced cross section as compared with said sleeve cross section, said sack in the one condition when subjected to internal pressure ranging from 3.7 to 8 mm. Hg being greater in cross section than its normal relaxed condition and substantially spaced from the inner surface of said sleeve, said sack having another deformed condition when subject to internal pressures ranging from 90 to 150 mm. Hg in which the sack cross section substantially conforms to the cross section of said sleeve.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 7 in which said sleeve is open at the end opposite said needle, said sack protruding toward and disposed adjacent the open end thereof, the open end of said sleeve subjecting the outer surface of said sack to atmospheric pressures, said rigid sleeve and adapter including means rigidly and detachably connecting the sleeve to the adapter means.

9. The structure as claimed in claim 6 in which said flexible pouch comprises a conical barrier extending transversely of the sleeve and closing off the same and forming a compartment open to the needle means for receiving pressurized blood therein, said conical barriEr having a normal position in which an apex portion thereof is directed towards and substantially closes the compartment in the direction toward which it is directed, said conical barrier being invertible upon itself axially of the sleeve to substantially double the capacity of said compartment when subject to pressures in the range of 90 to 150 mm. Hg.

10. The structure as claimed in claim 9 in which said sleeve includes an open rear end for receiving piston means whereby a blood sample in said compartment may be expressed therefrom.

11. The structure as claimed in claim 10 in which said sleeve includes vent means for communicating atmospheric pressure into said sleeve and at the outer surface of said pouch opposite the compartment.

12. The structure as claimed in claim 11 in which said vent means includes closure means for closing off the vent means whereby said piston means can express the blood sample from the compartment by re-reversing the conical barrier.

13. The structure as claimed in claim 9 in which said adapter means comprises a conical portion having an inner surface substantially complementary to the inner surface of said conical barrier, the axial length of said conical barrier being such that the barrier has a substantially toggle action when subjected to the range of pressures from 90 to 150 mm. Hg whereby axial inversion thereof occurs due to arterial blood pressures and observation is readily discernable.

14. The structure as claimed in claim 13 in which said conical barrier includes a peripheral portion sandwiched between a peripheral portion of said adapter and an end portion of said sleeve.