System for flushing a medical fluid

• US 4,267,834 A
• Filed: 04/24/1979
• Issued: 05/19/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Hospital Supply Corp. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Vidal, Claude A., McCord, Kenneth R., Barger, Larry N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Application Number:
  US06/032,831
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 128/214 R, 128/214 F, 128/227, 128/274, 251/4, 251/117, 222/556
• US Class Current: 604/250
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/225 Flush valves, i.e. bypass valves for flushing line

Abstract

A system for continuously administering parenteral liquid, such as normal saline, to a patient while blood pressure fluctuations are continuously monitored. The system includes a flushing valve with a manually squeezable and distortable elastic tube surrounding a flow restrictor. The flushing valve is connected through a flexible tube segment to a T-connector of the system to provide for convenient one hand flexible operation. The flushing valve, flexible tube segment, and T-connector are joined as a unit for assembling into the system.

Claims

1. A system for flushing a medical fluid that includes a pressure wave tube for coupling a patient connector with a pressure transducer, and which includes a feed tube to continuously infuse fluid to a patient through a side port of the system, wherein the improvement comprises:

a flushing valve connected to the feed tube and spaced from the side port by a flexible tube segment; and

the flushing valve includes an elastically distortable tube having a noncircular outer surface, and a restriction in the tube which combines with the tube to form a restricted passage means having a predetermined flow rate therethrough, said tube being distortable to temporarily form a flush passage in the valve having a substantially faster flow rate.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the flexible tube segment is less than 6 inches in length.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the system has a T-connector that includes a side port and the flexible tube segment is secured to the side port of this T-connector.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the T-connector is permanently connected to the flexible tube segment, and the flexible tube segment is in turn permanently connected to one end of the flushing valve.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the flushing valve has a coupler at its opposite end to removably connect with the mating coupler on the feed tube.

6. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the T-connector is rigid.

7. A system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the T-connector has two ports in addition to its side port, and these two ports each have coupling means for joining the T-connector to the system.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the two coupling ports are closed by removable protectors prior to assembling the system.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pressure wave tube has means other than the side port for injecting or extracting fluid from the system.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the pressure wave tube includes a plurality of stopcocks.

11. A system for flushing a medical fluid comprising:

a T-connector having a pair of coupling ports for joining with a pressure wave conduit means, and also having a side port;

a flexible tube segment joined to the T-connector'"'"'s side port; and

a flushing valve joined to the flexible tube segment and having a manually distortable elastic member with a noncircular outer surface, said elastic member sealingly engaging a flow restrictor and adapted to be distorted to form a flush passage.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein one coupling port includes a threaded retention collar.

13. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein both coupling ports of the T-connector are closed by a removable protector.

14. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the flushing valve has a coupler at a location spaced from the valve'"'"'s attachment to the flexible tube segment and the valve'"'"'s coupler is closed by a removable protector.

15. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the flushing valve includes a restrictor with a continuously open bore therethrough.

16. A system for flushing a medical fluid which comprises:

a pressure wave tube;

a patient connector joined to one end of the pressure wave tube;

a pressure transducer joined to an opposite end of the pressure wave tube;

a side port into the pressure wave tube;

a fluid pressure source;

a feed tube leading from the fluid pressure source to the side port; and

a flushing valve between the fluid source and the side port to control fluid flow rate through the side port; and

said flushing valve includes a flow restrictor having a slow flow bore therethrough, an elastic squeezable tube with a noncircular outer surface, said tube encasing the flow restrictor and which is distortable to temporarily form a flush passage for substantially faster flow, and a protector housing on the valve with side openings providing squeezable access to the elastic tube.