Circulatory monitoring system and method
First Claim
1. In an arterial monitoring system combination, an indwelling catheter, a source of solution under pressure, a dynamic line connecting the catheter to the source, a chamber between said source and catheter, a normally static line connecting the dynamic line to the chamber, a transducer operative to monitor pressure fluctuations in the chamber, and means to flush said chamber to said dynamic line without compromising the system when said chamber is closed or non-vented to the atmosphere.
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Abstract
A sterile intra-circulatory monitoring system utilizing an indwelling catheter with fluid under pressure being forced through a fluid line to the catheter. The system includes a normally stagnant pressure chamber to which a transducer is connected. The contents of the chamber are periodically flushed back into the fluid line by utilizing a flush valve and a venturi unit. The venturi unit may be an integral part of the flush valve or separate component. With the present invention a closed loop system is utilized which does not compromise the sterility of the system or the environment.
105 Citations
54 Claims
- 1. In an arterial monitoring system combination, an indwelling catheter, a source of solution under pressure, a dynamic line connecting the catheter to the source, a chamber between said source and catheter, a normally static line connecting the dynamic line to the chamber, a transducer operative to monitor pressure fluctuations in the chamber, and means to flush said chamber to said dynamic line without compromising the system when said chamber is closed or non-vented to the atmosphere.
- 15. A system for intra-arterial monitoring comprising an indwelling arterial catheter, a source of fluid, and a flush valve and a pressure transducer therebetween, and means responsive to the flush condition of the valve to flush fluid past the transducer without compromising the sterility of the system, said means comprising a closed loop downstream of said flush valve.
- 21. In an arterial monitoring system, an indwelling catheter, a source of solution under pressure connected by a fluid line to said catheter, a pressure chamber connected to said line, means to mount a transducer on said chamber operative to monitoring pressure fluctuations therein, and means periodically to purge said chamber of unwanted fluids or air back into said line, said means comprising two normally static lines connecting said chamber back to said line.
- 28. In an arterial monitoring system, an indwelling catheter, a source of solution under pressure connected by a primary fluid line to said catheter, a branch line connected with said primary fluid line, a normally stagnant pressure chamber at one end of said branch line, and means periodically to cause fluid to flow back through said branch line to said primary line.
- 36. A method of circulatory monitoring comprising the steps of forcing fluid through a fluid line into an indwelling catheter, providing a normally stagnant chamber connected to such line, monitoring pressure fluctuations in such chamber, and periodically flushing such chamber into such fluid line.
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40. A flush system for a circulatory monitoring system having a fast flush valve, a catheter line in communication with the fast flush valve downstream thereof, a monitoring device and a static line extending between the catheter line and the monitoring device for communication therebetween, comprising
a means for reducing pressure in the catheter line downstream of the monitoring device; - and
a flush line in communication with the monitoring device and extending to said pressure reducing means. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A flush system for a circulatory monitoring system having a fast flush valve, a catheter line in communication with the fast flush valve downstream thereof, a monitoring device and a static line extending between the catheter line and the monitoring device for communication therebetween, comprising
a venturi downstream of the monitoring device in the catheter line; -
a flush line in communication with the monitoring device and extending to said venturi; and a chamber positioned at the monitoring device to which are connected the static line and said flush line, said flush line being located adjacent the top of said chamber.
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48. A flush system for a circulatory monitoring system having a fast flush valve, a catheter line in communication with the fast flush valve downstream thereof, a monitoring device and a static line extending between the catheter line and the monitoring device for communication therebetween, comprising
a means for reducing pressure in the catheter line downstream of the monitoring device; a flush line in communication with the monitoring device and extending to said pressure reducing means, the flush line including valve means for controlling flow therethrough, said valve means being constructed and arranged to open during flush flow through the flush valve. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A circulatory monitoring system, comprising
a fast flush valve; -
a catheter line in communication with said fast flush valve downstream thereof; a monitoring device; a static line extending between said catheter line and said monitoring device for communication therebetween; a venturi downstream of said monitoring device in said catheter line; and a flush line in communication with said monitoring device and extending to said venturi.
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54. A circulatory monitoring system, comprising
a source of fluid; -
a catheter line; a fast flush valve in communication with said source of fluid and said catheter line, said fast flush valve including a capillary passage in communication with said source of fluid and said catheter line for continuous low volume flow therebetween, a fast flush passage also in communication with said source of fluid and said catheter line for fast flush flow therebetween, and a valve device in said fast flush passage for selective control of fast flush flow through said fast flush passage; a monitoring device; a static line extending between said catheter line and said monitoring device for communication therebetween; a venturi downstream of said monitoring device in said catheter line; a flush line in communication with said monitoring device and extending to said venturi; and a valve means for controlling flow through said flush line, said valve means being constructed and arranged to open during flush flow through said flush valve.
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Specification