Fetal blood sampling instrument
First Claim
1. An instrument (10) for obtaining a fetal blood sample comprising:
- an elongated member (12) having an open end portion (14), said open end portion (14) being hollow;
tissue thin membrane means (16) disposed in sheet-like fashion over said open end portion (14) for perfecting a seal about said open end portion (14) to close said open end portion (14) to outside contaminants;
lancing means (18) slidably supported within said elongated member (12) for piercing said membrane means (16) and making an incision in the skin (20); and
suction means for creating a suction within said open end portion (14) while maintaining the open end portion (14) and pierced membrane means (16) thereunder sealed against the skin and from outside contaminants to draw blood from the incision in the skin through said pierced membrane means (16) and into said hollow open end portion (14), gripping means (28,30,32) for holding the open end portion (14) and pierced membrane means (16) sealed against the skin while moving said lancing means (18) outward to pierce said membrane means (16) and adjacent skin and while withdrawing said lancing means (18) back out of the incision and said membrane means (16) and into said open end portion (14) and while actuating said suction means to draw blood into said open end portion (14).
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument (10) for obtaining a fetal blood sample including an elongated member (12) having an open end portion (14) and a membrane (16) disposed over the open end portion (14) for perfecting a seal about the open end portion (14). A lancet (18) in the form of a blade (64) or a sharp ended capillary tube (48) is disposed in the elongated member (12) for piercing the membrane (16) and making an incision in the skin of a fetus (20). A plunger (26) is supported within the elongated member (12) and is movable to create a suction within the open end portion (14) to draw fetal blood from the incision through the pierced membrane (16) and into the open end portion (14).
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An instrument (10) for obtaining a fetal blood sample comprising:
- an elongated member (12) having an open end portion (14), said open end portion (14) being hollow;
tissue thin membrane means (16) disposed in sheet-like fashion over said open end portion (14) for perfecting a seal about said open end portion (14) to close said open end portion (14) to outside contaminants;
lancing means (18) slidably supported within said elongated member (12) for piercing said membrane means (16) and making an incision in the skin (20); and
suction means for creating a suction within said open end portion (14) while maintaining the open end portion (14) and pierced membrane means (16) thereunder sealed against the skin and from outside contaminants to draw blood from the incision in the skin through said pierced membrane means (16) and into said hollow open end portion (14), gripping means (28,30,32) for holding the open end portion (14) and pierced membrane means (16) sealed against the skin while moving said lancing means (18) outward to pierce said membrane means (16) and adjacent skin and while withdrawing said lancing means (18) back out of the incision and said membrane means (16) and into said open end portion (14) and while actuating said suction means to draw blood into said open end portion (14). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- an elongated member (12) having an open end portion (14), said open end portion (14) being hollow;
-
21. A method for obtaining a blood sample comprising the steps of:
- disposing a tissue thin membrane means (16) over the open hollow end portion (14) of a blood sampling instrument (10) to close the open end portion (14) to outside contaminants;
inserting the open end portion (14) to contact the presenting skin with the membrane means (16) pressed against the skin by the open end portion (14);
inserting a lancet (18) from within the open end portion (14) of the instrument (10) intradermally to make an incision in the membrane means (16) and the skin;
removing the lancet (18) from the incision and the membrane means (16) and into the instrument (10) while maintaining the pierced membrane means (16) and open end portion (14) sealed against the skin; and
creating a suction within the open end portion (14) of the instrument (10) to draw blood into the open end portion (14) from the incision in the skin and through the pierced membrane (16) by continuing said suction. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- disposing a tissue thin membrane means (16) over the open hollow end portion (14) of a blood sampling instrument (10) to close the open end portion (14) to outside contaminants;
Specification