System and method for mixing parenteral nutrition solutions
First Claim
1. An apparatus for preparing parenteral nutrition solutions from a plurality of additives contained in individual vials having sealed ends, comprising:
- a rack for supporting the vials in a predetermined relationship adjacent one another, said rack having means thereon for contacting and supporting said vials in said predetermined relationship, and having quick release means for releasable attachment of said rack on a stand, said rack further having openings therethrough aligned with the positions of said vials on said rack means;
means for piercing the sealed ends of said vials to gain access to the contents thereof, through a respective opening in the rack means and into the sealed end of an associated vial, the piercing means being held on one side of the rack and an associated vial being held on the other side, said piercing means including means for attachment thereto of a pump for withdrawing additive from the associated vial, wherein an individual pump is held in associated, aligned relationship with each vial, whereby a plurality of vials and associated piercing means may be assembled to said rack and the assembly of the rack, the vials and the piercing means releasably atached to a stand, wherein;
said rack comprises an elongate, rectangularly shaped, flat bar, said openings being spaced along the length of the bar, said means for contacting and supporting the vials comprises upstanding cylindrical walls on a top surface of the bar, and said quick release means comprises key-hole shaped openings through the opposite ends of the bar; and
said stand includes a pair of elongate arms projecting in a common direction from a base, said arms having headed ends for engagement in said key-hole shaped openings and being flexible to align the headed ends with the larger part of the key-hole shaped openings whereby the headed ends may be passed through the key-hole shaped openings to enable the bar to be attached to and removed from the arms.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for mixing parenteral nutrition solutions from additives in a plurality of vials containing the additives, in which a vented spike is inserted through a disposable rack and into the stoppered end of each vial, with the vials secured on the rack. The rack is engaged on a stand through a quick release fitting, and maintains the vials in a vertical orientation with the labels clearly visible. A dedicated syringe is connected with each vial in aligned relationship therewith through a unique two-way valve which is mounted to a manifold. In one form of the invention, the valve is attached directly on the manifold to reduce dead space volume and consequently reduce residual fluid in the system between purges. A flushing system is attached to one end of the manifold to flush any residual fluids into the final container at the end of a transfer process. The other end of the manifold may be attached in tandem with a further manifold in a further apparatus containing additional vials for admixing even further additives.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. An apparatus for preparing parenteral nutrition solutions from a plurality of additives contained in individual vials having sealed ends, comprising:
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a rack for supporting the vials in a predetermined relationship adjacent one another, said rack having means thereon for contacting and supporting said vials in said predetermined relationship, and having quick release means for releasable attachment of said rack on a stand, said rack further having openings therethrough aligned with the positions of said vials on said rack means; means for piercing the sealed ends of said vials to gain access to the contents thereof, through a respective opening in the rack means and into the sealed end of an associated vial, the piercing means being held on one side of the rack and an associated vial being held on the other side, said piercing means including means for attachment thereto of a pump for withdrawing additive from the associated vial, wherein an individual pump is held in associated, aligned relationship with each vial, whereby a plurality of vials and associated piercing means may be assembled to said rack and the assembly of the rack, the vials and the piercing means releasably atached to a stand, wherein; said rack comprises an elongate, rectangularly shaped, flat bar, said openings being spaced along the length of the bar, said means for contacting and supporting the vials comprises upstanding cylindrical walls on a top surface of the bar, and said quick release means comprises key-hole shaped openings through the opposite ends of the bar; and said stand includes a pair of elongate arms projecting in a common direction from a base, said arms having headed ends for engagement in said key-hole shaped openings and being flexible to align the headed ends with the larger part of the key-hole shaped openings whereby the headed ends may be passed through the key-hole shaped openings to enable the bar to be attached to and removed from the arms. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of mixing a plurality of additives to produce a parenteral nutrition solution, comprising the steps of:
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supporting a plurality of vials containing the additives in predetermined relationship to one another; attaching a plurality of pump means in predetermined aligned relationship with the vials so that a pump means is provided for each vial and is held in aligned relationship thereto; using the pump means to successively draw the additives from the vials and expel the additives into and through a manifold to a container for the parenteral nutrition solution; and flushing the manifold with a flushing solution to remove any residual additives from the manifold following a mixing procedure. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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Specification