Method and apparatus for preprogrammed infusion of IV medicaments
First Claim
1. A system for infusing a fluid to a patient which comprises:
- a fluid source;
means connected to said fluid source for pumping fluid from said fluid source to said patient;
programmable means connected to said pumping means for operating said pumping means in accordance with an infusion regimen, said infusion regimen having a flat steady state infusion rate with a ramp up change in infusion rate which includes an initial change in rate of infusion, an intermediate change in rate of infusion, and a final transitional change in rate of infusion to begin said regimen, and a controlled ramp down change in infusion rate to end said regimen; and
input means connected to said programmable means for profiling said infusion regimen to compatibly control said programmable means with input data including a total volume of said fluid to be infused and a total time for infusing said total volume of fluid.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for infusing TPN fluids to a patient includes a source of fluid, a pump for infusing fluid from the source to the patient, and a computer for controlling the operation of the pump. During the operation of the apparatus the infusion rate of the pump is varied according to an infusion regimen that is based on the volume of fluid to be infused and the time during which the fluid is to be infused. This regimen is characterized by a trifurcated ramp up region having interrelated incremental rates of infusion which transition the pump from a zero rate of infusion to a steady state rate of infusion. The infusion regimen is also characterized by a period of steady state infusion which follows the ramp up region, and a ramp down region in which the infusion rate is decremented from the steady state rate based on the remaining volume of fluid to be infused to the patient and the remaining time for infusing this remaining volume of fluid. Infusion rate changes in both the ramp up and ramp down regions is accomplished in steps. Depending on the calculated steady state infusion rate, the step sizes may be either 5 ml/hr or 1 ml/hr. The different time intervals between steps in the ramp up region are related to each other and to the total time for infusing fluids to the patient and the time intervals between steps in the ramp down region are controlled by the computer.
84 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A system for infusing a fluid to a patient which comprises:
-
a fluid source; means connected to said fluid source for pumping fluid from said fluid source to said patient; programmable means connected to said pumping means for operating said pumping means in accordance with an infusion regimen, said infusion regimen having a flat steady state infusion rate with a ramp up change in infusion rate which includes an initial change in rate of infusion, an intermediate change in rate of infusion, and a final transitional change in rate of infusion to begin said regimen, and a controlled ramp down change in infusion rate to end said regimen; and input means connected to said programmable means for profiling said infusion regimen to compatibly control said programmable means with input data including a total volume of said fluid to be infused and a total time for infusing said total volume of fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus for infusing fluids to a patient from a fluid source which comprises:
-
a pump connected with said fluid source to pump fluid therefrom; and a computer, said computer being programmable to control said pump for infusion of fluids to said patient in accordance with a profiled infusion regimen, said regimen including a volume of fluid to be infused to the patient, a time for infusing said volume, and a ramp up infusion region having interrelated incremental rates of infusion which include an initial change in rate of infusion, an intermediate change in rate of infusion, and a final transitional change in rate of infusion which transition said pump from zero rate of infusion to a steady state rate of infusion. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for administering total parenteral nutrition to a patient with a programmable pump in accordance with an infusion regimen based on a selected volume of fluid to be infused and a total time for infusion, which comprises the steps of:
-
selecting times in said infusion regimen for a ramp up region, a steady state region, and a ramp down region, each said region being established as a percentage of said total time for infusion; inputing data to said pump for said volume to infused and said total time for infusion; calculating a steady state infusion rate; selecting a step size compatible with said steady state infusion rate for use as increments in said ramp up region and decrements in said ramp down region; selecting different time intervals in said ramp up region, between said step size increments, to transition operation of said pump from a zero infusion rate to said steady state infusion rate; maintaining said steady state infusion rate in said steady state region of operation; entering said ramp down region with one said step size decrement in said rate of infusion; calculating an ideal infusion rate during operation in said ramp down region; comparing an actual infusion rate with said ideal infusion rate to determine a difference therebetween; reducing said actual infusion rate by one step size decrement when said difference exceeds a certain value; and operating said pump at a KVO rate after operation in said ramp down region is completed. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification