Physiological fluid warmer
First Claim
1. In combination with a source of a physiological fluid, a venous entry device for infusion of said physiological fluid into a patient at an infusion site, and a source of heat transfer fluid maintained at a preselected temperature, the improvement comprising:
- a chamber having an exterior surface adapted to be attached to and supported by said patient such that said chamber may rest upon a skin surface of said patient at said infusion site,means defining a fluid-tight interior in said chamber including walls defining an exterior surface of said chamber,means for conveying said heat transfer fluid from and to said source thereof to and from, respectively, said interior of said chamber,a continuous single length of tubing positioned within said interior of said chamber,said tubing having an interior surface defining a continuous, fluid-tight passage therethrough out of fluid contact with said interior of said chamber and an exterior surface in heat transfer relationship with a heat transfer fluid conveyed through said interior of said chamber,said tubing further including opposing ends wherein one of said ends of said tubing defines an upstream end located adjacent to one of said walls to define an entry point for said physiological fluid through one of said chamber walls and into said tube and wherein the other of said ends defines a downstream end located adjacent to one of said walls to define an exit point for said physiological fluid through one of said chamber walls and out of said tube,means for conveying said physiological fluid from said source thereof to said upstream end of said tubing for flow through said passage,means for conveying said physiological fluid from said downstream end of said tubing to said venous entry device wherein said means for conveying physiological fluid to and from said tubing define continuous fluid-tight passages passing through said chamber walls and connected to respective ends of said single length of tubing, andsaid means for conveying said physiological fluid from said downstream end of said tubing having a length of less than one foot from said downstream end of said tubing to said venous entry device, such that the heat lost by said physiological fluid after leaving said chamber is minimized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable physiological fluid warmer formed as a small compact box which may be attached to a patient'"'"'s arm. The warmer includes two chambers within the box containing a heat exchanger element constructed from a continuous length of stainless steel tubing in the form of two parallel coils which are connected to one another by a straight length of tubing. A passage is provided along one side of the box between the chambers such that a warming fluid may be introduced through an aperture in the box into one of the chambers, flow into the other chamber, and then exit the warmer through another aperture in the box. A physiological fluid to be warmed is supplied to the coils through a first flexible plastic inlet tube and discharged for infusion into a patient through a second flexible plastic tube. The second tube has a length of less than one foot in order to minimize the amount of heat lost from the fluid as it travels from the warmer to the patient.
101 Citations
37 Claims
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1. In combination with a source of a physiological fluid, a venous entry device for infusion of said physiological fluid into a patient at an infusion site, and a source of heat transfer fluid maintained at a preselected temperature, the improvement comprising:
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a chamber having an exterior surface adapted to be attached to and supported by said patient such that said chamber may rest upon a skin surface of said patient at said infusion site, means defining a fluid-tight interior in said chamber including walls defining an exterior surface of said chamber, means for conveying said heat transfer fluid from and to said source thereof to and from, respectively, said interior of said chamber, a continuous single length of tubing positioned within said interior of said chamber, said tubing having an interior surface defining a continuous, fluid-tight passage therethrough out of fluid contact with said interior of said chamber and an exterior surface in heat transfer relationship with a heat transfer fluid conveyed through said interior of said chamber, said tubing further including opposing ends wherein one of said ends of said tubing defines an upstream end located adjacent to one of said walls to define an entry point for said physiological fluid through one of said chamber walls and into said tube and wherein the other of said ends defines a downstream end located adjacent to one of said walls to define an exit point for said physiological fluid through one of said chamber walls and out of said tube, means for conveying said physiological fluid from said source thereof to said upstream end of said tubing for flow through said passage, means for conveying said physiological fluid from said downstream end of said tubing to said venous entry device wherein said means for conveying physiological fluid to and from said tubing define continuous fluid-tight passages passing through said chamber walls and connected to respective ends of said single length of tubing, and said means for conveying said physiological fluid from said downstream end of said tubing having a length of less than one foot from said downstream end of said tubing to said venous entry device, such that the heat lost by said physiological fluid after leaving said chamber is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A fluid warmer in combination with a source of physiological fluid, a venous entry device for infusion of said physiological fluid into an infusion site on a patient, and a source of heat transfer fluid, said fluid warmer comprising:
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a chamber including walls defining an exterior and a fluid-tight interior, said chamber having a maximum volume of approximately 128.1 cc whereby said chamber is adapted to be attached to and supported by said patient with said chamber exterior positioned in contact with and supported by a skin surface of said patient, means for conveying said heat transfer fluid from and to said source thereof to and from, respectively, said interior of said chamber, a continuous single length of tubing positioned within said interior of said chamber, said tubing having an interior surface of a predetermined inner circumference defining a continuous, fluid-tight passage therethrough out of fluid contact with said interior of said chamber and an exterior surface in heat transfer relationship with a heat transfer fluid conveyed through said interior of said chamber, and said tubing having opposing ends, one of said ends defining an upstream end located adjacent to means defining an opening through one of said walls to define an entry point for said physiological fluid into said tubing, the other of said ends defining a downstream end located adjacent to means defining an opening through one of said walls to define an exit point for said physiological fluid out of said tubing, means attached to said tubing for conveying said physiological fluid from said source thereof to said upstream end of said tubing for flow through said passage, means attached to said tubing for conveying said physiological fluid from said downstream end of said tubing to said venous entry device, and wherein all of said physiological fluid conveyed into and out of said chamber passes through said continuous single length of tubing, and said predetermined inner circumference is such that said physiological fluid may pass through said tubing at a flow rate of at least 10 ml/min when a maximum fluid pressure of 30 mm of Hg is applied to said physiological fluid between said source thereof and said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification