Implantable medication infusion pump including self-contained acoustic fault detection apparatus
First Claim
1. An implantable medication infusion pump including apparatus for diagnosing a system malfunction, comprising:
- a reservoir for containing a fluid medication;
means for transferring said fluid medication from said reservoir to a location outside said implantable medication infusion pump;
means located in said implantable medication infusion pump adjacent to said transferring means for generating electrical signals proportional to acoustic signals generated by said transferring means;
means for processing said electrical signals to produce processed electrical signals;
logic means for utilizing a characteristic related to the relative amplitude of said processed electrical signals to determine the operational condition of the implanted medication infusion pump, said logic means providing a first informational signal if said processed electrical signals are greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, said logic means providing a second informational signal if said processed electrical signals are smaller than or equal to a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value being smaller than said first predetermined value; and
means for providing an informational signal if said logic means determines the existence of a system malfunction.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus located in an implantable medication infusion pump for quickly and easily detecting a condition adversely affecting medication delivery in the implantable medication infusion pump is disclosed which can reliably detect occurrences including an occluded catheter, the presence of air in the pumping mechanism, and the failure of the pumping mechanism. The system uses the amplitude of an acoustic signal generated by operation of the pumping mechanism as compared with a baseline signal to detect an encapsulated or occluded catheter or air in the fluid line. In addition, the system can detect a partially encapsulated or occluded catheter by detecting repeated downward slope patterns during repetitive, closely spaced pumping cycles.
412 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An implantable medication infusion pump including apparatus for diagnosing a system malfunction, comprising:
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a reservoir for containing a fluid medication; means for transferring said fluid medication from said reservoir to a location outside said implantable medication infusion pump; means located in said implantable medication infusion pump adjacent to said transferring means for generating electrical signals proportional to acoustic signals generated by said transferring means; means for processing said electrical signals to produce processed electrical signals; logic means for utilizing a characteristic related to the relative amplitude of said processed electrical signals to determine the operational condition of the implanted medication infusion pump, said logic means providing a first informational signal if said processed electrical signals are greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, said logic means providing a second informational signal if said processed electrical signals are smaller than or equal to a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value being smaller than said first predetermined value; and means for providing an informational signal if said logic means determines the existence of a system malfunction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An implantable medication infusion pump including apparatus for diagnosing a system malfunction, comprising:
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a reservoir for containing a fluid medication; means for transferring said fluid medication from said reservoir to a location outside said implantable medication infusion pump; means located in said implantable medication infusion pump adjacent to said transferring means for generating electrical signals proportional to acoustic signals generated by said transferring means; means for filtering said electrical signals to produce filtered electrical signals; means for determining a characteristic related to the relative amplitude of said filtered electrical signals; means for comparing said characteristic related tot he relative amplitude of said filtered electrical signals to a characteristic of baseline electrical signals related to their relative amplitude to determine an operational condition of the implanted medication infusion pump relating to fluid not being properly pumped, said comparing means providing a first informational signal if said filtered electrical signals are greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, said comparing means providing a second informational signal if said filtered electrical signals are smaller than or equal to a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value being smaller than said first predetermined value; and means for providing an information signal if said logic means determines the existence of a system malfunction.
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33. An implantable medication infusion pump including apparatus for diagnosing a system malfunction, comprising:
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a reservoir for containing a fluid medication; means for transferring said fluid medication from said reservoir to a location outside said implantable medication infusion pump; means located in said implantable medication infusion pump adjacent to said transferring means for generating electrical signals proportional to acoustic signals generated by said transferring means; means for filtering said electrical signals to produce filtered electrical signals; logic means for utilizing a characteristic related to the slope of the relative amplitudes of said filtered electrical signals during repetitive, closely spaced pumping cycles to determine an operational condition of the implanted medication infusion pump relating to fluid not being properly pumped, said logic means providing a first informational signal if said slope is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, said logic means providing a second informational signal if said slope is smaller than or equal to a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value being smaller than said first predetermined value; and means for providing an informational signal if said logic means determines the existence of a system malfunction.
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34. An implantable medication infusion pump including apparatus for diagnosing a system malfunction, comprising:
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a reservoir for containing a fluid medication; means for transferring said fluid medication from said reservoir to a location outside said implantable medication infusion pump; means located in said implantable medication infusion pump adjacent to said transferring means for generating electrical signals proportional to acoustic signals generated by said transferring means; logic means for utilizing a characteristic related to the relative amplitude of said electrical signals to determine an operational condition of the implanted medication infusion pump relating to fluid not being properly pumped, said logic means providing a first informational signal if said amplitude of said electrical signals are greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, said logic means providing a second informational signal if said amplitude of said electrical signals are smaller than or equal to a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value being smaller than said first predetermined value.
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35. A method of diagnosing a system malfunction in an implantable medication infusion pump containing a reservoir for containing a fluid medication, and a mechanism for transferring said fluid medication from said reservoir to a location outside said implantable medication infusion pump, said method comprising:
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generating electrical signals proportional to acoustic signals generated by the transferring mechanism with a transducer located in said implantable medication infusion pump adjacent to said mechanism for transferring said fluid medication; filtering said electrical signals to produce filtered electrical signals; utilizing a characteristic related to the relative amplitude of said filtered electrical signals to determine an operational condition of the implanted medication infusion pump relating to fluid not being properly pumped; providing a first informational signal if said filtered electrical signals are greater than or equal to a first predetermined value, indicating the existence of a first type of system malfunction; and providing a second information signal if said filtered electrical signals are less than or equal to a second predetermined value, indicating the existence of a second type of system malfunction.
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Specification