Implantable infusion pump

• US 5,814,019 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aqulinx Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fresenius AG (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Walter, Claus, Steinbach, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/618,431
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/132, 604/140, 604/141, 604/143, 604/145
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/155 pressurised by gas introduced into the reservoir

Abstract

The invention refers to an implantable infusion pump for the dosed administration of medication into the human body comprising a pump chamber which is formed by a lower chamber part and an upper chamber part connected thereto, whereby the pumping chamber is divided into two subchambers by a gas impermeable flexible partition and provided as a reservoir for medicinal solutions, the upper chamber part has a refilling opening which is sealed by at least a pierceable septum and the reservoir for medicinal solutions is connected to an outlet catheter via an outlet opening and possibly an outlet reduction arrangement, and the second subchamber is delimited by the lower chamber part and the flexible partition to serve as a pressure chamber to accommodate a propellant, whereby the gas impermeable partition is a convex metal foil following the contour of the inner form of the upper part of the chamber. This metal foil may be covered on one or both sides with a polymer support film.

Claims

1. An implantable infusion pump for the dosed administration of medications into the human body, comprising:

a pumping chamber, which is formed by a lower chamber part; and

an upper chamber part connected thereto, wherein

a) the pumping chamber is divided by a gas impermeable flexible divider into two subchambers;

b) the first subchamber is delimited by the upper chamber part and the flexible partition and is designed as a reservoir for medicinal solutions, the upper part of the chamber has a refill opening which is sealed by at least one pierceable septum, and the reservoir for medicinal solutions is connected to an outlet catheter via an outlet opening, and

c) the second subchamber is delimited by the lower chamber part and the flexible partition and is designed as a pressure chamber to accommodate a propellant, wherein the gas impermeable flexible divider is a convex metal foil following the contour of the inner form of the upper part of the chamber and is covered with a first polymer film on the side facing the medicinal solution.

2. The infusion pump according to claim 1, wherein on the side of the metal foil facing the medicinal solution, a third polymer film with good blocking characteristics against water vapor is disposed.

3. The infusion pump according to claim 2, wherein the third polymer film is a polychluorotrifluoroethylene film.

4. The infusion pump according to claim 1, wherein a fourth polymer film with medication compatibility and blocking characteristics against water vapor, oxygen and CO₂ coming in contact with the medicinal solution, is disposed.

5. The infusion pump according to claim 4, wherein the fourth polymer film is a polyethyleneterephthalate film.

6. The infusion pump according to claim 1, wherein a second metal foil or a metal composite film is additionally disposed between the propellant and the inner wall of the lower part of the chamber which film is connected to the partition in the edge area along the entire circumference.

7. The infusion pump according to claim 6, wherein the second metal foil is made of platinum.

8. The infusion pump according to claim 6, wherein the second metal foil is made of aluminum.

9. The infusion pump according to claim 6, wherein the second metal foil is made of gold.

10. The infusion pump according to claim 6, wherein the second metal foil is made of silver.

11. The infusion pump according to claim 6, wherein the second metal foil is made of titanium.

12. The infusion pump according to claim 1, wherein the first polymer film of the metal foil facing the medicinal solution is a film made of polyamide.

13. The infusion pump according to claim 1, wherein the first polymer film of the metal foil facing the medicinal solution is a film made of polyethyleneterephthalate.

14. An implantable infusion pump for the dosed administration of medications into the human body, comprising:

a pump chamber, which is formed by a lower chamber part; and

an upper chamber part connected thereto, wherein

a) the pumping chamber is divided by a gas impermeable flexible divider into two subchambers,

b) the first subchamber is delimited by the upper chamber part and the flexible partition and is designed as a reservoir for medicinal solutions, the upper part of the chamber has a refill opening which is sealed by at least one pierceable septum, and the reservoir for medicinal solutions is connected to an outlet catheter via an outlet opening, and

c) the second subchamber is delimited by the lower chamber part and the flexible partition and is designed as a pressure chamber to accommodate a propellant, wherein the gas impermeable flexible divider is a convex metal foil following the contour of the inner form of the upper part of the chamber and is covered with a first polymer film on the side facing the medicinal solution and a second polymer film on the side facing the propellant.

15. The infusion pump according to claim 14, wherein the second polymer film is a polyolefin film.

16. The infusion pump according to claim 15, wherein the polyolefin film is a polyethylene film.