Angiographic injector system with automatic high/low pressure switching

• US 6,221,045 B1
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Original Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Inventors: Wilson, Robert F., Liu, Jiyan, Paulson, Thomas, Duchon, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): YU, JUSTINE ROMANG
• Application Number:
  US08/957,801
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 604/151, 604/131, 604/232, 604/235, 604/236, 604/154, 604/156, 137/561.A, 137/625.66, 137/625.67, 137/625.68, 251/322, 251/334, 128/DIG.1, 600/505, 600/526
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1403 Flushing or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3313 used specific wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/001 Apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising syringes or needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14216 Reciprocating piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/36 with means for eliminating or preventing injection or infusion of air into body dialysis systems, blood oxygenators A61M1/14; haemofiltration equipment A61M1/34; automatic tube cut-off A61M39/281
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/365 Air detectors A61M5/1684 takes precedence; in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3626
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/01 Motorized syringe

Abstract

An angiographic injector system includes a manifold and valve which selectively connects either a syringe pump or a low pressure system to a catheter which is inserted into a patient. The valve is normally biased to a state which connects the low pressure system to the catheter for pressure monitoring, saline flushing, or aspirating functions. When an injection is to be made, the valve automatically switches so that the low pressure system is disconnected and not exposed to high pressure, while the syringe pump is connected through the manifold to the catheter.

Claims

1. An angiographic injector for injecting contrast media into a patient for detection by X-rays comprising:

a housing;

a hand held control remote from said housing generating a control signal corresponding to a desired contrast media discharge rate for said injector;

said control signal being continuously variable according to continuously varying movement of a user'"'"'s hand on said hand held control, said signal being continuously variable and sustainable at any value between preset maximum and minimum values corresponding to maximum and minimum contrast media discharge flow rates;

a computer coupled to said hand held control such that said computer regulates a motor control voltage in response to said control signal;

a syringe for discharging a fluid; and

a syringe drive motor coupled to said computer and coupled to said syringe such that said drive motor causes contrast media fluid in said syringe to discharge from said syringe at said desired contrast media fluid discharge rate;

said syringe drive motor having a capacity to inject said contrast media at a pressure greater than approximately 150 p.s.i.

2. An injector according to claim 1,wherein

said syringe includes:

a cylinder;

an inlet port for connection to a supply of fluid;

an outlet port for connection to a patient; and

a plunger movable in said cylinder and driven by said drive motor.

3. An injector according to claim 1, wherein said hand held control includes an actuator for generating said signal.

4. An injector according to claim 1, further including a connection on said computer for receiving an electrocardiographic signal derived from a patient and wherein said electrocardiographic signal is used to control to movement of said syringe drive motor.

5. n injector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a low pressure system for delivering a solution other than contrast media to said patient; and

a manifold in fluid connection with said low pressure system, said manifold including;

a first port in fluid communication with said syringe;

a second port in fluid communication with a patient; and

a third port in fluid communication with said low pressure system.

6. An injector according to claim 5, wherein said manifold includes a valve having a first state and a mutually exclusive second state;

said first state being when said second and third ports are in fluid communication with each other, and said first and third ports are not in fluid communication with each other; and

said second state being when said first and second ports are in fluid communication with each other, and said first and third ports are not in fluid communication with each other.

7. An injector according to claim 6, wherein said valve is normally biased to said first state and is switchable to said second state when fluid pressure from said syringe reaches a predetermined pressure level.

8. An injector according to claim 7, wherein said valve includes a spring-biased spool valve.

9. An injector according to claim 6, wherein said low pressure system includes:

a pressure transducer in fluid communication with said third port; and

a pump in fluid communication with said third port.

10. An injector according to claim 5, wherein said manifold includes a valve having a first state and a mutually exclusive second state;

said valve is constructed to be passively biased to said first state.

11. An injector according to claim 5, wherein said manifold further comprises:

a manifold shell housing a manifold wiper, said manifold wiper including at least two ridges which contact an inner surface of said manifold shell.

12. An injector according to claim 11, wherein said manifold shell includes at least one protrusion along said inner surface of said manifold shell which can interdigitate with said at least two ridges of said manifold wiper.

13. An injector according to claim 5, wherein said second port is in fluid communication with an inner surface of said manifold [shell] through a multipartate port opening.

14. An injector according to claim 5, wherein said second port includes an oscillation reduction port.

15. An injector according to claim 5, wherein said third port is in fluid communication with an inner surface of said manifold shell through a multipartate opening port.

16. An injector according to claim 5 wherein said manifold includes a manifold shell having an inner surface having a bullet shape at one end of said manifold shell.

17. An injector according to claim 16 wherein said one end of said manifold shell further includes a cone-shaped passageway.

18. An angiographic injector for injecting angiographic media into a patient for detection by a monitoring instrument comprising:

a housing;

a hand held control remote from said housing generating a control signal corresponding to a desired contrast media discharge rate for said injector;

said control signal being continuously variable according to continuously varying movement of a user'"'"'s hand on said hand held control, said signal being continuously variable and sustainable at any value between preset maximum and minimum values corresponding to maximum and minimum angiographic media discharge flow rates;

a computer coupled to said control such that said computer regulates a motor control voltage in response to said control signal;

a syringe for discharging a fluid;

a syringe drive motor coupled to said computer and coupled to said syringe such that said drive motor causes angiographic media fluid in said syringe to discharge from said syringe at said desired contrast media discharge rate;

said syringe drive motor having a capacity to inject said angiographic media at a pressure greater than about 150 p.s.i.; and

a connection on said computer for receiving an electrocardiographic signal derived from a patient and wherein said signal is coupled to movement of said syringe drive motor.