Method and device for sampling and analyzing interstitial fluid and whole blood samples
First Claim
1. A fluid sampling device comprising a body, the body comprising a dermal layer penetration probe having a penetrating end and a communicating end, and an analysis chamber having a proximal and distal end, the analysis chamber having a volume, the sampling device further comprising a pre-chamber having a volume and a first and second end, wherein the pre-chamber is interposed between the penetration probe and the analysis chamber such that the first end of the pre-chamber is adjacent the communicating end of the penetration probe and the second end of the pre-chamber is adjacent the proximal end of the analysis chamber, wherein the volume of the pre-chamber is greater than the volume of the analysis chamber, and wherein the penetration probe is in fluid communication with the analysis chamber such that fluid can flow from the penetration probe toward the analysis chamber.
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Abstract
The invention disclosed in this application is a method and device for combining the sampling and analyzing of sub-dermal fluid samples, e.g., interstitial fluid or whole blood, in a device suitable for hospital bedside and home use. It is applicable to any analyte that exists in a usefully representative concentration in the fluid, and is especially suited to the monitoring of glucose.
343 Citations
51 Claims
- 1. A fluid sampling device comprising a body, the body comprising a dermal layer penetration probe having a penetrating end and a communicating end, and an analysis chamber having a proximal and distal end, the analysis chamber having a volume, the sampling device further comprising a pre-chamber having a volume and a first and second end, wherein the pre-chamber is interposed between the penetration probe and the analysis chamber such that the first end of the pre-chamber is adjacent the communicating end of the penetration probe and the second end of the pre-chamber is adjacent the proximal end of the analysis chamber, wherein the volume of the pre-chamber is greater than the volume of the analysis chamber, and wherein the penetration probe is in fluid communication with the analysis chamber such that fluid can flow from the penetration probe toward the analysis chamber.
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27. A method for determining a presence or an absence of an analyte in a fluid sample comprising the steps of:
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providing a fluid sampling device comprising a dermal layer penetration probe having a penetrating end and a communicating end, and an analysis chamber having a proximal and distal end, the analysis chamber having a volume, the fluid sampling device further comprising a pre-chamber having a volume and a first and second end, wherein the pre-chamber is interposed between the penetration probe and the analysis chamber such that the first end of the pre-chamber is adjacent the communicating end of the penetration probe and the second end of the pre-chamber is adjacent the proximal end of the analysis chamber, wherein the volume of the pre-chamber is greater than the volume of the analysis chamber, and wherein the penetration probe is in fluid communication with the analysis chamber such that fluid can flow from the penetration probe toward the analysis chamber;
penetrating a dermal layer with the penetration probe;
substantially filling the analysis chamber with a fluid sample by allowing the sample to flow from the penetration probe toward the analysis chamber; and
detecting a presence or an absence of the analyte within the analysis chamber. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
applying a compressing force to the compressible bladder, to reduce the volume of the compressible bladder; and
releasing the compressing force, to form a partial vacuum in the compressible bladder and analysis chamber.
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31. The method of claim 30, wherein the penetrating step is preceded by the applying step and followed by the releasing step.
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32. The method of claim 27, wherein the detecting step comprises a qualitative or quantitative measurement of a characteristic of the sample.
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33. The method of claim 32 wherein the characteristic of the sample comprises a reaction product of the analyte.
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34. The method of claim 33, wherein the reaction product is selected from the group consisting of a color indicator, an electric current, an electric potential, an acid, a base, a precipitate, and a gas.
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35. The method of claim 27, wherein the analyte is selected from the group consisting of an ion, an element, a sugar, an alcohol, a hormone, a protein, an enzyme, a cofactor, a nucleic acid sequence, a lipid, a pharmaceutical, and a drug.
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36. The method of claim 27, wherein the analyte is selected from the group consisting of potassium ion, ethanol, cholesterol, and lactate.
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37. The method of claim 27, wherein the flow of sample toward the analysis chamber is driven by a driving force, wherein the driving force comprises a force selected from the group consisting of a capillary force and a pressure differential.
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38. The method of claim 37, wherein the pre-chamber is capable of exerting a first capillary force and the analysis chamber is capable of exerting a second capillary force and wherein a differential exists between the first and the second capillary forces.
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39. The method of claim 38, wherein the capillary force exerted by the analysis chamber is greater than the capillary force exerted by the pre-chamber.
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40. The method of claim 39, wherein an interior surface of the pre-chamber comprises at least first and second pre-chamber walls spaced apart at a first distance to define a pre-chamber height, and wherein an interior surface of the analysis chamber comprises at least first and second analysis chamber walls spaced apart at a second distance to define an analysis chamber height, wherein the height of the analysis chamber is less than the height of the pre-chamber, and wherein the differential capillary force derives at least in part from a difference between the pre-chamber height and the analysis chamber height.
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41. The method of claim 39, wherein at least one of the pre-chamber and analysis chamber comprises a substance capable of enhancing or diminishing a capillary force.
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42. The method of claim 41, wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a resin, a powder, a mesh, a fibrous material, a crystalline material, a porous material, or a combination thereof.
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43. The method of claim 41, wherein the substance is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, a surfactant, a hydrophilic block copolymer, and polyacrylic acid.
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44. The method of claim 37, wherein the pressure differential comprises a positive pressure applied toward the analysis chamber.
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45. The method of claim 37, wherein the pressure differential comprises a negative pressure applied from the analysis chamber.
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46. The method of claim 37, the pre-chamber further comprising at least one flexible wall and wherein upon compression of the chamber at the flexible wall the volume of the pre-chamber is reduced.
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47. The method of claim 46, the pre-chamber further comprising a valve at the first end capable of substantially sealing the pre-chamber from the penetration probe.
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48. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of substantially filling the analysis chamber with sample comprises losing the valve and compressing the pre-chamber.
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49. The method of claim 27, the analysis chamber further comprising at least one flexible wall and wherein upon compression of the analysis chamber at the flexible wall the volume of the analysis chamber is reduced.
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50. The method of claim 49, further comprising the steps of:
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applying a compressing force to the flexible wall of the analysis chamber to reduce the volume of the analysis chamber; and
releasing the compressing force, to form a partial vacuum in the analysis chamber.
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51. The method of claim 50, wherein the penetrating step is preceded by the applying step and followed by the releasing step.
Specification