Biological fluid constituent sampling and measurement devices and methods
First Claim
1. A biological fluid constituent sampling and concentration measurement device, said device comprising:
- at least one skin-piercing member comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end and a biological fluid access opening at the distal end;
an electrochemical cell for measuring the concentration of analyte within the biological fluid, wherein the cell comprises a first planar electrode positioned substantially transverse to the at least one skin piercing member and comprising a hole axially aligned with the channel of the at least one skin-piercing member; and
a constituent transfer medium comprising a hydrophilic material in fluid communication with the channel of the at least one skin-piercing member and with the at least one planar electrode.
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Abstract
A device for accessing biological fluid, sampling biological fluid constituents and determining the concentration of at least one target constituent within the accessed biological fluid is provided. The device has at least one micro-piercing member used to penetrate the skin to a selected depth and to access biological fluid, a constituent sampling means and a constituent measuring means. The constituent sampling means comprises a constituent transfer medium, such as a hydrophilic gel material, by which sampled constituents are transferred from the micro-piercing member to the measuring means. The measuring means includes an electrochemical cell having at least one porous electrode through which at least one sampled constituent is caused to enter into the electrochemical cell. Methods of sampling constituents within the skin and measuring the sampled constituents, as well as kits for practicing the invention are provided.
160 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A biological fluid constituent sampling and concentration measurement device, said device comprising:
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at least one skin-piercing member comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end and a biological fluid access opening at the distal end;
an electrochemical cell for measuring the concentration of analyte within the biological fluid, wherein the cell comprises a first planar electrode positioned substantially transverse to the at least one skin piercing member and comprising a hole axially aligned with the channel of the at least one skin-piercing member; and
a constituent transfer medium comprising a hydrophilic material in fluid communication with the channel of the at least one skin-piercing member and with the at least one planar electrode. - 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)
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29. A method for accessing a biological fluid within the skin of a patient the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one micro-needle comprising an open distal end and a channel therethrough;
inserting the at least one micro-needle into the skin to a selected depth;
absorbing through the open distal end and into the micro-needle channel constituents present within biological fluid present at the open distal end; and
transferring the absorbed constituents through a hole in a conductive material into a measurement chamber, wherein the conductive material is substantially transverse to the at least one micro-needle and the hole is axially aligned with the micro-needle channel. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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- 34. The method of 32 further comprising the step of deriving the concentration level of the at least one target analyte in the patient'"'"'s blood from the second signal.
Specification