Pneumatic syringe driver

• US 7,195,610 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal Health 303 Incorporated (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flachbart, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeSanto; Matthew F.
• Application Number:
  US10/245,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 604 68- 70, 604/72, 604/97.01, 604/97.02, 604/140, 604/141, 604/97.03, 604/143, 604/98.01, 604/99.01, 604/99.02, 604/96.01, 604/99.03, 604/208, 604145-147, 128/DIG.1
• US Class Current: 604/99.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10182 Injector syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10184 Means for controlling or monitoring inflation or deflation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10185 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28

Abstract

A pneumatic syringe driver having a control module for regulating pressure applied to the plunger of an associated syringe is disclosed. The syringe driver is adapted for receiving a compressed gas canister and for enabling the selective release of gas from the canister into a chamber, one wall of which being formed by the syringe plunger via a three-way valve. The valve also enables the selective venting of gas from the canister into the atmosphere, thereby forming a venturi which reduces the pressure in the chamber and causes the syringe plunger to be withdrawn into the chamber. A pressure sensor in communication with the control module is provided for pressure feedback. Pushbuttons or switches in communication with the control module are provided for defining the syringe driver operation. The device is suited for the selective inflation and deflation of a balloon attached to the syringe driver for a balloon angioplasty procedures.

Claims

1. A pneumatic syringe driver comprising:

an internal power source;

a control module in communication with the power source;

a three-way valve in communication with and operative under the control of the control module, the valve having a first port in fluid communication with a first fluid conduit, a second port in fluid communication with a second fluid conduit, and a third port in fluid communication with a third fluid conduit, the first port of the three-way valve being in communication with the atmosphere through the first fluid conduit, wherein the three-way valve is an electronic valve and operates under the control of the control module;

a compressed gas canister in fluid communication through the second fluid conduit with the second port of the three-way valve;

a syringe having a balloon interface for mechanically communicating with a balloon disposed thereon;

a piston disposed for axial movement along the length or the syringe and dividing the syringe into a piston chamber and a syringe chamber,

wherein the piston chamber is in fluid communication with the third port of the three-way valve through the third fluid conduit; and

wherein the three-way valve may be controlled by the control module to have a first actuation state and a second actuation state, the first actuation state allowing gas to flow from the compressed gas canister through the second fluid conduit into the second port of the three-way valve and through the third port of the three-way valve into the third fluid conduit and into the piston chamber, and the second actuation state allowing gas to flow from the piston chamber through the third fluid conduit and third port of the three-way valve into the three-way valve and then through the first port of the three-way valve and first fluid conduit to the atmosphere.

2. The syringe driver of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor for detecting fluid pressure within the syringe chamber and for communicating the detected pressure to the control module.

3. The syringe driver of claim 2, wherein the control module is responsive to the detected pressure from the pressure sensor in controlling the three-way valve.

4. The syringe driver of claim 1, wherein the syringe and piston have a substantially circular cross-section.

5. The syringe driver of claim 4, wherein the piston further comprises at least one resilient seal about a circumferential surface thereof and in communication with an interior surface of the syringe.

6. The syringe driver of claim 1, wherein the internal power source is a battery.

7. The syringe driver of claim 1, wherein the control module is selected from the group consisting of a custom integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, and a programmed micro-controller.

8. The syringe driver of claim 1, wherein the second port of the three-way valve comprises a piercing member for piercing a seal in the gas canister when the gas canister is installed in the syringe driver.

9. The syringe driver of claim 1, wherein the compressed gas canister contains compressed carbon dioxide.

10. The syringe driver of claim 1, further comprising an operator input interface in communication with the control module for programming an operating regimen to be executed by the control module.

11. The syringe driver of claim 1, further comprising an operator output interface for selectively conveying syringe driver operating characteristics to an operator in visual form.

12. The syringe driver of claim 1, wherein when the three-way valve further has a third actuation state, the third actuating state allowing gas to flow from the compressed gas canister through the second fluid conduit and second port of the three-way valve through the three-way valve and out through the first port and first fluid conduit to the atmosphere, and also allowing gas to flow from the piston chamber through the third fluid conduit and third port of the three-way valve into the three-way valve and out through the first port of the three-way valve and first fluid conduit to the atmosphere.

13. A method of operating a pneumatic syringe driver for selectively inflating the interior of a balloon in fluid communication therewith, the syringe driver comprising a control module with associated power supply, an operator input interface in communication with the control module for enabling the programming of the operation of the control module, a compressed gas canister, a syringe having a fluid-tight piston disposed therein, the interior of the syringe being divided into a piston chamber on one side of the piston and a syringe chamber on the other side of the piston, and a three-way valve having a first port in fluid communication with the gas canister, a second port in fluid communication with the atmosphere external to the syringe driver, and a third port in fluid communication with the piston chamber, the method comprising:

programming an operating regimen into the control module through the use of the operator input interface;

controlling the three-way valve to place the gas canister and piston chamber in fluid communication, whereby increasing pressure in the piston chamber forces the piston into the syringe chamber;

controlling the three-way valve to prevent fluid flow between the three ports; and

controlling the three-way valve to place all three ports in mutual fluid communication, whereby gas from the piston chamber is vented to the atmosphere and creates a venturi with respect to the piston chamber according to the Bernoulli effect as compressed gas from the gas canister vents to the atmosphere.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the syringe driver further comprises a pressure sensor in communication with the control module for detecting the pressure within the syringe chamber, the method further comprising:

detecting a threshold pressure within the syringe chamber between the step of controlling the three-way valve to place the gas canister and the piston chamber in fluid communication and the step of controlling the three-way valve to prevent fluid flow between the three ports.