Method and apparatus for improving success rate of blood yield from a fingerstick

• US 7,699,791 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Pelikan Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Boecker, Dirk, Lum, Paul, Alden, Don, Freeman, Dominique M., Verdonk, Edward D., Drbal, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano; Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VI X
• Application Number:
  US10/363,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,869 Days
• Field of Search: 606/167, 606/172, 606/181, 606/182, 606/183, 600/573, 600/576, 600577-579, 600/583
• US Class Current: 600/583
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150061 Means for enhancing collection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150083 by vibration, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150167 Adjustable piercing speed of skin piercing element, e.g. blade, needle, lancet or canula, for example with varying spring force or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150427 Specific tip design, e.g. for improved penetration characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32

Abstract

Blood samples can be collected without substantial contamination from ambient air, such that the blood sample may be analyzed accurately for gaseous components such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. An embodiment of the device has integrated actuation, lancing, and sample acquisition components, which in some embodiments are miniatuized and/or disposable.

Claims

1. A method for sampling blood comprising the steps of:

using an electronic driver to drive a penetrating member and lance a piece of skin to create an incision and a wound tract, the electronic driver being coupled to a processor and the processor being coupled to an amplifier; and

using the amplifier to modulate power from a power supply to the electronic driver to provide a controlled slowed retraction of the penetrating member at a different velocity than a velocity of the penetrating member during creation of the incision, the slowed retraction of the penetrating member creating a bracing of the wound by keeping the tract from closing and keeping a flap created at a skin surface from sealing an opening at a top of the tract, wherein control during retraction of the penetrating member includes controlling velocity of the penetrating member based on penetrating member position using a mechanically predetermined path or an electrical position feedback mechanism.

2. A method of sampling blood according to claim 1 wherein:

said bracing comprises controlling the retraction velocity of a lancet.

3. A method for sampling blood according to claim 2 wherein:

said controlling comprises of monitoring the displacement of the lancet.

4. A method of sampling blood according to claim 1 wherein:

said bracing comprises inserting a tube in the wound tract.

5. A method of sampling blood according to claim 1 wherein:

said bracing comprises stretching the piece of skin before and after said lancing.

6. A method of sampling blood comprising the steps of:

puncturing a piece of skin to create a wound tract; and

bracing said wound tract with a biodegradable structure to provide a controlled slowed retraction of the penetrating member at a different velocity than a velocity of the penetrating member during creation of the incision and permit a controlled sample of blood to exit said wound tract ,the slowed retraction of the penetrating member creating a bracing of the wound by keeping the tract from closing and keeping a flap created at a skin surface from sealing an opening at a top of the tract, wherein control during retraction of the penetrating member includes controlling velocity of the penetrating member based on penetrating member position using a mechanically predetermined path or an electrical position feedback mechanism.