Method and apparatus to indicate prior use of a medical item
First Claim
1. An apparatus for notifying a user of a prior injection within a medical item including a receptacle containing a medical fluid, said apparatus comprising:
- a port to receive an injection of a substance for said medical item, wherein said port includes a membrane and a tubular member extending from said membrane with a passage defined therethrough for fluid communication with said receptacle, and wherein said membrane is penetrable by an instrument to receive said instrument within said passage for said injection of said substance; and
an indicator disposed within said passage and triggered by direct contact with said instrument to indicate occurrence of said injection, wherein said indicator alters an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid to indicate occurrence of said injection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention monitors an IV bag injection port and informs the user of prior injections. The present invention employs an object and/or a sealed chamber within a transparent IV fluid bag injection port. In the case of the object, notification of prior use is achieved when the object'"'"'s or IV fluid'"'"'s appearance is altered. With respect to the sealed chamber, the chamber'"'"'s seal is breached to allow fluid to pass between the chamber and the IV bag to change the appearance of the contents of the chamber. Since the injection port and bag walls are at least partially transparent, medical personnel are able to observe the altered appearance of either the object, IV fluid or the sealed chamber.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for notifying a user of a prior injection within a medical item including a receptacle containing a medical fluid, said apparatus comprising:
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a port to receive an injection of a substance for said medical item, wherein said port includes a membrane and a tubular member extending from said membrane with a passage defined therethrough for fluid communication with said receptacle, and wherein said membrane is penetrable by an instrument to receive said instrument within said passage for said injection of said substance; and an indicator disposed within said passage and triggered by direct contact with said instrument to indicate occurrence of said injection, wherein said indicator alters an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid to indicate occurrence of said injection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A medical item notifying a user of a prior injection comprising:
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a receptacle including a medical fluid; a port to receive an injection of a substance for said medical item, wherein said port includes a membrane and a tubular member extending from said membrane to said receptacle including said medical fluid with a passage defined therethrough for fluid communication with said receptacle, and wherein said membrane is penetrable by an instrument to receive said instrument within said passage for said injection of said substance; and an indicator disposed within said passage between said membrane and said receptacle including said medical fluid and triggered by direct contact with said instrument to indicate occurrence of said injection, wherein said indicator alters an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid to indicate occurrence of said injection. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification