Apparatus, system and method for a dissolvable valve member

• US 8,876,801 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Green, Kurt E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCETICH, ADAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/932,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 604/544, 604/540, 604/92, 604/167.03, 604/236, 604/237, 604/238, 604/247, 604/288, 604/288.03, 604/318, 604/319, 604/327
• US Class Current: 604/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/882 Draining devices provided with means for releasing antimicrobial or gelation agents in the drained fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0017 specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/221 Frangible or pierceable closures within tubing A61M39/14 takes precedence; frangible closures for containers A61J1/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/001 actuated by volume variations caused by an element soluble in a fluid or swelling in contact with a fluid life-boats B63C9/24

Abstract

A valve assembly is provided which includes a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a fluid channel and a central chamber. A dissolvable valve member is positioned to obstruct flow through the channel within the chamber. The dissolvable valve member is formed of a material which is dissolvable at a predetermined rate upon contact with a preselected fluid. The preselected fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood, urine, saline and antimicrobial solutions. The dissolvable valve member can be formed from a fluid soluble glass or a starch based material.

Claims

1. A valve assembly configured to employ with a urinary catheter, the valve assembly comprising:

a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a fluid channel and a central chamber, the inlet end dimensioned to releasably receive an outlet end of the urinary catheter; and

a dissolvable valve member positioned to prevent flow through the channel in its undissolved state, the dissolvable valve member being formed of a material and being configured with dimensions and in a shape to dissolve and automatically open the flow through the channel following a pre-determined time-period during which the dissolvable valve member is in contact with a preselected fluid.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the dissolvable valve member includes an inlet side, an outlet side, a central axis and a region proximate the central axis, and

wherein the region proximate the central axis is a location of a minimum thickness of the dissolvable valve member between the inlet side and the outlet side.

3. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the inlet side and the outlet side define a concavity.

4. The valve assembly of claim 3, wherein each of the inlet side and the outlet side define a spherical concavity.

5. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the dissolvable valve member is constructed such that a thickness of the dissolvable valve member increases in a series of steps from the minimum thickness to a maximum thickness located about a periphery of the dissolvable valve member.

6. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the minimum thickness is selected to provide the flow through the channel following the pre-determined time-period.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6, wherein the preselected fluid is selected from a group consisting of urine and blood.

8. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the material is impregnated with an anti-microbial agent that is released into the urinary catheter as the material dissolves.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the material is impregnated with a drug that is released into the urinary catheter as the material dissolves.

10. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the material is selected from a group consisting of a fluid soluble glass and a starch based material.

11. A method of temporarily blocking a flow of fluid in a urinary catheter, the method comprising:

locating a dissolvable valve member to block the flow of fluid in the urinary catheter; and

selecting the dissolvable valve member with a geometry and a material of construction such that a dissolution of the valve member automatically occurs following a pre-determined time-period during which the dissolvable valve member is in contact with a preselected fluid, the dissolution permitting the flow of fluid.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising varying a thickness of the dissolvable valve member between a region having a minimum thickness located in a radially central portion of the dissolvable valve member and a region having a maximum thickness located in a peripheral portion of the dissolvable valve member.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the minimum thickness to allow the flow through the urinary catheter following the pre-determined time-period.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dissolvable valve member includes an inlet side and an outlet side, and wherein the method further comprises including a concavity in a shape of at least one of the inlet side and the outlet side.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising including the concavity in the shape of each of the inlet side and the outlet side.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising including at least one step-change in thickness in at least one of the inlet side and the outlet side.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising impregnating the material of construction with a drug for release into the urinary catheter as the material dissolves.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising impregnating the material of construction with an anti-microbial agent for release into the urinary catheter as the material dissolves.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the material of construction from a group consisting of a fluid soluble glass and a starch based material.