Device for channeling fluid and methods of use

• US 8,880,138 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Cho, Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): D'Angelo, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): JANG, CHRISTIAN YONGKYUN
• Application Number:
  US11/241,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,322 Days
• Field of Search: 600/309, 600/322, 600/345, 600/347, 600/365, 600/366, 600/362, 606/181
• US Class Current: 600/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1411 by percutaneous method, e.g. by lancet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150412 Pointed piercing elements, e.g. needles, lancets for piercing the skin blade-like piercing elements A61B5/150442
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/151 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of capillary blood, e.g. by lancets , needles or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery

Abstract

Method and apparatus for channeling fluid away from an insertion site having a channel guiding the fluid flow from the insertion site, and a channeling compartment containing absorbent material to wick the fluid such as blood away from the insertion site is provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising at least one compartment, and including an opening positioned to substantially surround an insertion site on a skin surface and to accommodate a sensor coupled to a sensor introducer for inserting the sensor under the skin surface, wherein at least a portion of the sensor is adapted to be placed under the skin surface at the insertion site, the at least one compartment configured to draw a fluid substantially from around the insertion site and away from the sensor after the introducer has inserted at least the portion of the sensor under the skin surface and the introducer has been removed from the insertion site.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an absorbent material positioned substantially within the at least one compartment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the absorbent material draws the fluid away from the insertion site and away from the sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the absorbent material includes one or more of polyester, nylon, cellulose, cellulose derivative, nitrocellulose, an anti-bacterial agent, or an anti-fungal agent.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the absorbent material is in fluid contact with the fluid substantially surrounding the insertion site, so as to draw the fluid away from the insertion site and away from the sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an electrochemical sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a glucose sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the sensor is in fluid contact with biological fluid under the skin surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a cannula of an infusion device provided at a cannula insertion site, the insertion site of the cannula substantially corresponding to the insertion site of the sensor on the skin surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the infusion device includes an insulin pump.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of compartments.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one compartment is positioned laterally from the opening and the insertion site.

13. A system, comprising:

a housing comprising a compartment, the housing adapted to be maintained in position on a skin surface for one or more days and including an opening positioned to substantially surround an insertion site on the skin surface;

a sensor with at least a portion of the sensor adapted to be placed under the skin surface, the insertion site substantially corresponding to a transcutaneous location of the sensor on the skin surface; and

an absorbent material provided substantially within the compartment and configured to draw fluid away from the sensor, across the opening and into the housing.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the absorbent material includes one of polyester, nylon, cellulose, cellulose derivative, nitrocellulose, an anti-bacterial agent, or an anti-fungal agent.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor includes an electrochemical sensor, and a first end of the sensor is adapted to be placed in fluid contact with an interstitial fluid under the skin surface.

16. The system of claim 13, further including a cannula of an infusion device provided at a cannula insertion site, the cannula insertion site substantially corresponding to the insertion site of the sensor on the skin surface.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the housing comprises a lower section configured for positioning on the skin surface and an upper section extending substantially transverse to and laterally from the lower section.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the opening is located within the lower section and the compartment is located within the upper section.

19. A method, comprising:

positioning a housing including a compartment on a skin surface, the housing adapted to be maintained on the skin surface for one or more days, wherein the housing further includes an opening positioned to substantially surround an insertion site on the skin surface;

positioning at least a portion of an analyte sensor, a cannula or both an analyte sensor and a cannula under the skin surface at the insertion site;

removing one or more introducers used for positioning the portion of the analyte sensor, the cannula or both the analyte sensor and the cannula under the skin surface from the insertion site; and

drawing a fluid substantially away from the sensor and from the insertion site of the patient skin surface using an absorbent material provided substantially within the compartment of the housing to a location inside the housing after the removal of the one or more introducers from the insertion site.

20. The method of claim 19, further including contacting the absorbent material with the fluid to draw the fluid substantially away from the insertion site.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the absorbent material includes one or more of polyester, nylon, cellulose, cellulose derivative, nitrocellulose, an anti-bacterial agent, or an anti-fungal agent.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the fluid is one or more of interstitial fluid or blood.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the location inside the housing is laterally positioned with respect to the insertion site.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the housing comprises a base portion configured for positioning on the skin surface and a lateral portion extending substantially transverse to and at a side edge of the base portion.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

an analyte sensor;

a base for retaining a transmitter in electrical contact with the analyte sensor when at least a portion of the analyte sensor is placed under a skin surface and a sensor introducer is removed from the skin surface, the base positionable entirely above the skin surface; and

at least one compartment for retaining biological fluid away from the analyte sensor, the at least one compartment positioned at a periphery of the base.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one compartment comprises an absorbent material.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one compartment comprises an agent to at least inhibit growth of harmful organisms.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the base includes a first section and a second section, the second section including the at least one compartment, and further, wherein the second section is substantially transverse to the first section.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the base is attachable to the skin surface.

30. A system, comprising:

a housing wholly positionable on a skin surface, the housing comprising an opening positioned to substantially surround an insertion site on the skin surface and comprising at least one fluid channel entirely within the housing;

a sensor substantially located at the insertion site, wherein the at least one channel is configured to wick fluid away from the sensor;

an introducer coupled to the sensor configured to place the sensor at the insertion site so that at least a portion of the sensor is placed under the skin surface upon removal of the introducer from the insertion site; and

a transmitter unit coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the sensor.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one channel comprises a notch in the housing.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one channel is in fluid communication with at least one fluid compartment within the housing.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the housing comprises a base portion configured for positioning on the skin surface and a lateral portion extending substantially transverse to and at a side edge of the base portion.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the at least one channel and the at least one compartment are located within the lateral portion of the housing.