Smart IV bag with optical IV drug identification tag

• US 9,370,465 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrohm Spectro Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BWT Property, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Sean Xiaolu
• Primary Examiner(s): Geisel, Kara E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bologna, Dominic J
• Application Number:
  US14/047,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/12 with means for holding samples of contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/44 Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry ; Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/4406 Fluorescence spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/552 Attenuated total reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/77 by observing the effect on a chemical indicator

Abstract

This invention relates to a smart IV bag with a structurally integrated optical tag for IV drug identification and monitoring. The optical tag comprises a flow cell with a fluid channel in communication with the IV bag to sample a portion of the IV fluid onto an optical surface embedded in the flow cell. The optical surface causes a light beam to interact with the sampled IV fluid to produce a spectroscopic signal. The spectroscopic signal is then analyzed to obtain the content and concentration information of the IV fluid. Unlike traditional IV bag labels, the optical tag provides real-time, in-situ monitoring of IV fluid content and concentration, which greatly reduces the risk of mislabeling induced IV error.

Claims

1. An intravenous (IV) fluid container with pre-filled IV fluid for IV therapy, said IV fluid container comprising a structurally integrated optical IV drug identification tag, said optical IV drug identification tag comprising:

a flow cell with a fluid channel in communication with said IV fluid container;

a one-directional breakable valve embedded in said fluid channel for sealing said fluid channel to said flow cell, said one-directional breakable valve is configured to allow a portion of the IV fluid to flow one-directionally from said IV fluid container into said flow cell when broke open; and

a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) active surface embedded in said flow cell, said SERS active surface is configured to receive said portion of the IV fluid and cause a light beam to interact with said portion of the IV fluid to produce a Raman scattering signal containing a content and concentration information of the IV fluid.

2. The IV fluid container of claim 1, wherein said optical IV drug identification tag further comprising a transparent window for transmitting said light beam to said SERS active surface.

3. The IV fluid container of claim 1, wherein said SERS active surface comprises a roughened metal surface with nanostructures.

4. The IV fluid container of claim 3, wherein said nanostructures comprise surface gratings.

5. The IV fluid container of claim 1, wherein said optical IV drug identification tag further comprising a filtration member embedded in said fluid channel, said filtration member is configured to remove a pre-determined content of the IV fluid.

6. A method for identifying and monitoring the content and concentration of intravenous (IV) fluid in an IV fluid container, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an optical IV drug identification tag structurally integrated with the IV fluid container, said optical IV drug identification tag comprising a flow cell with a fluid channel in communication with said IV fluid container, a one-directional breakable valve embedded in said fluid channel for sealing said fluid channel to said flow cell, said one-directional breakable valve is configured to allow a portion of the IV fluid to flow one-directionally from said IV fluid container into said flow cell when broke open, and a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) active surface embedded in said flow cell to receive said portion of the IV fluid;

causing a light beam to interact with said portion of the IV fluid in proximity to said SERS active surface to produce a Raman scattering signal; and

measuring said Raman scattering signal to obtain a content and concentration information of the IV fluid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said optical IV drug identification tag further comprising a transparent window for transmitting said light beam to said SERS active surface.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said optical IV drug identification tag further comprising a filtration member embedded in said fluid channel, said filtration member is configured to remove a pre-determined content of the IV fluid.

9. An intravenous (IV) fluid container with pre-filled IV fluid for IV therapy, said IV fluid container comprising a structurally integrated optical IV drug identification tag, said optical IV drug identification tag comprising:

a flow cell with a fluid channel in communication with said IV fluid container;

a one-directional breakable valve embedded in said fluid channel for sealing said fluid channel to said flow cell, said one-directional breakable valve is configured to allow a portion of the IV fluid to flow one-directionally from said IV fluid container into said flow cell when broke open; and

a fluorescence active surface embedded in said flow cell, said fluorescence active surface is configured to receive said portion of the IV fluid and cause a light beam to interact with said portion of the IV fluid to produce a fluorescence signal containing a content and concentration information of the IV fluid.

10. The IV fluid container of claim 9, wherein said fluorescence active surface comprises a dielectric grating deposited on a gold film.

11. The IV fluid container of claim 9, wherein said optical IV drug identification tag further comprising a filtration member embedded in said fluid channel, said filtration member is configured to remove a pre-determined content of the IV fluid.