Multi-fluid medical injector system and methods of operation

• US 9,474,857 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Riley, Michael A., Schriver, Ralph H., Barlow, William D., Joyce, Thomas P., Maihoefer, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAO, ELMER M
• Application Number:
  US14/041,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20140027009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/507 for determination of haemodynamic parameters, e.g. perfusion CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1402 Priming
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1403 Flushing or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14553 comprising a pressure jacket
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1407 Infusion of two or more substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1458 Means for capture of the plunger flange
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1782 Devices aiding filling of syringes in situ combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents A61J1/2096, filling of medical containers in general B65B3/003

Abstract

A multi-fluid injector system and methods of operation thereof are presented. One embodiment of such a fluid injector system includes an automatic refill procedure for a fluid injector system comprising a fluid injector and an operably engaged syringe. The procedure includes the step of determining, using an electronic control device operably controlling the fluid injector system, whether a fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is impending. If the electronic control device determines that the fluid injection procedure is not impending, such that the automatic refill will not interfere with the fluid injection procedure, an automatic refill of the syringe is initiated.

Claims

1. An automatic refill procedure for a fluid injector system comprising a fluid injector and an operably engaged syringe, the procedure comprising:

providing at least one hand controller configured to operate at least a portion of the fluid injector system;

providing at least one sensor disposed in the at least one hand controller, the at least one sensor comprising at least one of the following;

an accelerometer, a position sensor, an orientation sensor, a capacitance touch sensor, a thermal sensor, or any combination thereof;

providing at least one processor in communication with the fluid injector system;

determining, with the at least one processor, if a fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is impending based at least partially on inactivity of the at least one hand controller of the fluid injector system for a certain period of time, wherein the inactivity of the at least one hand controller for the certain period of time is determined based at least partially on the at least one sensor in the at least one hand controller, and indicates that the fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is not impending; and

initiating, with the at least one processor, an automatic refill of the syringe in response to determining that the fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is not impending, such that the automatic refill does not interfere with an impending fluid injection procedure.

2. The automatic refill procedure of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor comprises a timer for monitoring the inactivity of the at least one hand controller of the fluid injector system, and wherein the inactivity of the at least one hand controller for the certain period of time indicates that the automatic refill of the syringe will not interfere with the impending fluid injection procedure.

3. The automatic refill procedure of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor in the at least one hand controller signals to the at least one processor that the at least one hand controller is inactive.

4. The automatic refill procedure of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a preprogrammed trigger minimum volume is present in the syringe.

5. The automatic refill procedure of claim 4, wherein the preprogrammed trigger minimum volume is at least partially determined by or from at least one of the following:

tracking a fluid volume dispensed from the syringe during operation of the fluid injector system, a fluid level sensor associated with the syringe, an amount of fluid to perform a next fluid injection procedure, or any combination thereof.

6. The automatic refill procedure of claim 4, wherein the preprogrammed trigger minimum volume is determined to be present in the syringe when, at the completion of a fluid injection procedure, there is not enough fluid to perform a next fluid injection procedure.

7. The automatic refill procedure of claim 1, wherein the initiated automatic refill refills the syringe without inducing a vacuum condition in the syringe.

8. A fluid injector system comprising a fluid injector and an operably engaged syringe, comprising:

at least one hand controller configured to operate at least a portion of the fluid injector system;

at least one sensor disposed in the at least one hand controller, the at least one sensor comprising at least one of the following;

an accelerometer, a position sensor, an orientation sensor, a capacitance touch sensor, a thermal sensor, or any combination thereof; and

at least one processor in communication with the fluid injector system, the at least one processor configured to;

determine if at least one fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is impending based at least partially on inactivity of the at least one hand controller of the fluid injector system for a certain period of time, wherein the inactivity of the at least one hand controller for the certain period of time is determined based at least partially on the at least one sensor in the hand controller, and indicates that the fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is not impending; and

initiate an automatic refill of the syringe if the at least one fluid injection procedure is not determined to be impending, such that the automatic refill of the syringe will not interfere with the fluid injection procedure.

9. The fluid injector system of claim 8, wherein the determination if at least one fluid injection procedure involving the syringe is impending is based at least partially on at least one of the following:

a movement of the at least one hand controller, an orientation of the at least one hand controller, a physical contact between the at least one hand controller and an individual, or any combination thereof.