Infusion pump including pain controlled analgesic (“PCA”) apparatus

• US 10,765,805 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2018
• Issued: 09/08/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Simmons, Mark Randal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Deanna K
• Application Number:
  US16/229,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20190117889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 604151, 604152
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1405 Patient controlled analgesia [PCA]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0241 Anaesthetics; Analgesics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/17 with redundant control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/35 Communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/01 Remote controllers for specific apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

An infusion pump apparatus including a pain controlled analgesic (“PCA”) input device is disclosed. The infusion pump apparatus includes a housing, a pump actuator supported by the housing, and a PCA input device. The infusion pump apparatus also includes electronics configured to control the pump actuator, provide a voltage to the PCA input device, and sense an electrical signal in response to the pain controlled analgesic input device being depressed. The infusion pump apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the electronics and programmed to determine whether the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous, and if the sensed signal is discontinuous, transmit an output indicative of the pain controlled analgesic input device functioning improperly.

Claims

1. An infusion pump apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a pump actuator supported by the housing;

a pain controlled analgesic (“

PCA”

) input device;

electronics configured to

control the pump actuator,

provide a voltage to the PCA input device, and

sense an electrical signal in response to the PCA input device being depressed; and

a controller electrically coupled to the electronics and programmed to (i) determine whether the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous, and (ii) if the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous, transmit an output indicative of the PCA input device functioning improperly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output indicative of the PCA input device functioning improperly is (a) audible, (b) visual, or (c) audible/visual.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output indicative of the PCA input device functioning improperly includes a message indicative of a chattering contact alert.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is a local controller, and which includes a remote controller configured to communicate with the local controller, the remote controller configured to receive the electrical signal in response to the PCA input device being depressed.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the remote controller includes an electrical contact for contacting a button of the PCA input device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to transmit the output to a location remote from the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics are configured to sense the electrical signal by detecting a change in voltage level from the voltage provided to the PCA input device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics and the controller are located on a printed circuit board.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to cause the pump actuator, via the electronics, to provide a bolus of analgesic if the sensed electrical signal is determined to be continuous.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cord configured to communicatively couple the PCA input device to the controller.

11. An infusion pump apparatus comprising:

a pump actuator;

an electrical interface communicatively coupled to a pain controlled analgesic (“

PCA”

) input device via a cord;

electronics configured to

control the pump actuator,

provide a voltage to the PCA input device via the electrical interface, and

sense an electrical signal received at the electrical interface from the PCA input device in response to the PCA input device being depressed; and

a controller electrically coupled to the electronics and programmed to (i) determine whether the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous, and (ii) if the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous, transmit an output indicative of the PCA input device functioning improperly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to display the output indicative of the PCA input device functioning improperly.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output indicative of the PCA input device functioning improperly includes a chattering contact alert.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to transmit the output to a location remote from an infusion pump housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronics are configured to sense the electrical signal by detecting a change in voltage level from the voltage provided to the PCA input device.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is programmed to instruct the electronics to cause the pump actuator to provide a bolus of analgesic if the sensed electrical signal is determined to be continuous.

17. An infusion pump method comprising:

providing, via electronics of an infusion pump, a voltage to a pain controlled analgesic input device;

sensing, via the electronics, an electrical signal in response to the pain controlled analgesic input device being depressed;

electronically determining, via a controller of the infusion pump, whether the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous; and

if the sensed electrical signal is discontinuous, electronically sending, via the controller, an output indicative of the pain controlled analgesic input device functioning improperly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the output indicating that a button of the pain controlled analgesic input device is functioning improperly is (a) audible, (b) visual, or (c) audible/visual.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting, via the controller, the output to a user interface of the infusion pump.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting, via the controller, the output to a location that is remote from the infusion pump.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising causing, via the controller, a pump actuator of the infusion pump to provide a bolus of analgesic if the sensed electrical signal is determined to be continuous.