Syringe adapter with a driver for agitation of the syringe content

• US 20050234337A1
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Healthcare As (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amersham Health (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Browne, Martin M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,771,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• 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: B01F 29/30 Mixing the contents of individual packages or containers, e.g. by rotating tins or bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/50112 of the syringe or cartridge type
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/331 alternately changing the speed of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/332 alternately changing the direction of rotation

Abstract

Administration by injection or infusion to patients of an injectable liquid for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes is provided by a syringe adapter connectable with an automatic syringe pump and a syringe containing contents to be dispensed. The syringe adapter includes an adapter body receivable by the syringe pump, a syringe retainer for retaining the syringe, and a syringe driver for agitating the contents of the syringe. More particularly the invention relates to an adapter connectable with a syringe pump and methods for delivery of an injectable liquid using such adapter. By connecting an adapter according to the invention to a syringe and a syringe pump, rotation of the syringe is achieved and homogeneity of the injectable is preserved. Particularly, the injectable liquid is an ultrasound contrast agent comprising an aqueous dispersion of gas-filled microbubbles or of particulate matter.

Claims

1. An adapter connectable with an automatic syringe pump and a syringe, the syringe containing contents to be dispensed, said adapter comprising means for agitating the contents of the syringe.

2. An adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adapter comprises an adapter body receivable by a syringe-receiving-unit of the syringe pump.

3. An adapter as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

i) an adapter body receivable by the syringe pump;

ii) a syringe retainer for retaining the syringe; and

iii) a syringe driver for agitating the contents of the syringe.

4. An adapter as claimed in claim 3 wherein said adapter body further comprises an elongate cylindrically shaped portion receivable in the syringe pump.

5. An adapter according to claim 3, wherein said syringe retainer further comprises an annular syringe ring defining an insertion aperture, said syringe ring further comprising syringe retaining means extending about said insertion aperture for engaging and retaining a syringe.

6. An adapter according to claim 5, wherein said syringe retaining means engages at least one flange transversely projecting from the syringe.

7. An adapter according to claim 5, wherein said syringe driver further comprises a motor and drive means for urging said syringe ring to rotate about said insertion aperture.

8. An adapter according to claim 7, wherein said drive means further comprises a drive belt engaging a moving portion of said motor and said syringe ring.

9. An adapter according claim 5 wherein said syringe driver causes said syringe ring to reciprocally rotate about said insertion aperture.

10. An adapter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a portion being sized and shaped so as to be recognizable by a size-reading unit of the syringe pump.

11. An adapter according to claim 3, further comprising a syringe holding arm, wherein said syringe retainer is positioned towards a free end of said syringe holding arm.

12. An adapter according to claim 3, further comprising an elongate guide piston, wherein said adapter body defines a guide piston opening and an elongate guide piston passageway in communication with said guide piston opening for slideably receiving said guide piston moving between a first and a second position.

13. An adapter according to claim 12, further comprising an extension arm supported by said guide piston, said extension arm including a free end in movable spaced registry with said syringe retainer.

14. An adapter according to claim 13, further comprising a drive rod supported by said extension arm, said drive rod engaging a dispensing member of the syringe so as to cause the contents to be dispensed as said drive rod is moved relative to said syringe retainer.

15. An adapter according to claim 14, wherein said drive rod is rotateably mounted to said extension arm so as to enable said drive rod to rotate with the syringe.

16. An adapter according to claim 3, wherein said syringe retainer is offset from said adapter body.

17. An adapter of claim 1, adapted to connect to a syringe such that the adapter body and the syringe are positioned substantially in parallel.

18. An adapter of claim 1, wherein the syringe mounts to one end of said adapter body such that the adapter body and syringe are positioned substantially in line.

19. Apparatus for administration of an injectable liquid comprising an automatic syringe pump, a syringe and an adapter as claimed in claim 1.

20. Method of administration of an injectable liquid using an apparatus as claimed in claim 19.

21. (canceled)