METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR EXPRESSING BODY FLUID FROM AN INCISION

• US 20060155316A1
• Filed: 02/20/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Roe, Jeffrey N., Raney, Charles C., Perez, Edward P.
• Application Number:
  US11/276,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155316A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/181
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/008 Interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150068 by tissue compression, e.g. with specially designed surface of device contacting the skin area to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150076 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150083 by vibration, e.g. ultrasound
• 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 5/15111 Semi-automatically triggered, e.g. at the end of the cocking procedure, for instance by biasing the main drive spring or when reaching sufficient contact pressure, the piercing device is automatically triggered without any deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15186 Devices loaded with a single lancet, i.e. a single lancet with or without a casing is loaded into a reusable drive device and then discarded after use; drive devices reloadable for multiple use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1519 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for propelling the piercing unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15194 fully automatically retracted, i.e. the retraction does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by terminating the contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood

Abstract

A sample of a body fluid such as blood or interstitial fluid is obtained from a body by lancing a portion of a user'"'"'s skin, preferably in an area other than a finger tip, to form an incision. After the needle has been removed from the incision, a force is applied to depress the skin in a manner forming a ring of depressed body tissue in surrounding relationship to the incision, causing the incision to bulge and the sides of the incision to open, whereby body fluid is forced out through the opening of the incision. A stimulator member is mounted to an end of a lancet-carrying housing for applying the force. The stimulator member can be movable relative to the housing, and can be either heated or vibrated to promote movement of the body fluid.

Claims

1. A sampling device, comprising:

a constricting member configured to pinch tissue to form a puckered area of the tissue;

a stimulating member positioned to contact the puckered area of the tissue;

a skin-lancing medium to form an incision in the puckered area of the tissue; and

wherein the stimulating member is configured to spread the incision open and the constricting member is configured to constrict fluid flow from the puckered area to enhance expression of the body fluid from the incision.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the constricting member is constructed of a pliable material that flexes to pinch the tissue.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the constricting member includes:

a plurality of pivot arms; and

a plurality of biasing members each coupled to a corresponding one of the pivot arms to pivot the pivot arms for pinching the tissue.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulator member includes circumferentially spaced interruptions.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulator member includes a flexible membrane.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulator members include first and second stimulator members that are interconnected to move axially in mutually opposite directions.

7. The device of claim 1, further including a second stimulator member chosen from the group consisting of, a heating mechanism for heating the stimulating member or constricting member, and a vibrator mechanism for vibrating the stimulating member or constricting member.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

means for pinching the tissue, wherein the means for pinching the tissue includes the constricting member;

means for spreading the incision open, wherein the means for spreading the incision open includes the stimulating member; and

means for forming the incision, wherein the means for forming the incision includes the skin-lancing medium