FLUID TRANSFER PORT INFORMATION SYSTEM

• US 20090112178A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: BEHZADI, YASHAR
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/503
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/276 preventing unwanted use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3538 using electrical conduction through the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

Methods are provided for associating a specific one of two or more distinct fluid transfer ports of a patient with a given fluid transfer event of fluid from a parenteral fluid delivery device. Aspects of the methods include establishing a fluid transfer connection between the parenteral fluid delivery device and the patient via one of the two or more distinct fluid transfer ports and transmitting a fluid transfer signal between the parenteral fluid delivery device and a patient associated identifier using the patient'"'"'s body as a signal conduction medium. Association may result in identification of the fluid transfer port that will be, is being or has been employed for the given fluid transfer event. Also provided are systems for practicing methods of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of associating a specific fluid transfer port with a given fluid transfer event of fluid to a patient from a parenteral fluid delivery device, the method comprising:

establishing a fluid transfer connection between the parenteral fluid delivery device and the patient via one of two or more distinct fluid transfer ports of the patient;

transmitting a fluid transfer signal between the parenteral fluid delivery device and a patient associated identifier using the patient'"'"'s body as a signal conduction medium;

from a parameter of the fluid transfer signal associating a specific fluid transfer port of the two or more distinct fluid transfer ports of the patient with the fluid transfer event.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the associating comprises identifying which of the fluid transfer ports has been, is being or will be used for delivery of the fluid from the parenteral fluid delivery device to the patient.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is a parameter that varies with respect to distance traveled by the signal.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the parameter is a measure of signal strength.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer signal is transmitted from the patient associated identifier to said parenteral fluid delivery device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer signal is transmitted to the patient associated identifier from the parenteral fluid delivery device.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the fluid transfer signal is transmitted to a first and second patient associated identifier and a signal parameter of the signal received at each of the first and second patient associated identifiers is employed to associate a specific fluid transfer port with a given fluid transfer event.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer signal is conductively transmitted between the parenteral fluid delivery device and the patient associated identifier using the patient as a conductive medium.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises non-conductively communicating between the patient associated identifier and the parenteral fluid delivery device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises transmitting a signal from at least one of the patient associated identifier and the parenteral fluid delivery device to an external processing system.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the external processing system is a hospital information system.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises generating an error signal when the associated fluid transfer port is an incorrect fluid transfer port.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises producing a fluid administration log comprising information about fluid delivery via the two or more distinct fluid transfer ports.

14. A system comprising:

(a) a parenteral fluid delivery device;

(b) a patient associated identifier configured to be associated with a patient; and

(c) two or more distinct fluid transfer ports

wherein the system is configured to;

transmit a fluid transfer signal between the parenteral fluid delivery device and the patient associated identifier using a patient'"'"'s body as a signal conduction medium following establishment of a fluid transfer connection between the parenteral fluid delivery device and the patient; and

from a parameter of the fluid transfer signal associate a specific one of the two or more distinct fluid transfer ports of the patient with a given fluid transfer event from the parenteral fluid delivery device to the patient.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the parenteral fluid delivery device comprises a broadcasting element for transmitting a fluid transfer signal to the patient associated identifier and the patient associated identifier comprises a receiver element for receiving a fluid transfer signal from the parenteral fluid delivery device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the system comprises two or more patient associated identifiers each comprising a receiver element for receiving a fluid transfer signal from the parenteral fluid delivery device.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the patient associated identifier comprises a broadcasting element for transmitting a fluid transfer signal to the parenteral fluid delivery device and the parenteral fluid delivery device comprises a receiver element for receiving a fluid transfer signal from the patient associated identifier.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein the system is configured to conductively transmit the fluid transfer signal between the parenteral fluid delivery device and the patient associated identifier using said patient as a conductive medium.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said system further comprises an external processing system.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said external processing system is a hospital information system.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein the system is configured to produce an error signal when the associated specific fluid transfer port is an incorrect fluid transfer port.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the system is configured to produce a fluid administration log comprising information about fluid delivery via the two or more distinct fluid transfer ports.