Methods and apparatus for expressing body fluid from an incision

• US 6,319,210 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Amira Medical (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Roe, Jeffrey N., Grage, Henry M., Douglas, Joel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARMOR II, CHARLES ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/586,969
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 600/573, 600/576, 600/583, 606/181, 606/182
• US Class Current: 600/583
• 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 2017/00765 Decreasing the barrier function of skin tissue by radiated energy, e.g. using ultrasound, using laser for skin perforation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157 disposable multilayered or laminated electrodes G01N27/307; details of handling chemical test elements G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• 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 5/15109 Fully automatically triggered, i.e. the triggering does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by contact with the patient's skin
• 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 5/15194 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

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 device for expressing body fluid from a lanced skin surface comprising:

a housing;

a retractable skin lancing mechanism mounted in the housing;

a hollow stimulator member comprising a stimulating end adapted to surround an incision when the stimulating end is pressed against the skin surface; and

a heater electrically connected to the stimulating end.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulating end comprises having a peripheral surface adapted to surround the incision when the stimulating end is pressed against the skin surface, the peripheral surface having a shape chosen from:

a polygon and an oval.