Medical tubing installation detection

• US 9,333,286 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Wright, Nigel, Magargi, Samuel Ernest III, Harbaugh, Jeremy Thomas, Zang, Michael John, Winniewicz, Regis Joseph Jr., Beri, Joseph Stephen, Zatezalo, Douglas Mark, Monahan, Tom, Fox, Ronald Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYMAN, IMANI N
• Application Number:
  US13/106,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 604/500, 604/67, 604/122, 604/65, 73/190.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/342 Adding solutions to the blood, e.g. substitution solutions for preventing coagulation A61M1/3672
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3462 Circuits for the preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3626 Gas bubble detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1408 in parallel, e.g. manifolds, sequencing valves access sites A61M39/02; tube connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1411 Drip chambers A61M5/162, A61M5/1689, A61M5/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407

Abstract

This disclosure relates to medical tubing installation detection. In certain aspects, a method is performed by a data processing apparatus. The method includes detecting that a tube is incorrectly installed on a drug delivery device by providing an instruction for a motor of the drug delivery device to pump a drug and receiving, after a period of time has passed since providing the instruction for the motor of the drug delivery device to pump the drug, a signal from a fluid detector connected to the tube, the signal indicating an absence of fluid in the tube.

Claims

1. A method performed by a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting that a tube is incorrectly installed on a drug delivery device by;

receiving a first signal from a fluid detector connected to the tube;

determining a first magnitude of the received first signal from the fluid detector;

storing the first magnitude of the first signal;

receiving, at a later time, a second signal from the fluid detector connected to the tube, a pump connected to the tube active during a time period between receipt of the first signal and receipt of the second signal;

determining a second magnitude of the received second signal from the fluid detector;

comparing the first magnitude of the received first signal with the second magnitude of the received second signal; and

determining that the second magnitude is a threshold level greater than the first magnitude,

wherein the tube is incorrectly installed on the drug delivery device when the tube is occluded by a door of the drug delivery device being closed on the tube.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an instruction for a motor of the drug delivery device to pump a drug prior to receiving the second signal from the fluid detector.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tube has an external diameter less than 0.01 inches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid detector is connected to the tube upstream of the pump.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fluid detector is connected between a drug vial and the pump.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first signal is received after a drug has been pumped from the drug vial to fill the tube up to the pump.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid detector is an ultrasonic fluid detector.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the drug delivery device includes only one ultrasonic fluid detector connected to the tube.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device is a module that fits into a dialysis machine.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a message on a display of the dialysis machine indicating that the tube is incorrectly installed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the door is improperly closed when the door is closed on the tube.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the door is not fully closed when the door is closed on the tube.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein fluid builds up at the point of occlusion when the door is closed on the tube.