Remotely programmable infusion system

• US RE36,871 E
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Strohl, Clair, Epstein, Paul, Adaniya, George, Coyne, Henry, Petschek, Harry, Kaleskas, Edward, LaWhite, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US08/401,339
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 128/DIG. 12, 128/DIG. 13, 604/65-67, 604/152, 604/258
• US Class Current: 604/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14224 Diaphragm type
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/13 Infusion monitoring

Abstract

An infusion system for administering multiple infusates at individually programmable rates, volumes, and sequences in any order from any one or more of plural fluid input ports through a patient output port and into the circulatory system of a patient. Infusates may be either continuously or time sequentially administered, and infusates may be either intermittently administered at selectively regular intervals or in time overlap to administer a dilution. Various error conditions are automatically detected and alarms generated in the event of conflicts between infusates, to identify times of no infusions, and to identify system malfunctions. The system is selectively operable, among others, in a priming mode, a maintenance mode, a normal-on mode, and a manual override mode. The system is operative to adapt actual to desired flow rates in normal operation. All fluids flow through a unitary disposable cassette without making any other system contact. Air bubbles in the fluid line are automatically detected and disposed of. Fluid pressures are monitored and system operation adjusted as a function of such pressures. Infusates may be administered from syringes as well as from standard bag or bottle containers. Infusate from a selected input port may be controllably pumped into a syringe for unsticking the syringe plunger. The system is selectively operable to adjust total fluid volume and rate to below preselected values for patients whose total fluid intake must be restricted. The system is operable to maintain an accurate record of total infusion history. The system may be controlled by a terminal or a computer located remotely from the patient location. The system may include auxiliary pumps in addition to a primary pump, all controlled by a single computer.

Claims

1. An infusion system for administering fluids to a patient at a patient location in accordance with control exercised from a source remote from the patient location, comprising

means for .Iadd.separately .Iaddend.infusing .Iadd.a plurality of .Iaddend.fluids into a patient .Iadd.through a plurality of pumps .Iaddend.at the patient location.Iadd., .Iaddend.in accordance with selected instructions.Iadd., said means for separately infusing being integrally housed with at least one of said plurality of pumps.Iaddend.;

means locally associated with said infusing means .Iadd.and integral with at least one of said plurality of pumps, .Iaddend.for generating said instructions .Iadd.to control the infusion of each of said plurality of fluids.Iaddend.;

means on line with said locally associated instruction generating means and remote therefrom for remotely controlling said infusing means, including means for controlling said locally associated instruction generating means to selectively generate instructions;

means coupled to the infusing means and to the remotely controlling means for receiving at the patient location signals from said instruction generation controlling means representative of said selectively generated instructions;

said remotely controlling means including a computer interface; and

said receiving means including means for formatting and buffering said signals from said remote source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said infusing means is operable to infuse plural fluids with respective selected instructions into the patient.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said instructions include rate of pumping and which fluid is to be pumped.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said instruction generation controlling means further includes a keyboard for generating said signals representative of said selectively generated instructions governing infusion therapy in the locale of the patient.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said receiving means includes a telecommunications interface coupled to said remotely controlling means.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said remotely controlling means is a control computer remote from said infusing means.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said infusing means includes a processor controlled plural input single output infusion control pump.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said interface is a serial interface.

9. An infusion system for administering fluids to a patient comprising:

means for controlling an infusion of .Iadd.a first set and a second set of .Iaddend.fluids into a patient in accordance with selected instructions, said instructions including, for each fluid to be infused, at least one of a rate instruction, a time instruction, and a volume instruction, said controlling means including means for interactively entering to said controlling means said at least one instruction for each fluid to be infused;

primary .Iadd.pumping .Iaddend.means .Iadd.integrally housed with and .Iaddend.controlled by said controlling means.Iadd., .Iaddend.for .Iadd.selectively .Iaddend.pumping .Iadd.any of the first set of .Iaddend.the fluids in accordance with said instructions, said primary pumping means comprising a first pump and having an associated first fluid output port, adapted to be connected to a patient output line; and

auxiliary means controlled by said controlling means for .Iadd.selectively .Iaddend.pumping .Iadd.any of the second set of .Iaddend.the fluids in accordance with said instructions, said auxiliary pumping means comprising a second pump and having an associated second fluid output port adapted to be connected to a patient output line.

10. The infusion system of claim 9 wherein

said primary pumping means includes means for pumping a first fluid;

and

said auxiliary pumping means includes means for pumping a second fluid incompatible with the first fluid.

11. The infusion system of claim 9 wherein

said primary pumping means includes a pump processor slaved to said controlling means and responsive to said controlling means to infuse the fluids in accordance with said instructions.

12. The infusion system of claim 11 wherein

a bit serial asynchronous communications link interconnects said primary pumping means processor and said controlling means.

13. The infusion system of claim 9 wherein

said auxiliary pumping means includes an auxiliary pump processor slaved to said controlling means and responsive to said controlling means to infuse the fluids in accordance with said instructions.

14. The infusion system of claim 13 further comprising

means for interfacing interconnecting said auxiliary pumping means processor and said controlling means.

15. The infusion system of claim 14 wherein

said interfacing means includes means for formatting and buffering data.

16. The infusion system of claim 9 wherein said first pumping means further comprises a disposable cassette releasably mounted thereto.

17. The infusion system of claim 9 wherein said second pumping means further comprises a disposable cassette releasably mounted thereto.

18. An infusion system for administering fluids to a patient comprising:

means for controlling an infusion of fluids into a patient in accordance with selected instructions, said instructions including, for each fluid to be infused, at least one of a rate instruction, a time instruction, and a volume instruction;

a first pump .Iadd.integrally housed with and .Iaddend.controlled by said controlling means.Iadd., .Iaddend.for pumping the fluids in accordance with said instructions, a disposable cassette releasably associated with said first pump, .Iadd.said disposable cassette including a plurality of fluid inlet ports and inlet valves that control fluid flow from the plurality of fluid inlet ports into .Iaddend.a fluid channel disposed through said cassette, whereby said first pump pumps fluids through said fluid channel in accordance with said instructions; and

a second pump controlled by said controlling means for pumping the fluids in accordance with said instructions.

19. The infusion system of claim 18, further comprising a disposable cassette releasably associated with said second pump, and a fluid channel disposed through said cassette associated with said second pump, whereby said second pump pumps fluid through said fluid channel in accordance with said instructions.