| System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pumpRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, With Signal, Indicator, Or Inspection MeansSystem for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070274843, System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to a system and method for detecting when a negative-going pressure exists in an infusion line or container upstream of an infusion pump during administration of an infusion fluid to a patient. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system incorporating a container-side pressure sensor for sensing negative-going changes in the pressure within a fluid line, and for monitoring the container-side pressure to prevent negative-going pressure from developing due to an un-opened or blocked vent. [0003] 2. General Background and State of the Art [0004] A common problem during infusion of therapeutic fluids into a patient occurs when the fluid to be infused is contained in burettes, bottles, or other non-flexible or partly flexible containers. When containers such as these are used as fluid reservoirs, they must be vented while the infusion is ongoing. If they are not vented, as fluid is drained from the bottle, burette, or other relatively rigid container, negative pressure is created within the container. This negative pressure may cause a reduction in flow, leading to inaccurate delivery of the therapeutic fluid. [0005] Where an infusion pump is used to infuse the therapeutic fluid, the negative pressure building inside the container may also increase strain on the infusion pump, and may cause the pump to sound an alarm if the desired fluid infusion rate cannot be maintained. Another problem that can occur is that the negative pressure may result in air ingress into the system, especially at joints in the infusion line before the infusion line enters the infusion pump. This may result in air being entrained in the therapeutic fluid, and subsequently infused into the patient. While many infusion pumps use various types of air-in-line sensors to detect such entrained air and either halt the infusion or sound an alarm requiring attention by a care-giver before an amount of air that might injure the patient can be infused into the patient, prevention of such an occurrence is more cost-effective and efficient. Moreover, in cases where thin walled, yet rigid containers are used, the negative pressure may increase to such an extent that the thin walled containers collapse, possibly spilling their contents. [0006] A vent is typically used in systems that will be infusing fluids from bottles, burettes, or other rigid or semi-rigid containers to prevent the build up of negative pressure as the fluid is drained from the container. However, if a care-giver forgets to open the vent or the particular drug or combination of drugs being infused wets the vent, the vent will not allow passage of air, resulting in a progressively increasing negative pressure in the container and fluid line as the pump attempts to draw fluid from the container. [0007] What has been needed, and heretofore unavailable, is a system and method for determining when a container that requires venting to function properly is not being vented appropriately. Such a system would be able to detect the onset of negative pressure early enough so that a signal could be provided to care-givers before the infusion became inaccurate or damage was done to the pump. Moreover, such a system would be able to determine whether the intake or container-side pressure is not changing over time, indicating a stable infusion rate, or is decreasing as fluid is removed from the container, indicating lack of proper venting requiring attention by the care-giver. The present invention satisfies these and other needs. INVENTION SUMMARY [0008] Briefly and in general terms, the present invention is directed to a system and method for detecting when a container is not vented properly, leading to the formation of a reduced or negative-going pressure in a fluid line upstream of an infusion pump. It its broadest aspect, the present invention is embodied in an infusion pump that includes a sensor for detecting the pressure of fluid in the intake fluid line upstream of the infusion pump. [0009] In another aspect, the present invention comprises an infusion pump system having a processor that monitors signals received from a sensor configured to monitor the pressure within the intake fluid line upstream of the infusion pump, and the processor also monitors a peristaltic pump within the infusion pump to track the status or position within its pumping cycle. In a further aspect, the processor samples the intake pressure multiple times each pumping cycle to compute a cycle-average, tracks the number of pumping cycles completed by the peristaltic pump, and processes the cycle-average pressures after a predetermined number of pump cycles have been completed. In a further aspect, the cycle-average pressure is sampled each time a selected number of pump cycles have been completed. After sampling the signals from the upstream pressure sensor, the processor determines whether there is a negative-going pressure present in the upstream infusion line. [0010] In yet another aspect of the present invention, if the processor determines that a negative-going pressure is present in the upstream infusion line, the processor may direct that an alert be provided to care-givers notifying them that the infusion set-up requires attention. Such an alert may be visual, such as, for example, a message on a display, a blinking light, or a change in the color of text on a display. In another aspect, the alert may be auditory, such as an alarm. In still another aspect, the alert may take the form of a printed report. In still another detailed aspect, a combination of visual and auditory alerts may be provided. Where the infusion pump is in communication with other systems, such as an institution hospital administration system, patient monitoring system or the like, the alert may be recorded in a data base of alerts, and/or it may be associated and stored in a patient's medical administration record ("MAR"). [0011] In still another aspect of the present invention, the sensed intake pressure may be stored in a memory accessible by the processor. In yet a further aspect, the processor may wait a selected number of pump cycles, and, at the conclusion of the selected number of pump cycles, sample the cycle-average sensor signals and determine a second, later, cycle-average pressure value for the pressure in the upstream fluid line. The processor may then compare the second, later, cycle-average pressure value with the earlier pressure value to determine if there is a negative-going pressure in the fluid line. The processor may employ the slope of the cycle-average intake pressure signal versus time as well as its gauge value in determining whether a fault condition is present. The processor may then issue an alert indicating that attention to the infusion set-up is required. [0012] In yet another aspect in accordance with the invention, a system for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump is provided, comprising an intake pressure sensor located upstream of an infusion pump, the intake pressure sensor configured to provide pressure signals representative of the pressure within the intake fluid line, and a processor configured to monitor a parameter representative of a status of the infusion pump such as the position of the mechanism within its pumping cycle and to sample the pressure signals received from the pressure sensor as a function of the status of the infusion pump, and, if the sampled signals indicate a negative-going pressure in the fluid line, to provide an alert. In yet another aspect, the negative-going cycle averaged pressure is indicative of a vent problem. [0013] In still another aspect, the present invention includes a system wherein the infusion pump is a peristaltic pump and the monitored parameter is both the position within the peristaltic mechanism cycle and a value of the number of pump cycles the peristaltic pump has completed. In yet another aspect, the processor samples the signals or the cycle-average of the pressure signals received from the pressure sensor when the value of the monitored parameter exceeds a predetermined number of pump cycles. [0014] In a further aspect, the processor periodically samples the cycle-average pressure signal received from the pressure sensor after a predetermined number of pump cycles has occurred. In one embodiment, the predetermined number of pump cycles is three. [0015] In another aspect, the present invention includes a method of determining the status of a vent in a fluid line located upstream of a peristaltic infusion pump, the peristaltic infusion pump configured to pump fluid in a cyclical manner, the method comprising determining a value representative of the number of cycles that the have been completed by the infusion pump, sampling cycle-averaged pressure signals provided by a pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure in a fluid line upstream of the infusion pump, processing the cycle-averaged pressure signals to determine a value for the pressure in the upstream fluid line, and providing an alert if the rate of change of the cycle-averaged pressure exceeds a limit which may be a fixed value or a function of the size and type of container provided to the pump's control system via the control interface. In another aspect, the sampling of the cycle-average pressure occurs only when a predetermined number of pump cycles have been completed. [0016] In a further aspect of the present invention, the method includes storing the value of the cycle-average pressures in a memory, sampling the cycle-averaged pressures after a predetermined number of cycles have been completed, determining a second cycle-averaged value for the pressure in the upstream fluid line, comparing the second value for the pressure to the first value for the pressure, and providing an alert signal if the second value is more negative than the first value by an amount either preset or a function of the container size and type provided to the pump's control system via the control interface. [0017] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a system for detecting a change in pressure in an infusion line upstream of an infusion pump, comprising a pressure sensor located upstream of an infusion pump adjacent an upstream infusion line, the pressure sensor configured to provide pressure signals representative of the pressure within the upstream fluid line, and a processor programmed to monitor a parameter representative of a status of an infusion of fluid into a patient, the processor also programmed to sample pressure signals received from the pressure sensor as a function of the status of the infusion, and to analyze the sampled signals to determine if the pressure in the upstream fluid line is decreasing. [0018] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the features of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] FIG. 1 depicts an infusing set-up including a fluid source and an infusion pump for infusing fluid from the fluid source into a patient. [0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of an exemplary peristaltic infusion pump including an upstream pressure sensor. [0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an infusion pump control system capable of being programmed to carry out the methods of the present invention. Continue reading about System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump... Full patent description for System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Magnetohydrodynamic pump Next Patent Application: Process and device for generating signals which can be transmitted in a well Industry Class: Pumps ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the System for detecting the status of a vent associated with a fluid supply upstream of an infusion pump patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.30594 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
