WO1988009188A1

WO1988009188A1 - Infusion apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1988009188A1
Application number: PCT/SE1988/000257
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tzafrir Ben Yehuda; Avi Zakai
Original assignee: Pharmacia Ab
Priority date: 1987-05-21
Filing date: 1988-05-19
Publication date: 1988-12-01
Also published as: AU1941188A; IL82619A0

Abstract

An infusion apparatus for automatically administrating a predetermined volume of a first infusion liquid followed by a second infusion liquid comprises a chamber (12) having an inlet for said second infusion liquid, first means (30) for providing fluid communication between said chamber (12) and the interior of a container (36) for said first infusion liquid; and second means (52) for providing fluid communication between the interior of said container (36) and an infusion outlet (54) to a patient, whereby flow of air into the container (36) from said chamber (12) causes flow of said first infusion liquid out of the container (36) through said infusion outlet (54).

Description

Infusion Apparatus

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an infusion apparatus for aut matically administrating a predetermined volume of a f infusion liquid followed by a second infusion liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of infusion apparatuses are known in the literature and in the marketplace. There also exist infusion kit fittings suitable for connection to two infusion liquid sources. The transition from one source to the other is normally effected manually and requires the attendance of an experienced health professional. O particular technique of this kind is described in Safar et al, "Plasma Substitutes for Resuscitation", Prog. Cl Biol. Res. 19 (1978) .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide an infusion apparatus which is capable of automatically providing a desired transition from one source to the other.

This is attained by the apparatus according to the inve in that it comprises a chamber having an inlet for said second infusion liquid, first means for providing fluid communication between said chamber and the interior of container for said first infusion liquid^a d second mea for providing fluid communicationbetween the interior o said container and an infusion outlet to a patient, whe by flow of air into the container from said chamber cau flow of said first infusion liquid out of the container through said infusion outlet.

In accordance with an embodiment of the apparatus accor to the invention said first means comprises a conduit having an inlet disposed at a predetermined height in s chamber, so as to lie above a volume in said chamber whi is slightly less than the volume of said first infusion l In said container, whereby an initial flow of said secon_d infusion liquid into said chamber causes an initial flow of air from said chamber to flow through said conduit in said container thus causing outflow therefrom of said fi infusion liquid, and whereby a flow of said second infus liquid through said conduit into said container is cause when the level thereof in said chamber reaches said pre¬ determined height therein.

In accordance with an embodiment of the apparatus accord to the invention said chamber is configured to be relati ly narrow at the top to prevent an undesired supply of a instead of the second infusion liquid, when the chamber angularly displaced from the vertical.

In accordance with an embodiment of the apparatus accord to the invention said chamber is configured to define a support location for said container for said first infusion liquid.

In accordance with an embodiment of the apparatus accord to the invention it comprises a spike arranged for engag ment with the interior of said container for said first infusion liquid, said spike having one port communicatin with said second means and another port communicating wi said first means.

In accordance with an embodiment of the apparatus accord to the invention said conduit includes a one-directional- flow valve for permitting outflow therethrough from said chamber while preventing flow therethrough into said chamber.

In accordance with an embodiment of the apparatus accord to the invention said inlet of said conduit is disposed alongside the inlet of said chamber and thereabove to prevent inadvertent direct flow of said second infusion liquid to said conduit when the chamber is angularly displaced from the vertical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciate more fully from the following detailed description take in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional illustration of an infusion apparatus designed and constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially cut-away view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, taken in the direction of arrows II-II therein;

Fig. 3 is a sectional illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 1 during a first stage of infusion during which a first liquid is being supplied to a patient;

Fig. 4 is a partially cut-away view of the infusion apparatus during the first stage of infusion, taken in the direction of arrows IV-IV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 1 during a second stage of infusion during which a second liquid is being supplied to a patient; and

Fig. 6 is a partially cut-away view of the infusion apparatus during the second stage of infusion, taken in the direction of arrows VI-VI in Fig. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is made to Figs. 1 to 6 which illustrate the infusion apparatus of the present invention. The infusio apparatus, indicated generally at reference numeral 10, comprises a composite housing including a chamber 12 typically comprising a spike 14 for puncturing a container 22 for an infusion liquid 18. The spike 14 is formed with a liquid entry port 16 for permitting flow of the infusion liquid 18, such as MACRODEX (Trademark of Pharmacia AB, Sweden) from the container 22 into the intermediate chamber 12 via a liquid conduit 20, typically at a rate of 20 to 30 cm 3 per minute.

The chamber 12 is further formed with a liquid exit port shown generally at reference numeral 24. The liquid exit port 24 includes a one-directional flow valve 26 to the upstream side of which is connected an exit conduit 28 and to the downstream side of which is connected an intermedia conduit 30.

Mounted on the first spike 14 and communicating with the interior of the container 22 via a liquid conduit 21 is a regulatable filtered air vent 32 for providing air to the liquid container 22. It will be appreciated that when a rigid container such as a bottle is being used, liquid flow therefrom only occurs when air is permitted to enter thereinto. Therefore, when the air vent 32 is close there is no liquid flow from container 22, and as the air vent 32 is progressively opened, the flow out of the con¬ tainer 22 increases accordingly.

It will further be appreciated that when the container 22 is a bag, the air vent 32 need not be opened or even pro¬ vided in order to initiate flow.

The chamber 12 is configured so as to define a container support location 34 which is adapted to support a containe 36, typically of size 20-50 cm³, of an infusion liquid ₃8, such as PROMIT (Trademark of Pharmacia AB, Sweden) to be administered before the liquid 18 to the patient. The container 36 is punctured by a spike 40 mounted in a lower portion of support location 34, such that the spike commu¬ nicates with the interior of the container 36. Formed within the second spike 40 are entry and exit po 42 and 44, respectively. The entry port 42 communicates with the intermediate conduit 30 at a connection locati 46 by means of a first conduit 48 formed internally of the spike 40 and is adapted to permit the entry of the liquid 18 into the container 36.

By way of a second conduit 52 formed within spike 40, the exit port 44 communicates with a drip chamber 50 mo beneath the container support location 3 . The conduit is thus adapted to permit the outflow of liquid from th container 36 into the drip chamber 50, from where the - liquid flows into a patient supply conduit 54.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presen invention, the chamber 12 is configured to be relativel narrow at the top, so that a minimum of air remains in the chamber 12 when it is filled, thus preventing undes supply of air, instead of the second infusion liquid through exit port 24, when the chamber 12 is angularly displaced from the vertical.

Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inlet 56 of the exit port is disposed alongside the bottom 58 of the infusion inle

60, communicating with the conduit 20 and somewhat ther above so as to prevent inadvertent direct flow from the infusion inlet 60 to the exit port 24 when the chamber ₁ is angularly displaced from the vertical.

The operation of the infusion apparatus of the present invention will now be described:

Initially, as shown in Fig. 1, the outlet 54 is clamped by apparatus not shown and a full container 36 of the fi infusion liquid 38 is mounted on the spike 40. There¬ after, a full container 22 of the second infusion liquid is mounted on the spike 14. When the outlet 54 is undam the liquid 18 begins to flow out of the container 22 and into the chamber 12.

As the chamber 12 begins to fill with the liquid 18, air is forced out of the chamber 12 by way of the exit condui

5 28 and the valve 26 and flows through the intermediate conduit 30 into the container 36 via the entry port 42.

Air flowing into the container 36 forces the liquid 38 out of the container 36 causing it to flow through the exit port 44, the conduit 52, into the drip chamber 50 0 and out through the supply conduit 54 to a patient as sho in Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when the level of the liquid 18 contained in the chamber 12 rises above the top 56 of the exit conduit 28, the liquid 18 starts flowing into 5 the conduit 28 and out of the chamber 12 via the valve 26 From the valve 26 the liquid 18 flows through the conduit 30 and 48, and enters the container 36 via the entry port 42.

The respective volumes of the chamber 12 and the containe '20 36 are such that the liquid 18 starts flowing into the container 36 when only a small residual volume of the liquid 38 remains in the container 36. This ensures a minimal mixing of the two infusion liquids 38 and 18, respectively, while preventing the supply of air by 25 infusion to the patient. By using this apparatus, it is ensured that the patient receives a minimum volume of the first liquid 38, typically at least 20 cm before it is mixed with the second liquid 18.

The infusion apparatus of the present invention is suitab 30 for use in techniques such as that described in the above referenced article by Safar et al. The applicability of the apparatus of the present invention is not, however, limited to such techniques. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to that which has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. The scope of the present invention is, rather, limited solely by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. Infusion apparatus for automatically administrating a predetermined volume of a first infusion liquid followe by a second infusion liquid, characterized in that it comprises a chamber (12) having an inlet (60) for said second infusion liquid, first means (30) for providing fluid communication between said chamber (12) and the interior of a container (36) for said first infusion liquid; and second means (52) for providing fluid communi ation between the interior of said container (36) and an infusion outlet (54) to a patient, whereby flow of air in the container (36) from said chamber (12) causes flow of said first infusion liquid out of the container (36) through said infusion outlet (54) .

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said first means comprises a conduit (30) having an inlet (56) disposed at a predetermined height in said chamber (12) , so as to lie above a volume in said chamber which is slightly less than the volume of said first infusion liquid in said container (36) , whereby an initial flow of said second infusion liquid into said chamber (12) causes an initial flow of air from said chamber (12) to flow through said conduit (30) into said container (36) thus causing outflow therefrom of said first infusion liquid, and whereby a flow of said second infusion liquid through said conduit (30) into said container (36) is caused when the level thereof in said chamber (12) reache said predetermined height therein.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said chamber (12) is configured to be relatively narrow at the top to prevent an undeεired supply of air, instead of the second infusion liquid, when the chamber is angularly displaced from the vertical. -J-

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said chamber (12) is configured to define a suppo location (34) for said container (36) for said first infusion liquid.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a spike (40) arranged for engagement with the interior of said container (36) for said firs infusion liquid, said spike (40) having one port (44) communicating with said second means (52) and another port (42) communicating with said first means (30) .

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said conduit (30) includes a one-directional flow valve (26) for permitting outflow therethrough from sa chamber (12) while preventing flow therethrough into s chamber (12) .

7. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in t said inlet (56) of said conduit (30) is disposed alongs the inlet (60) of said chamber (12) and thereabove to prevent inadvertent direct flow of said second infusio liquid to said conduit (30) when the chamber (12) is angularly displaced from the vertical.