Rapid infusion system

Abstract

A rapid infusion system for rapidly delivering blood and/or volume expanding fluid to a patient, said rapid infusion device comprising in combination: a portion which includes an adjustable drive means and related control means therefor, and a portion which includes components that come into contact with the fluid infused to the patient, and optionally wherein said system can be portable.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An infusion system for rapidly delivering a fluid such as blood, blood components, oxygen-carrying substances, plasma, plasma components, contrast material, drugs, physiologic fluids, and/or volume expanding components to a patient, said system comprising: 
 a fluid conduit means having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of said fluid conduit means containing at least one fluid reservoir,    a propelling means for propelling the infusium, said propelling means in fluid communication with the at least one fluid reservoir through a connection at the distal end of said fluid conduit means, said propelling means including an adjustment means for selecting the fluid flow rate of the propelling means, said propelling means further comprising a pump means for imparting motion to the infusium, said pump means having a drive means for driving the pump means wherein the pump means is separable from the drive means.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said pump means is selected from the group consisting of gear pumps, turbine pumps, screw pumps, diaphragm pumps, centrifugal pumps, centripetal pumps, piston pumps, peristatic pumps, roller head occlusive pumps and nonocclusive centrifugal pumps.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein only said separable pump means contacts the infusium.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said pump means is a roller mechanism.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein said roller mechanism includes a disposable flexible length of tubing serving as a pumping chamber.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  which can provide fluid flow rates from about 40 cc/hour to about 2.5 l/minute.  
     
     
         7 . The infusion system of  claim 1  including means to measure a bodily pressure.  
     
     
         8 . The infusion system of  claim 1  including means to measure urine output.  
     
     
         9 . The infusion system of  claim 7  including pump control means responsive to at least one bodily pressure measurement.  
     
     
         10 . The infusion system of  claim 8  including pump control means responsive to said urine output.  
     
     
         11 . The infusion system of  claim 9  wherein the bodily pressure is the central venous pressure measured during infusion using a single venous catheter.  
     
     
         12 . The infusion system of  claim 9  wherein the bodily pressure measured is the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.  
     
     
         13 . The infusion system of  claim 9  wherein the bodily pressure measured is the arterial pressure.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  further including a separate container for fluid not obtained directly from the patient to be furnished to the reservoir.  
     
     
         15 . A method for rapid infusion of a fluid such as blood, blood components, oxygen-carrying substances, plasma, plasma components, contrast material, drugs, physiologic fluids, and/or volume expanding components into the venous system of a patient, comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a reservoir of the fluid to be infused into a patient; and    b. propelling the fluid from the reservoir into the venous system of the patient by an adjustable flow rate portable infusion mechanism having a pump drive means for driving a pump means, said pump means being separable from the drive means.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the fluid is propelled at flow rates from about 40 cc/hour to about 2.5 l/minute.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  including measuring a bodily pressure of a patient.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  including measuring the urine output of a patient.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  including pump control means responsive to said bodily pressure measurement.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  including pump control means responsive to said urine output.  
     
     
         21 . A power infuser comprising at least one fluid reservoir, fluid conduit means communicating with the reservoir, an adjustable fluid propelling means downstream of the reservoir, means to control the pressure/flow of the fluid, said fluid conduit means including tubing means in fluid communication with the reservoir, and separate means in fluid communication with the tubing means near the reservoir to selectably discharge fluid to a patient, wherein said propelling means comprises pump means for imparting motion to the infusium, said pump means having a drive means for driving the pump means wherein the pump means is separable from the drive means and wherein only the separable pump means contacts the fluid.  
     
     
         22 . The power infuser of  claim 21  which can provide fluid flow rates from about 40 cc/hour to about 2.5 l/minute.  
     
     
         23 . The power infusion of  claim 21  including a Y-connector in the fluid conduit to the patient providing branched conduits to the patient, the branched conduits each including means to provide communication with a separate intravenous infusion system and means for access with a syringe.  
     
     
         24 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein the at best one fluid reservoir is of sufficient capacity to transfuse the entire blood volume of an adult patient.  
     
     
         25 . The power infuser of  claim 21  being of a size and weight such that it can be easily held by a person while in use.  
     
     
         26 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein said pump means is energized by D.C. current.  
     
     
         27 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein said pump means is energized by A.C. current.  
     
     
         28 . The power infuser of  claim 21  having more than one pump means and the capability to increase the fluid flow rate, infuse fluids into a person at multiple points, and to infuse multiple types of fluids into a person.  
     
     
         29 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including means to measure a bodily pressure.  
     
     
         30 . The power infuser of  claim 29  including pump control means responsive to said bodily pressure measurement.  
     
     
         31 . The rapid infusion system of  claim 1  which is portable.  
     
     
         32 . The power infuser of  claim 26  wherein said pump means is energized by a battery selected from the group consisting of standard and rechargeable batteries.  
     
     
         33 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including a means for changing the temperature of the fluid.  
     
     
         34 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein said pump means includes a releasably attached portion which enables removal of the fluid contacting part.  
     
     
         35 . The power infuser of  claim 33  wherein the means for changing the temperature of the fluid includes a portion having at least one channel through which the fluid flows.  
     
     
         36 . The power infuser of  claim 35  wherein the portion having at least one channel is removably attached within the power infuser.  
     
     
         37 . The power infuser of  claim 36  wherein the removably attached at least one channel is a serpentine opening formed in the portion, which portion slidably engages an opening in the power infuser.  
     
     
         38 . The power infuser of  claim 36  wherein the means for changing the temperature of the fluid is attached to the removable portion.  
     
     
         39 . The power infuser of  claim 33  including means to sense the temperature of the fluid.  
     
     
         40 . The power infuser of  claim 29  including a means to monitor the bodily pressure.  
     
     
         41 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including a means to sense the fluid flow to a patient.  
     
     
         42 . The power infuser of  claim 33  wherein the means for changing the temperature of the fluid is a heating means.  
     
     
         43 . The power infuser of  claim 33  wherein the means for changing the temperature of the fluid is a cooling means.  
     
     
         44 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including a means for sensing the presence of air in the fluid prior to discharging the fluid to a patient.  
     
     
         45 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including irrigator means attachable to the infuser to apply fluid to irrigate an area of a patient.  
     
     
         46 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including means to inject contrast medium into a vein or artery of a patient.  
     
     
         47 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein said pump means is removable and disposable.  
     
     
         48 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein the pump means is detachable and components thereof which come into contact with the fluid being infused are removable and disposable.  
     
     
         49 . The power infuser of  claim 33  wherein the means for changing the temperature of the fluid has increased surface area to impart desired temperature to the fluid.  
     
     
         50 . The power infuser of  claim 33  wherein the means for changing the fluid temperature includes tubing which is disposable.  
     
     
         51 . The power infuser of  claim 37  wherein the means for changing the fluid temperature is disposable.  
     
     
         52 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein said pump means includes a head portion with attached tubing that is removable and disposable.  
     
     
         53 . The power infuser of  claim 21  including a heat exchange cassette for changing the temperature of the fluid.  
     
     
         54 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein said pump means includes an openable portion allowing access and removal of the tubing which comes in contact with the fluid.  
     
     
         55 . The power infuser of  claim 21  wherein the pump means and associated tubing is removable and disposable.