System, methods and apparatus for administering medical liquids

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus are provided for administering medical liquids to a patient. The invention is particularly apt for use in the intravenous administration of multiple doses of a flush solution over an extended period of therapy. In certain aspects of the invention methods and apparatus are directed to the provision and utilization of a packaged syringe filled with a medical liquid and having a tubing length interconnected thereto, wherein the volume of pre-filled medical liquid is sufficient to allow for multiple administrations to a given patient. By way of primary example, where the syringe is pre-filled with a flush solution, a volume of at least about 40 ml. is preferred. In other aspects, methods and apparatus are directed to the administration of medical liquids from a pre-filled syringe utilizing an apparatus that is particularly adapted for administering a medical liquid in successive increments over a plurality of separated time intervals.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method for providing a medical liquid for patient administration via a vascular catheter, comprising: 
 filling a syringe with a medical liquid;    interconnecting a tubing length to said syringe; and,    packaging said filled syringe and interconnected tubing length within a sealed enclosure.    
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of said tubing length is provided with a connector for selective interconnected to said syringe.  
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of said tubing length is provided with a luer connector.  
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , said interconnecting step including: 
 rotatably interconnection said luer connector to said syringe.    
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said tubing length is fixedly interconnected to said syringe.  
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 sterilizing said syringe and tubing length.    
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , said sterilizing step including: 
 exposing said tubing length to gamma radiation.    
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , said sterilizing step including: 
 exposing said syringe and tubing length to gamma radiation simultaneously after said interconnecting step.    
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said tubing length has an internal diameter of between about 0.75 mm 1.5 mm.  
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said syringe is filled with between about 10 ml. and 200 ml. of said medical liquid.  
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said medical liquid comprises a flush solution.  
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said syringe is filled with at least about 40 ml. of said flush solution.  
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said flush solution is one of a group consisting of: 
 a saline solution; and,    a solution containing heparin.    
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 interconnecting a connector to a distal end of said tubing length prior to said packaging step.    
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 placing a protective cap on said connector prior to said packaging step.    
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said connector is a male luer connector.  
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 interconnecting a Y-site member to a distal end of said tubing length prior to said packaging step.    
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said Y-site member includes a first connector and a second connector.  
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said first connector is a male luer connector and said second connector is a female luer connector.  
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 placing first and second protective caps on said first and second connectors, respectively, prior to said packaging step.    
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for providing a medical liquid for patient administration via a vascular catheter, comprising: 
 a syringe filled with a medical liquid;    a tubing length interconnected to said syringe; and,    an enclosure within which said filled syringe and interconnected tubing length are sealably disposed.    
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein a distal end of said tubing length is provided with a connector for selective interconnection to the syringe.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein a distal end of said tubing length is provided with a luer connector.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said luer connector is rotatably interconnected to the syringe.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said tubing length is fixedly interconnected to said syringe.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 an outlet connector fixedly interconnected to a distal end of said tubing length.    
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said outlet connector is a male luer connector.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 a Y-site member interconnected to a distal end of said tubing length.    
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said Y-site member includes an outlet connector and an inlet connector.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said an outlet connector is a male luer connector and said inlet connector is a female luer connector.  
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 31 , wherein said tubing length has an inside diameter of between about 0.75 mm and 1.5 mm.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said syringe is filled with between about 10 ml. and 200 ml. of said medical liquid.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said medical liquid comprises a flush solution.  
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 33 , wherein said syringe is filled with at least about 40 ml. of said flush solution.  
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 33 , wherein said flush solution is one of a group consisting of: 
 a saline solution; and,    a solution containing heparin.    
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 33 , wherein a distal end of said tubing length is provided with a luer connector.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 a connector fixedly interconnected to a distal end of said tubing length.    
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 37 , wherein said connector is a male luer connector.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 a Y-site member interconnected to a distal end of said tubing length.    
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 39 , wherein said Y-site member includes a first connector and a second connector.  
     
     
         41 . A method for use in the intra vascular administration of a medical liquid, comprising: 
 removing a syringe and interconnected tubing length from a sealed enclosure, said syringe being pre-filled with a medical liquid;    interconnecting a distal end of said tubing length to an access port to a vascular catheter inserted into a patient; and,    administrating at least a portion of said medical liquid from said pre-filled syringe to the patient through the tubing length and vascular catheter.    
     
     
         42 . A method as recited in  claim 41 , further comprising, wherein said administrating step includes: 
 dispensing successive increments of said medical liquid over a plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         43 . A method as recited in  claim 42 , wherein said syringe includes a plunger and a barrel, and wherein said dispensing step includes: 
 progressively advancing said plunger into said barrel over said plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         44 . A method as recited in  claim 43 , wherein said medical liquid is a flush solution, and wherein said method further includes: 
 infusing a liquid medication to the patient through said vascular catheter between said plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         45 . A method as recited in  claim 44 , wherein each of said successive increments comprises between about 2 ml. and 10 ml. of said flush solution.  
     
     
         46 . A method as recited in  claim 44 , wherein said dispensing step includes: 
 first dispensing an increment of said flush solution prior to said infusing step; and,    second dispensing an increment of said flush solution after said infusing step.    
     
     
         47 . A method as recited in  claim 46 , further comprising: 
 disconnecting said tubing length from said access port after said second dispensing step.    
     
     
         48 . A method as recited in  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 repeating said interconnecting, administering and disconnecting steps a plurality of times.    
     
     
         49 . A method as recited in  claim 42 , wherein said dispensing step includes: 
 positioning said syringe in a dispenser having first and second holder members for engaging a barrel and a plunger of said needle-less syringe, respectively.    
     
     
         50 . A method as recited in  claim 49 , wherein said dispensing step further includes: 
 utilizing at least one of the first and second holder members to effect relative movement between said barrel and said plunger wherein said plunger is advanced within said barrel to dispense said medical liquid from said syringe.    
     
     
         51 . A method as recited in  claim 50 , wherein said utilizing step includes: 
 employing a spring of said dispenser to apply a spring force to said at least one of the first and second holder members.    
     
     
         52 . A method as recited in  claim 49 , further comprising: 
 disconnecting said tubing length from said vascular catheter access port after said dispensing step; and,    repeating said interconnecting and disconnecting steps in conjunction with the dispensation of each of said increments of flush solution, wherein said syringe is maintained in said dispenser throughout said repeating step.    
     
     
         53 . A method as recited in  claim 49 , wherein said syringe includes a plunger and a barrel, and wherein said dispensing step includes: 
 progressively advancing said plunger into said barrel over said plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         54 . A method as recited in  claim 53 , wherein said medical liquid is a flush solution, and wherein said method further includes: 
 infusing a liquid medication to the patient through said vascular catheter between said plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         55 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein each of said successive increments comprises between about 2 ml. and 10 ml. of said flush solution.  
     
     
         56 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said dispensing step includes: 
 first dispensing an increment of said flush solution prior to said infusing step; and,    second dispensing an increment of said flush solution after said infusing step.    
     
     
         57 . A method as recited in  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 priming said tubing length with said medical liquid prior to said interconnecting step.    
     
     
         58 . A method as recited in  claim 41 , wherein a distal end of said tubing length is provided with a connector.  
     
     
         59 . A method as recited in  claim 58 , wherein said connector is a male luer connector, and said interconnecting step includes: 
 rotatably interconnecting said male luer connector to said access port.    
     
     
         60 . A method as recited in  claim 41 , wherein said medical liquid comprises at least about 40 ml. of a flush solution.  
     
     
         61 . A system for providing a flush solution to a patient, comprising: 
 packaging a syringe filled with a flush solution at a first location;    unpackaging said filled syringe at a second location;    positioning said filled syringe in an administration apparatus at said second location; and,    utilizing said administration apparatus to control the administration of said flush solution to a patient through a vascular catheter in a plurality of successive increments over a corresponding plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         62 . A system as recited in  claim 61 , further comprising: 
 interconnecting a tubing length to said syringe prior to said packaging step.    
     
     
         63 . A system as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising: 
 filling said syringe with at least about 40 ml. of said flush solution prior to said packaging step.    
     
     
         64 . A system as recited in  claim 62 , further comprising: 
 sterilizing said filled syringe and interconnected tubing length prior to said unpackaging step.    
     
     
         65 . A system as recited in  claim 64 , wherein said sterilizing step includes: 
 exposing said filled syringe and interconnected tubing length to gamma radiation after said packaging step.    
     
     
         66 . A system as recited in  claim 63 , wherein said syringe includes a plunger and a barrel, and wherein said utilizing step includes: 
 employing said administration apparatus to progressively drive said plunger into said barrel over said plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         67 . A system as recited in  claim 61 , further comprising: 
 infusing a liquid medication to the patient through said vascular catheter between said plurality of separated time intervals.    
     
     
         68 . A system as recited in  claim 67 , wherein said utilizing step includes: 
 first administering an increment of said flush solution prior to said infusing step; and,    second administering an increment of said flush solution after said infusing step.    
     
     
         69 . A system as recited in  claim 67 , further comprising: 
 repeating said utilizing and infusing steps a plurality of times while maintaining the positioning of said syringe in said administration apparatus.    
     
     
         70 . A system as recited in  claim 61 , wherein said syringe includes a barrel and a syringe, and wherein said positioning step includes: 
 restrainably positioning said plunger and said barrel in said first and second holder members, respectively.    
     
     
         71 . A system as recited in  claim 70 , wherein said utilizing step further includes: 
 employing at least one of said first and second holder members to effect relative movement between said barrel and said plunger, wherein said plunger advances within said barrel to administer said flush solution.