Fluid injection apparatus with improved contrast visualization

Abstract

An apparatus and method for manually injecting fluid into a patient with improved contrast visualization are disclosed. The apparatus includes a syringe having a cylinder in which a plunger is reciprocatingly mounted. The syringe is connected to a manifold which itself is connected to a source of radiopaque contrast. Retraction of the plunger within the cylinder draws contrast into the cylinder, and depression of the plunger forces the contrast through the manifold and into a patient through a catheter. In order to increase the speed of injection and thus the visualization of the contrast, an improved visualization device is provided which may be provided in the form of a heater or, alternatively, in the form of an expandible catheter. The heater may be positioned anywhere within the apparatus to elevate the temperature of the contrast material, which in turn reduces its viscosity and thereby increases the speed with which fluid may be injected. The expandible catheter, may be used to restrict blood flow through a vascular structure so that the contrast material may be injected into the patient with lessened resistance and dilution from blood flow.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fluid injection apparatus adapted to inject fluid, comprising: 
 an input device;    a catheter in fluid communication with the input device; and    an improved visualization device operatively associated with one of the input device and catheter and adapted to increase the speed with which fluid may be injected.    
     
     
         2 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the input device is a syringe.  
     
     
         3 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the syringe is manually operated.  
     
     
         4 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the improved visualization device is a heater adapted to increase the temperature of the fluid.  
     
     
         5 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the improved visualization device is an expandable member proximate a distal end of the catheter.  
     
     
         6 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a manifold and a fluid line, the manifold having first and second ends and a plurality of input ports, the syringe being connected to the first end of the manifold, the fluid line being connected to one of the input ports of the manifold.  
     
     
         7 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the catheter is connected to the second end of the manifold.  
     
     
         8 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid is radiopaque contrast.  
     
     
         9 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid line includes a valve.  
     
     
         10 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the heater is positioned proximate the catheter.  
     
     
         11 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the heater is an electric heating coil.  
     
     
         12 . The manually operated fluid injection apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the heater employs a form of heating selected from the group of heating forms including radiant, convective, and conductive.  
     
     
         13 . The fluid injection apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the heater is integrated into one of the syringe, fluid line, manifold, and catheter.  
     
     
         14 . A method of manually injecting fluid, comprising the steps of: 
 retracting a plunger from a syringe cylinder and drawing fluid into the cylinder;    depressing the plunger into the cylinder forcing the fluid out of an outlet of the cylinder;    increasing the speed with which the fluid may be injected; and    injecting the fluid into a patient.    
     
     
         15 . The method of manually injecting fluid of  claim 14 , wherein the increasing step includes the step of reducing the viscosity of the fluid.  
     
     
         16 . The method of manually injecting fluid of  claim 15 , wherein the viscosity of the fluid is reduced by heating the fluid.  
     
     
         17 . The method of manually injecting fluid of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid is injected into the patient with a catheter, and wherein the heating step occurs proximate the catheter.  
     
     
         18 . The method of manually injecting fluid of  claim 14 , wherein the increasing step is performed by constricting blood flow proximate an area of injection.  
     
     
         19 . The method of manually injecting fluid of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid is injected with a catheter, and wherein the blood flow is constricted by enlarging the size of the catheter.  
     
     
         20 . A manually operated fluid injection system, comprising: 
 a syringe having a movable plunger;    a manifold having a plurality of input ports and first and second ends, the syringe being connected to the first end of the manifold;    a fluid line having first and second ends, the first end of the fluid line being connected to one of the plurality of input ports;    a catheter connected to the second end of the, catheter    a source of fluid in communication with the fluid line; and    a heater operatively associated with one of the syringe, manifold, fluid line, catheter and source of fluid.    
     
     
         21 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 20 , wherein the fluid is radiopaque contrast.  
     
     
         22 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 20 , wherein a valve is interposed in the fluid line for controlling fluid flow therethrough.  
     
     
         23 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 20 , wherein the heater is integrated with one of the syringe, manifold, fluid line, and catheter.  
     
     
         24 . A manually operated fluid injection system, comprising: 
 a syringe having a movable plunger;    a manifold having a plurality of input ports and first and second ends, the syringe being connected to the first end of the manifold;    a fluid line having first and second ends, the first end of the fluid line being connected to one of the plurality of input ports;    a catheter connected to the second end of the catheter;    a source of fluid in communication with the fluid line; and    an expandable ring associated with the catheter, the ring being expandable after catheter insertion and prior to injection to constrict blood flow.    
     
     
         25 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 24 , wherein the fluid is radiopaque contrast.  
     
     
         26 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 24 , wherein a valve is interposed in the fluid line for controlling fluid flow therethrough.  
     
     
         27 . A manually operated fluid injection system, comprising: 
 a manipulable input device; and    a heater associated with the input device and adapted to increase the temperature of fluid prior to injection.    
     
     
         28 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 27 , wherein the fluid is radiopaque contrast.  
     
     
         29 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 27 , wherein the heater is integrated into the input device.  
     
     
         30 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 27 , wherein the heater is an electric coil.  
     
     
         31 . The manually operated fluid injection system of  claim 27 , wherein the heater employs a form of heating selected from the group of heating forms including radiant, convective and conductive.  
     
     
         32 . A manually operated fluid injection system, comprising: 
 a manipulable input device;    a catheter connected to the input device;    an expandable member associated with the catheter and adapted to expand after the catheter is inserted into a patient to restrict blood flow during injection.