Method for Processing Infusion Data and an Infusion Pump System

Abstract

A distributed infusion pump system is provided with long-term recording of the type of medication, nutrition or hydration, pump output pressure, corresponding infusion flow, infusion flow resistance, and an automatic or manual alarm in the event that thresholds applied to these parameters or their derivatives are exceeded.

1 . A method for processing infusion data, comprising:
 measuring a downstream pressure and providing downstream pressure measurement results per infusion and per rate;   providing downstream pressure statistics on the basis of the downstream pressure measurement results per infusion and per rate;   storing in a database the downstream pressure statistics and linking the stored downstream pressure statistics with infusion attributes in particular including date, patient type, name, delivery route, catheter type, needle type, drug and therapy, and linking the infusion attributes with a health thread or event in particular caused by a catheter block, infiltration and intraneural placement, so that the database includes a plurality of patient and infusion data over a long time period according to the attributes and events and statistics;   querying the database so as to decide on the provision of infusion pump limits for warning and/or alarm per health thread or event type; and   transferring these alarm and/or warning limits to a pump system as an alarm and/or warning per health thread or event type.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the downstream pressure statistics comprise a resistance of flow A and a time constant τ. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the time constant τ is determined after the resistance of flow A reaches a predetermined limit, or the pressure reaches a predetermined downstream occlusion level, where the infusion stops (rate=0) for the measurement and continues or waits for alarm release. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the time constant τ is determined after a bolus end, and the infusion is stopped until the time constant τ is determined. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the resistance of flow A is determined from different infusions with different rates and drugs on the same patient, preferably with different attributes. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a zero rate downstream pressure is measured just before starting an infusion. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the attributes are grouped in a query to smaller groups e.g. as “catheter” instead of catheter brand or part number. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein alarms and warnings are distributed to users via communication means, including at least one of by showing a message on a web page when consulting, by mobile phone text messages, email and/or alarm on a pump. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein downstream pressure statistics comprising maximum pressure, average pressure and maximum pressure difference are reported with measuring intervals which can be different per therapy and/or in accordance with the current therapy situation. 
     
     
         10 . An infusion pump system for infusion of fluids into a human or an animal body, comprising:
 a measurement unit which is configured to measure downstream pressure;   a recording unit which is configured to record downstream pressure measurement results; and   a display which is adapted to display downstream pressure measurement results, wherein the measurement and recording units are configured to measure and record the downstream pressure continuously or in intervals for a period of at least one week.   
     
     
         11 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 10 , further comprising stopping means which is configured to stop the infusion activity while downstream pressure measurement is performed. 
     
     
         12 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 10 , wherein the recording unit is provided for recording the measurement results for a period ≧1 month, preferably ≧1 year. 
     
     
         13 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 10 , wherein the recording unit is further configured to record the infusion speed. 
     
     
         14 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 10 , further comprising a comparing unit which is configured to compare the pressure measurement results with a threshold value T which is provided for indicating a risk of blockage of the infusion and is lower than a threshold value indicating actual blockage. 
     
     
         15 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 14 , wherein the threshold value T is dependent upon the kind of the infusion fluid, the way of introduction of the infusion fluid and/or type of delivery means. 
     
     
         16 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 10 , further comprising a remote recording unit and a transmitting unit which is configured to submit downstream pressure measurement results to the remote recording unit. 
     
     
         17 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 16 , wherein the remote recording unit is configured to receive data from more than one infusion pump. 
     
     
         18 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 14 , further comprising a remote recording unit and a transmitting unit which is configured to submit downstream pressure measurement results to the remote recording unit and the remote recording unit is configured to receive data from more than one infusion pump, wherein the comparing unit is configured to have access to the data recorded on the remote recording unit, wherein the data from each pump are grouped in dependence of the kind of the infusion fluid, the way of introduction of the infusion fluid and/or type of delivery means and the threshold value T is provided for each independent group to be compared with the data from this group. 
     
     
         19 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a receiving unit which is configured to receive feedback information from caregivers about the reason for blockage and/or risk of blockage indicated by the system. 
     
     
         20 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 14 , further comprising a calculation unit which is configured to recalculate the threshold value T dependent upon statistical data of the downstream pressure measurement results and/or feedback information. 
     
     
         21 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 20 , wherein the calculation unit comprises artificial intelligence, especially neuronal networks. 
     
     
         22 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 14 , further comprising an alarm unit which is configured to give an alarm if a pressure value ≧threshold value T is measured. 
     
     
         23 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 14 , further comprising a threshold amending unit which is configured to amend the threshold value T by the patient. 
     
     
         24 . The infusion pump system according to  claim 10 , wherein pressure results include minimum, maximum, average and/or max difference of pressure during sampling period.