Portal and septum therefor

Abstract

An implantable portal includes a septum that has embedded therein a plurality of formations that together form an indicia adapted to identify at least one characteristic of the portal. The formations are configured from impressions formed on different layers of the septum spatially separated along the vertical axis of the septum. The impressions are filled with a radiopaque material. The superposed formations do not overlap when viewed from atop the septum. When viewed under radiographic imaging from the top of the septum, a 3-D identification indicia is presented to the viewer. The 3-D indicia may be used as a 3-D marker to focus the location of the septum where a needle to access the fluid reservoir of the portal may be inserted.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a subcutaneously implantable port, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a housing having an opening and an outlet;   (b) providing a resealable elastomeric septum;   (c) embedding within the septum a plurality of formations spatially separated from but not overlapping each other along one direction of the septum; and   (d) sealingly fitting the septum to the opening of the housing to define a chamber within the housing for fluid storage;   wherein the spatially separated formations present a 3-D identification indicia to a viewer when the septum is viewed along the one direction under radiographic imaging.   
     
     
         16 . Method of  claim 15 , wherein the step (c) further comprising the step of:
 embedding each of the formations to lie along a corresponding plane that extends along an other direction orthogonal to the one direction so that the formations lie along respective planes inside the septum.   
     
     
         17 . Method of  claim 15 , wherein the step (c) further comprises the steps of:
 forming an impression for each of the formations at a corresponding layer in the septum; and   filling the impression with a radiopaque material visible under radiographic imaging including computer tomography and/or x-ray imaging;   wherein the 3-D indicia at the septum acts as a marker for the port whereby a needle is insertable into the chamber through the septum.   
     
     
         18 . Method of  claim 15 , wherein the step (c) further comprises the step of:
 forming the formations as impressions filled with barium sulfate (BaSO4).   
     
     
         19 . Method of  claim 15 , wherein the step (c) further comprises the step of:
 forming each of the formations in the septum to have an ultrasound reflective configuration to enable 3-D ultrasonic imaging of the port.   
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a septum for a port, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an elastomeric structure;   (b) embedding a plurality of impressions in the structure;   (c) spatially separating the impressions from each other along one direction of the structure along which the structure is viewed; and   (d) configuring the impressions to respective formations spatially separated from each other along the one direction to present a 3-D indicia when the structure is viewed under radiographic imaging from the one direction.   
     
     
         21 . Method of  claim 20 , wherein the step (b) further comprising the steps of:
 positioning each of the formations in the structure to lie along a corresponding plane that extends along an other direction orthogonal to the one direction so that the formations lie along respective planes;   positioning the formations not to overlap each other along the one direction when viewed from atop of the structure.   
     
     
         22 . Method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
 filling each of the impressions with a radiopaque material visible under radiographic imaging including computer tomography and/or x-ray imaging;   wherein the radiopaque material comprises barium sulfate (BaSO4); and   wherein the elastic structure comprises silicone.   
     
     
         23 . Method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of:
 forming the plurality of formations to present a 3-D indicia that identifies the port as a power injection port.   
     
     
         24 . Method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring one of the plurality of formations as a C and another of the plurality of formations as a T, formations C and T being formed at different layers along the one direction within the septum.   
     
     
         25 . Method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 forming the plurality of formations as impressions;   filling the impressions with a radiopaque material visible under radiographic imaging including computer tomography and/or x-ray imaging.   
     
     
         26 . Method of  claim 25 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring one of the radiopaque material filled impressions as a C and another of the radiopaque material filled impressions as a T.   
     
     
         27 . Method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
 forming the plurality of formations to present a 3-D indicia that identifies the port as a power injection port.   
     
     
         28 . Method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring one of the plurality of formations as a C and another of the plurality of formations as a T, formations C and T being formed at different layers along the one direction within the septum.   
     
     
         29 . Method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 forming the plurality of formations as impressions;   filling the impressions with a radiopaque material visible under radiographic imaging including computer tomography and/or x-ray imaging.   
     
     
         30 . Method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring one of the radiopaque material filled impressions as a C and another of the radiopaque material filled impressions as a T.   
     
     
         31 . A method of manufacturing a septum adapted to provide a viewable indicia, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an elastomeric structure;   (b) embedding a plurality of impressions in the structure;   (c) spatially separating the impressions from each other along one direction of the structure along which the structure is viewed; and   (d) configuring the impressions as respective formations spatially separated from each other along the one direction so that a 3-D indicia is viewable from the structure along the one direction.   
     
     
         32 . Method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
 filling each of the impressions with a radiopaque material visible under radiographic imaging including computer tomography and/or x-ray imaging;   wherein the radiopaque material comprises barium sulfate (BaSO4); and   wherein the elastic structure comprises silicone.   
     
     
         33 . Method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
 forming the formations to present the 3-D indicia to identify that the septum is to be used with a power injection port.   
     
     
         34 . Method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring one of the plurality of formations as a C and another of the plurality of formations as a T, formations C and T being formed at different layers along the one direction within the septum.