Device and system for blood sampling

Abstract

A medical device is presented for reduced-pain blood sampling and testing. The device comprises a housing defining a finger site for supporting a user's finger or a portion thereof within said finger site during the device operation; piercing, sampling and testing assemblies sequentially actuatable to successively initiate piercing, sampling and testing operational modes of the device; a carriage at least partially accommodated within said housing and being adapted for movement with respect to said finger site between its first position corresponding to the piercing mode of the device and a second position corresponding to the sampling and testing modes of the device, the device being thereby capable of operating in the piercing, sampling and testing modes while at a static position of the user's finger.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A device for use in a blood test, the device comprising a finger holding element configured to be fit on the finger such as to apply certain pressure to the finger, said finger holder comprising a band operable to be shifted from its open inoperative position to a closed-loop operative position in which it fits the finger, said band when in the operative position thereof applies said certain pressure to the finger while preventing over-pressing of the finger, thereby assisting in withdrawal of blood from said finger while reducing pain associated with the blood test. 
     
     
         27 . A device according to  claim 26 , comprising a cap-like element configured to accommodate at least a portion of the finger and defining a distal end comprising a contact surface and a proximal end being connected to a portion of said band. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein said finger holder being configured for holding a user's finger while said band, when in operative position, applies pressure to the finger at a distance between 6 and 13 millimeters from middle of top pad of said finger. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein said band being a stretchable elastomeric elongate strip. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein said band comprises a loop element coupled to said band at a distal end thereof and configured for holding said band in its operative position. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein said band comprises a plurality of projecting members, said loop element comprises a locking member configured to engage a projecting member of said band for locking said band in its operative position. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of said locking member and said projecting members being configured yield under excessive force to thereby relieve pressure when over-pressing of a user's finger. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein said certain pressure being within a range between 30 and 75 mBar, thereby restricting venous flow within said finger and reducing pain associated with piercing of tip of said finger. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein said finger holder is configured for automatically relieving pressure applied on a user's finger such that said pressure does not exceed said range. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein said finger holding element thereby enable free flow of blood from a piercing position. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein said cap-like element comprises an opening at a region associated with finger pad to thereby allow piercing of said finger thereby allowing blood extraction therefrom. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein said cap-like element comprises a slit suitably position to allow nail of a user's finger to protrude through said slit. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 27 , wherein said cap-like element is configured for providing finger location such that said band applies pressure to the finger at a distance between 10 and 20 millimeters from distal end of said finger. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein said finger holding element being configured for hiding operation and location of a finger piercing element to thereby reduce psychological factor of piercing pain. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 26 , configured for use in an integrated blood sampling and testing device, said integrated blood sampling and testing device comprises piercing sampling and testing assemblies. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 26 , configured as a stand-alone unit suitable for use with external piercing unit.