Syringe adapter for medication

Abstract

Improved apparatus for use with medication in fluid form, which is particularly beneficial for medications having a relatively high viscosity. The disclosed syringe adapter has an opening that is relatively large, as compared to a conventional needle, and thus affixing the disclosed syringe adapter to a syringe improves syringeability of higher-viscosity medications. Some embodiments feature a lateral extension that prevents inserting the syringe adapter too far into a medicine bottle, and some embodiments feature a component that assists in firmly grasping. When the disclosed syringe adapter is affixed to a pistol-grip or tab-handled syringe, the medication withdrawn into the pistol-grip syringe can be more easily administered from the syringe barrel. In some embodiments, the syringe adapter will be replaced with a needle prior to injecting the medication, while in some other embodiments, the needle is affixed to the in-place syringe adapter for the injection.

1 . A syringe adapter for withdrawing viscous fluid medication from a container, comprising:
 a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, a first opening at the distal end being defined by a first end of the sidewall and a second opening at the proximal end being defined by a second end of the sidewall, wherein:
 the proximal end is configured to be connected to a distal end of a syringe, the distal end of the syringe having a third opening; 
 the distal end of the syringe adapter is configured to be inserted into a container of viscous fluid medication; 
 the first opening provides for fluid communication of the viscous fluid medication between the container and the chamber; 
 the second opening provides for fluid communication of the viscous fluid medication between the chamber and, through the third opening, into the barrel; and 
 the first opening has an inner diameter of at least about 0.05 inches, the inner diameter sized to facilitate withdrawing at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication through the first opening and into the chamber and then into the barrel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein a viscosity of the viscous fluid medication is greater than or equal to 50 centipoise units when a temperature of the viscous fluid medication is at least 5 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         3 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication is caused to be withdrawn from the container, through the first opening and into the chamber, and then through the second and third openings into the barrel, upon activation of a drawing mechanism of the syringe while the proximal end of the syringe adapter is connected to the syringe and while the distal end of the syringe adapter is inserted into the container. 
     
     
         4 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 3 , wherein the syringe adapter is configured to be removed from the syringe and replaced with a needle prior to subsequently injecting, into a recipient, at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication withdrawn into the barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the syringe is configured as a pistol-grip syringe. 
     
     
         6 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 5 , wherein the pistol-grip syringe improves leverage for a subsequent injection, into a recipient, of at least a portion of the withdrawn viscous fluid medication. 
     
     
         7 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the syringe is configured as a tab-handled syringe. 
     
     
         8 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the syringe adapter connects to the syringe using a Luer-type connection, the Luer-type connection selected from the group consisting of a Luer-type lock and a Luer-type slip. 
     
     
         9 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flanged area that extends laterally from the proximal end and engages with internal threads configured at the distal end of the syringe to provide the connection therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 9 , further comprising a grasping feature positioned above the flanged area, the grasping feature surrounding a portion of an outer surface of the sidewall and being multi-sided in exterior shape. 
     
     
         11 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lateral extension member that extends laterally outward from an exterior surface of the sidewall, the lateral extension member sized to halt insertion of the syringe adapter into the container beyond a location of the lateral extension member. 
     
     
         12 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter is between about 0.078 inches and about 0.14 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter is about 0.1 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer shape of the sidewall is generally cylindrical in a first portion toward the proximal end and generally conical in a second portion toward the distal end, the second portion tapering from the first portion to define the first opening at a terminal end of the second portion. 
     
     
         15 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner shape of the syringe adapter, for at least a portion of the proximal end, is generally conical. 
     
     
         16 . The syringe adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner shape of the syringe adapter tapers from the proximal end toward the distal end, for at least a portion of the proximal end, at approximately 6 percent. 
     
     
         17 . A method of withdrawing viscous fluid medication from a container, comprising:
 affixing a syringe adapter to a syringe, the syringe adapter comprising a sidewall extending between a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the sidewall having an interior surface defining a chamber, a first opening at the distal end being defined by a first end of the sidewall and a second opening at the proximal end being defined by a second end of the sidewall, the proximal end configured to be connected to a distal end of the syringe;   inserting the distal end of the syringe adapter into a container of viscous fluid medication; and   withdrawing, from the container, at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication through the first opening and into the chamber, and from the chamber through the second opening and then through a third opening in the distal end of the syringe and into a barrel of the syringe, wherein the first opening has an inner diameter of at least about 0.05 inches, the inner diameter sized to facilitate the withdrawing of the viscous fluid medication.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the syringe adapter is configured to be removed from the syringe subsequent to the withdrawing and replaced by affixing a needle to the distal end of the syringe to thereby enable injecting, into a recipient with the needle, at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication withdrawn into the barrel.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a viscosity of the viscous fluid medication is greater than or equal to 50 centipoise units when a temperature of the viscous fluid medication is at least 5 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the withdrawing further comprises activating a drawing mechanism of the syringe to thereby cause at least a portion of the viscous fluid medication to withdraw from the container, through the first opening and into the chamber, and then through the second and third openings into the barrel. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the inner diameter is between about 0.078 inches and about 0.14 inches. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the syringe adapter has a length, from the distal end to the proximal end, from about ⅜ inch to about 2 inches. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the affixing is provided by causing a flanged area that extends laterally from the proximal end of the syringe adapter to engage with internal threads configured at the distal end of the syringe;   the syringe adapter is configured with a grasping feature positioned above the flanged area, the grasping feature surrounding a portion of an outer surface of the sidewall; and   the syringe adapter is configured with a lateral extension member that extends laterally outward from the outer surface of the sidewall, the lateral extension member sized to halt insertion of the syringe adapter into the container beyond a location of the lateral extension member.