Medical Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

A drug delivery system provides for controlled dispensing of drug. When designed for mixing of drugs, at least one mixing chamber may be used. Flow controllers guide drugs into single or multiple catheters, enabling a single lumen catheter to dispense multiple drugs, diluting a concentrated drug to provide varying drug concentration. A buffer fluid can deliver precise drug amounts or can separate drugs within a catheter. A patient's bodily fluid can serve as a diluent or buffer fluid. A drug testing/filler apparatus may be used to facilitate filling of multiple reservoirs or other delivery. Bolus or continuous delivery of drug to selected distal locations can occur at independent rates. New catheter systems, hub assemblies, and uses therefore are also described. New methods for promotion of healthy pregnancy and treatment of a developing fetus are disclosed.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A drug delivery pump apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a first reservoir and a second reservoir in the housing, to hold first and second drugs, respectively;   a first control for the first reservoir and a second control for the second reservoir, the control for the first reservoir to expel a first predefined amount of the first drug from the first reservoir through a first outlet port and the control for the second reservoir to expel a second predefined amount of the second drug from the second reservoir through a second outlet port.   
     
     
         2 . The pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first and second controls comprises a basal control to expel a predefined basal amount of a respective first or second drug held in a reservoir to which the control corresponds. 
     
     
         3 . The pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first and second controls comprises a bolus control to expel a predefined bolus amount of a respective first or second drug held in a reservoir to which the control corresponds. 
     
     
         4 . The pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second controls comprises a spring-actuated control. 
     
     
         5 . The pump apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the spring-actuated control further comprises a piston. 
     
     
         6 . The pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second controls comprises a hydraulic control. 
     
     
         7 . The pump apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the hydraulic control further comprises a piston to drive hydraulic fluid to actuate a pump. 
     
     
         8 . The pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controls for at least one of the first and second reservoirs comprise both a basal control to expel a predefined basal amount of the drug within the reservoir to which the control corresponds, based on the reservoir to which the basal control corresponds, and a bolus control to expel a predefined bolus amount of the drug within the reservoir to which the bolus control corresponds. 
     
     
         9 . The pump apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the basal control cooperates with the at least one of the first and second reservoirs to expel the basal amount at a predefined basal rate. 
     
     
         10 . The pump apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein both of the first and second reservoirs comprise:
 basal controls, to expel a predefined basal amount of the drug stored within the reservoir to which a given basal control corresponds, the basal amount predefined for each reservoir, respectively, and   bolus controls, to expel a predefined bolus amount of the drug stored within the reservoir to which a given bolus control corresponds, the bolus amount predefined for each reservoir, respectively.   
     
     
         11 . The pump apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each of the basal controls cooperate with each of the first and second reservoirs to expel the basal amount of the drug for a respective reservoir, to which a given control corresponds, at a predefined basal rate defined for each reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The pump apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the basal controls comprise a spring-actuated piston. 
     
     
         13 . The pump apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the basal controls hydraulically expel a given drug, driven by the spring-actuated piston to compress a respective reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . The pump apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the bolus controls hydraulically expel a given drug, driven by a piston to compress a respective reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . A pump apparatus comprising:
 a first reservoir, to store a first drug, comprising both first basal and first bolus hydraulic controls, the first basal control to expel a first predefined basal amount, defined for the first reservoir, of the first drug at a first basal rate, predefined for the first reservoir and the first bolus control to expel a first predefined bolus amount, defined for the first reservoir, of the first drug; and   a second reservoir, to store a second drug, comprising both second basal and second bolus hydraulic controls, the second basal control to expel a second predefined basal amount, defined for the second reservoir, of the second drug at a second basal rate, predefined for the second reservoir and the second bolus control to expel a second predefined bolus amount, defined for the second reservoir, of the second drug.   
     
     
         16 . A method of dispensing multiple drugs from a multiple reservoir housing, the housing holding at least a first reservoir with at least one first control and storing a first drug and at least a second reservoir with at least one second control and storing a second drug, the method comprising:
 actuating the at least one first control to expel a first predefined amount of the first drug, the first rate predefined for the first reservoir; and   actuating the at least one second control to expel a second predefined amount of the second drug, the second rate predefined for the second reservoir.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first or second amounts is a predefined basal amount. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first or second controls is a basal control expelling a corresponding first or second amount at a predefined basal rate predefined for a reservoir to which the at least one first or second controls corresponds. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first or second amounts is a predefined bolus amount. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second controls comprise both first and second basal and first and second bolus controls, such that each of the at least first and second reservoirs comprises both a basal and bolus control;
 wherein the actuating the at least one first control further comprises actuating the first basal control to expel a first predefined basal amount of the first drug and actuating the first bolus control to expel a first predefined bolus amount of the first drug; and   wherein the actuating the at least one second control further comprises actuating the second basal control to expel a second predefined basal amount of the second drug and actuating the second bolus control to expel a second predefined bolus amount of the second drug.