Medical fluid delivery system

Abstract

An assembly for adding a medication or like substance to a liquid solution in a flexible bag (10) is provided. The flexible bag (10) contains a liquid solution, such as dialysate. An adapter (14) extends from the flexible bag (10) and includes a skirt (20) having an array of resilient sections (22) for engaging and snapping onto a neck finish (106) of a separate vial (100) containing a medication or like substance. A locking device (16) is adapted to be secured about the skirt (20) in a locking position that prevents outward movement of the array of resilient sections (22) and thereby prevents disengagement of the vial (100) from the adapter (14). A method of transferring the liquid solution from the bag (10) to the vial (100), mixing the medication with the liquid solution, and returning the mixture to the bag (10) is also provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An assembly for adding a medication to a liquid solution, comprising:
 a flexible bag ( 10 ) for containing a liquid solution;   an adapter ( 14 ) extending from said flexible bag ( 10 ), said adapter ( 14 ) having a skirt ( 20 ) with an array of spaced-apart, resilient sections ( 22 ) that enable the skirt ( 20 ) to engage and be latched to a neck finish of a separate vial containing a medication; and   a locking device ( 16 ) securable about said skirt ( 20 ) in a locking position that prevents outward movement of said resilient sections ( 22 ).   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the skirt ( 20 ) is annular and each of the resilient sections ( 22 ) is arc-shaped and include an in-turned flange ( 24 ) for extending under an underside surface of a neck finish of a vial. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking device ( 16 ) is a locking ring that, when positioned in said locking position, encircles said resilient sections ( 22 ) of said skirt ( 20 ). 
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said locking ring ( 16 ) and said skirt ( 20 ) having complementary threaded surfaces ( 30 ,  32 ) permitting said locking ring ( 16 ) to be screwed onto said skirt ( 20 ). 
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the adapter ( 14 ) includes an upper wall ( 18 ) from which the skirt ( 20 ) depends and a cannula ( 28 ) extending from the upper wall ( 18 ) for piercing a stopper of a vial. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein said adapter ( 14 ) defines a channel ( 34 ) that extends continuously through the cannula ( 28 ) and the upper wall ( 18 ) and into said flexible bag ( 10 ). 
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible bag ( 10 ) contains dialysate for use during dialysis. 
     
     
         8 . An assembly for adding a medication to a liquid solution, comprising:
 a flexible bag ( 10 ) containing a liquid solution;   a separate vial ( 100 ) containing a medication and having a neck finish ( 106 ) defining a mouth with a stopper;   an adapter ( 14 ) extending from said flexible bag ( 10 ) and having a skirt ( 20 ) with an array of spaced-apart, resilient sections ( 22 ) for engaging and resiliently snapping onto the neck finish ( 106 ) of the vial ( 100 ); and   a locking device ( 16 ) securable about said skirt ( 20 ) in a locking position that prevents outward movement of said array of spaced-apart, resilient sections ( 22 ) of said skirt ( 20 ).   
     
     
         9 . The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the skirt ( 20 ) is annular, the resilient sections ( 22 ) are circumferentially spaced apart, and each of the resilient sections ( 22 ) are arc-shaped and include an in-turned flange ( 24 ) for extending beneath an underside surface ( 110 ) of the neck finish ( 106 ) of the vial ( 100 ) to latch the adapter ( 14 ) to the vial ( 100 ). 
     
     
         10 . The assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the locking device ( 16 ) is a locking ring that, when positioned in said locking position, encircles said array of resilient sections ( 22 ) of said skirt ( 20 ). 
     
     
         11 . The assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein said locking ring ( 16 ) and said skirt ( 20 ) have complementary spiral threads ( 30 ,  32 ) permitting said locking ring ( 16 ) to be advanced over said skirt ( 20 ) by being rotated relative to said skirt ( 20 ). 
     
     
         12 . The assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the adapter ( 14 ) includes an upper wall ( 18 ) from which the skirt ( 20 ) depends and a cannula ( 28 ) extending from the upper wall ( 18 ) for piercing the stopper of the vial ( 100 ). 
     
     
         13 . The assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein said adapter ( 14 ) defines a channel ( 34 ) that extends continuously through the cannula ( 28 ) from within the vial ( 100 ) and through the upper wall ( 18 ) of the adapter ( 14 ) and into said flexible bag ( 10 ). 
     
     
         14 . The assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said flexible bag ( 10 ) contains dialysate for use during dialysis and said vial ( 100 ) contains an antibiotic in a form of a powder or liquid. 
     
     
         15 . A dialysis machine including a dialyzer connected to the assembly according to  claim 8  with the vial ( 100 ) remaining connected to the adapter ( 14 ). 
     
     
         16 . A method of adding a medication to a liquid solution, comprising the steps of:
 connecting an adapter ( 14 ) of a flexible bag ( 10 ) containing a liquid solution to a separate vial ( 100 ) containing a medication, the vial ( 100 ) having a neck finish ( 106 ) defining a mouth with a stopper, and the adapter ( 14 ) extending integrally from the flexible bag ( 10 ), having a skirt ( 20 ) with an array of resilient sections ( 22 ) for engaging and resiliently snapping onto the neck finish ( 106 ) of the vial ( 100 ), and having a cannula ( 28 ) which pierces the stopper of the vial ( 100 );   after said connecting step, securing a locking device ( 16 ) in a locking position about the skirt ( 20 ) such that the locking device ( 16 ) prevents outward movement of said array of resilient sections ( 22 ) of said skirt ( 20 ) thereby locking the skirt ( 20 ) to the neck finish ( 106 ) of the vial;   after said securing step, squeezing the flexible bag ( 10 ) to cause an amount of the liquid solution contained in the flexible bag ( 10 ) to pass through a channel ( 34 ) extending through the adapter ( 14 ) and cannula ( 28 ) and into the vial ( 100 );   mixing the liquid solution and medication within the vial ( 100 ) by shaking the vial ( 100 ) to form a mixture; and   causing the mixture to pass through the adapter ( 14 ) and into the flexible bag ( 10 ).   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the skirt ( 20 ) is annular, the array of resilient sections ( 22 ) are circumferentially spaced apart, and each of the resilient sections ( 22 ) are arc-shaped and include an in-turned flange ( 24 ) for extending beneath an underside surface ( 110 ) of the neck finish ( 106 ) of the vial ( 100 ) to latch the adapter ( 14 ) to the neck finish ( 106 ) of the vial ( 100 ), and wherein the locking device ( 16 ) is a locking ring that, when positioned in the locking position, encircles and engages said array of resilient sections ( 22 ) of said skirt ( 20 ). 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the locking ring ( 16 ) and the skirt ( 20 ) of the adapter ( 14 ) have complementary spiral threads ( 30 ,  32 ) and wherein said securing step includes rotating said locking ring ( 16 ) relative to the skirt ( 20 ). 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein, before said squeezing step, the flexible bag ( 10 ) contains dialysate and the vial ( 100 ) contains an antibiotic in a form of a powder or liquid, and further comprising the steps of connecting the flexible bag ( 10 ) to a dialysis machine and performing dialysis. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the vial ( 100 ) remains connected to the adapter ( 14 ) during the dialysis.