Abstract: A method for determining a flow rate of a fluid is provided. The method includes heating an aliquot of the fluid at a first position of a fluid-delivery channel, illuminating fluid in the fluid-delivery channel at a second position downstream from the first position, measuring an amount of light reflected from the illuminated fluid to determine a change in the amount corresponding to the heated aliquot passing the second position, and calculating the flow rate of the fluid based upon a distance between the first position and the second position and a time between the heating the aliquot and the heated aliquot passing the second position.

Abstract: A curable material delivery cannula device is disclosed. The device includes a cannula and a hub. The cannula includes an open proximal end, a deflectable segment forming a pre-set curve, a lumen, and side orifice(s) adjacent, and proximally spaced from, the distal end and fluidly connected to the lumen. When inserted within a guide cannula, the deflectable segment straightens. When distally extended from the guide cannula, the deflectable segment reverts to the curved shape. The distal end has a blunt tip for non-traumatic interface with bodily material. During use, curable material, such as bone cement, is delivered from the side orifice(s) in a radial direction relative to the lumen. The device may be used to create voids for receiving curable material, and may include spacers configured to control location and/or orientation of the voids.

Abstract: An intravenous (IV) pump is disclosed. The IV pump includes a housing, a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, and a switch configured to selectably energize or de-energize the electromagnet. The permanent magnet generates a magnetic field and the electromagnet, when energized, generates a magnetic field that approximately cancels the magnetic field of the permanent magnet.

Abstract: An infusion data communication system provides a communication link among a fluid container, an infusion pump, and a patient through which identification data may be communicated. Data devices are located at the fluid container and the patient and conduct low frequency RF energy at a low power level containing the data into the medical fluid. The data-laden RF energy propagates through the medication fluid to data readers at the infusion pump which receives the RF energy and reads the data. A comparison is made to verify that the right medication is mounted to the infusion pump for administration to the right patient. RFID devices may be used for the data devices and readers. Pump programming data may also be propagated to the infusion pump from the container RFID tag. The RFID device at the patient may be writable and may be used to store a patient MAR.

Abstract: A cassette is disclosed that comprises an interface element having a first position and a second position, the interface element configured to be driven from the first position to the second position and back to the first position by unidirectional rotary motion of a driving element, and a first and a second pumping chamber each having a volume and each coupled to the interface element such that the volume of the first pumping chamber is increasing while the volume of the second pumping chamber is decreasing as the interface element moves from the first position to the second position and the volume of the first pumping chamber is decreasing while the volume of the second pumping chamber is increasing as the interface element moves from the second position to the first position.

Abstract: An intravenous (IV) pump system is disclosed. The IV pump includes a pumping segment and an IV pump. The pumping segment comprises a receptacle configured to hold a medical fluid and an alignment feature attached to the receptacle. The alignment feature comprises one of a magnetic or a magneto-sensitive material. The IV pump includes a housing having a shaped cavity configured to accept the alignment feature of the pumping segment and an attraction element comprising the other of the magnetic or the magneto-sensitive material. The attraction element is configured to attract the alignment feature toward the shaped cavity.

Abstract: A connection device has a male connector and a female connector. The female connector will only accommodate the dedicated male connector, thereby prohibiting a misconnection with the wrong male connector. In certain embodiments, a member prohibits male connectors, other than a dedicated male connector, from being inserted into the female connector. In certain other embodiments, a post prohibits male connectors, other than a dedicated male connector including a slot, from being inserted into the female connector. In still certain other embodiments, a series of prongs in the male connector and corresponding grooves in the female connector ensure the proper connection. Once the male connector is inserted and secured within the female connector, a fluid-tight seal is formed between the male connector and the female connector.

Abstract: In a peristaltic medical infusion pump unit, comprising a peristaltic assembly and a counter surface or anvil facing said peristaltic assembly and provided by the inner surface of a door (30) pivotally mounted on a housing (12) of the unit, the door (30) is readily non-destructively removable and replaceable. In use of the peristaltic pump unit, a flexible resilient tube (36) forming part of a medical fluid delivery line is extended between the peristaltic assembly and the counter surface or anvil provided by the door. The medical is fluid delivery line has first and second colour coded fittings (38, 40) spaced therealong upstream and downstream of the peristaltic assembly (26) and the region of the housing of the pump unit across which the infusion line is extended is provided, correspondingly spaced above and below the peristaltic assembly (26) with correspondingly colour coded support means (22, 24) for these fittings.

Abstract: A portable mechanical ventilator having a ROOTS® blower is configured to provide a desired gas flow and pressure to a patient circuit. The mechanical ventilator includes a flow meter operative to measure gas flow produced by the ROOTS® blower and an exhalation control module configured to operate an exhalation valve connected to the patient circuit. A bias valve connected between the ROOTS® blower and the patient circuit is specifically configured to generate a bias pressure relative to the patient circuit pressure at the exhalation control module. The bias valve is further configured to attenuate pulsating gas flow produced by the ROOTS® blower such that gas flowing to the mass flow meter exhibits a substantially constant pressure characteristic. The bias pressure facilitates closing of the exhalation valve at the start of inspiration, regulates positive end expiratory pressure during exhalation, and purges sense lines via a pressure transducer module.

Abstract: A vital-signs monitoring device is disclosed. The vital-signs monitor includes a sensor that measures a physiological parameter of a patient, a circuit assembly containing vital-signs monitoring circuitry that analyzes the sensor measurements to generate vital sign signals, and a housing. The housing is designed to be worn by a patient and encapsulates the circuit assembly such that moisture and particulate matter is prevented from reaching the circuit assembly through the housing.

Abstract: Systems and methods of tracking a patient within a facility via a vital-signs patch attached to the patient are disclosed. A first signal is received from a bridge, the first signal comprising information indicative of a vital-signs patch attached to a patient. The patient is identified based at least in part on the information. Location of the patient is determined based on a known location of the bridge within the facility.

Abstract: A vital-signs monitoring patch is disclosed. The patch includes at least two electrodes and a circuit assembly that periodically takes at least one measurement from the electrodes. The patch is a unitized device that contains the circuit assembly with the electrodes on the underside of the patch. The patch is attached to a patient with the electrodes in electrical contact with the patient's skin. The segments of the patch that connect the electrodes to the circuit assembly are flexible which reduces the noise induced in the measurement by stress on the contact between the electrodes and the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods of monitoring body temperature of a person disclosed. A signal generated by a temperature probe is received, the signal responsive to a change in body temperature of a person to whom the temperature probe is attached. A new temperature reading is generated based on the signal. The new temperature reading is accepted or rejected based on the determination.

Abstract: A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system is disclosed. The patch consists of a housing that is configured to be worn on the skin of a patient. The housing contains a radio, one or more sensor interfaces, a processor, and a battery. The processor can selectably turn portions of the processor off and on and selectably turn power off and on to at least a portion of the sensor interfaces and radio. The processor includes a timer that, each time the timer times out, will turn all the parts of the processor on and start a new timing period. When the processor receives a signal, the processor will turn off power to at least a portion of the processor and at least a portion of the sensor interfaces.

Abstract: Systems and methods of reducing false alarms associated with vital-sign monitoring are disclosed. One or more vital-sign readings of a patient are received. One or more acceleration readings from an accelerometer attached to the patient are received. At least one of motion and position of the patient are determined based at least in part on the one or more acceleration readings. An alarm condition determination procedure is modified if at least one of the motion and the position satisfies a predefined condition.

Abstract: A vital-signs device in a patient monitoring system is disclosed. The patch includes a housing configured to be attached to the skin of a patient. The housing contain monitoring circuitry configured to acquire and store measurements of vital signs of the patient, a wireless transmitter configured to transmit signals to another device, a wireless receiver configured to receive signals from the other device; and a processor operably connected to the monitoring circuitry, transmitter, and receiver. Upon receipt of an upload signal from the other device, the processor is configured to send a message to the other device via the transmitter. The message packet structure includes a data payload of variable size, a header containing transmit and route information and data payload length, and a data integrity check value.

Abstract: Systems and methods of reducing false alarms associated with a vital-sign monitor are disclosed. One or more data samples of a vital sign of a patient are generated at a first sampling rate in a normal mode of operation. Whether the one or more data samples satisfy an alert condition is determined. An alert mode of operation is entered into if the alert condition is satisfied. One or more additional data samples of the vital sign are generated at a second sampling rate higher than the first sampling rate in the alert mode.

Abstract: A vital-signs monitor patch containing at least two electrodes, a circuit assembly, and a patch body having a chamber in which the circuit assembly is housed. The patch body also contains at least one flexible portion adjacent to the circuit assembly chamber, with at least one electrode attached to the flexible portion. The electrodes are configured for attaching the patch to the skin of a patient.

Abstract: A vital-signs patch for a patient monitoring system that includes a housing containing a sensor that makes physiological measurements of a patient, a transmitter, a receiver, a memory, and a processor. The processor periodically takes a measurement from the sensor, converts the measurement to a data record, and stores the data record in the memory. Upon receipt of a signal from another device, the processor retrieves at least a portion of the data record, converts the retrieved portion of the data record to a vital-sign signal, and causes the transmitter to transmit the vital-sign signal to the other device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for analyzing patient hospitalization data to determine a Nosocomial Infection Marker (NIM), the method comprising receiving from a database hospitalization data associated with at least one patient, calculating from the hospitalization data the number of specimens with non-duplicate hospital isolates (SNDHI) markers, calculating from the hospitalization data antibiotic utilization criteria (AUC) markers, and determining the nosocomial infection marker (NIM) for each patient, based upon the calculated. SNDHI and AUC markers.