Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have—the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.

Abstract: A convective blanket has multiple sets of discontinuous bonding strips that bond or attach its upper layer to its lower layer to form a number of air flow guides within the blanket. There is at least one set of substantially parallel discontinuous strips proximate to the air input port of the blanket and another set of substantially parallel discontinuous strips remote from the air input port. For each set of in parallel discontinuous bond strips, the respective distal and proximal ends of each successive strips are aligned with the distal and proximal ends of a corresponding substantially in parallel strip to effect a cross channel so that air flowing along the air flow guide may escape to different sections of the blanket. To output the heated air from the blanket, respective single rows of successively spaced air holes are formed adjacent to and substantially along the length of the discontinuous bond strips that are located proximate to the air input port.

Abstract: Various security features for a medical infusion pump are disclosed. The security features include providing dual verification for standing orders, allowing multiple levels of access rights to features of the medical infusion pump, and incorporating a security touch screen in the medical infusion pump. Methods of use and operation of these features are disclosed as well.

Abstract: An infusion device including a site and a set for delivery of a substance to a patient. The site can include a cannula that is introduced into a subcutaneous layer of skin of the patient. The set can be coupled to the site by placing the set over the site and moving the set from an unlocked to a locked position. The set can be oriented at multiple rotational orientations with respect to the site, and can be coupled and uncoupled with the site multiple times. Also included is a device for inserting a subcutaneous infusion device into a subcutaneous layer of skin of a patient. Some devices automatically retract a needle used to introduce the cannula. Upon full introduction of the needle and associated cannula of the subcutaneous infusion device into a subcutaneous layer of skin of a patient, the device can move the needle into a retracted state.

Abstract: A tip protector for a safety catheter includes an outer member releasably engaged with the interior cavity of the catheter hub. The outer member includes a generally fixed radially outwardly projecting portion to provide a holding force, and an inner member axially shiftably received within the outer member. A needle cannula received in the inner and outer members is operable to axially shift the inner member between a distal position wherein the distal tip extends distally of the tip protector, and a proximal position wherein the distal tip is within the outer member. The holding force of the outer member to the interior wall of the catheter hub remains substantially constant irrespective of the position of the inner member between the distal and proximal positions.

Abstract: A blunt cannula includes a distal portion and a proximal portion. The distal portion has a non-uniform taper defined by a plurality, such as four, differently tapered segments. The proximal portion may additionally or alternatively have a non-circular, such as oval, cross-section. At least the major diameter (D.sub.MAJ) of the proximal portion my taper toward the distal portion.

Abstract: A method of programming a medical infusion pump with a protocol is disclosed. The method includes providing a protocol including one or more patient specific pump parameters. The method further includes providing a user interface configured to allow user adjustment of at least one of the one or more patient specific pump parameters. The method also includes uploading the protocol into the medical infusion pump.

Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining a library of program data for medical pumps, the apparatus comprising: memory loaded with a database, the database including a plurality of program data records and a plurality of data key records, each program data record containing a set of program data items, at least some of the program data items included in the database for controlling operation of a medical pump, each data key record containing a data key and each data key identifying one of the data program records; a database management system programmed to link a data key to a set of program data; and a scanner in data communication with the database management system, the database management system being further programmed to receive a code scanned by the scanner, save the code in a data key record, and link the code to a set of program data, the code being a data key.

Abstract: A needle guard clip assembly has a clip and a spring, the clip having a first wall with a needle passage therethrough, a generally parallel second wall, a strut connecting the two walls, and a heel extending from the first wall. The walls, strut, and heel are an integral piece. The spring is associated with and extends from the first wall.

Abstract: A safety device to be used with a vial, or capsule, has a collar dimensioned to slidably fit about the body of the vial. Extending from the collar is a neck member that has connected to its other end a housing pivotable to a position along the longitudinal axis of the vial. A latch member having a lip is integrated to the neck member and extends out from the neck member in a direction towards the center of the collar. Neck member is fabricated to have an elastic characteristic so that if it is not biased by any external force, it will return to its original position. As the collar of the safety device is moved along the body of the vial, neck member is biased away from the vial as the latch member maintains contact along the outer surface of the vial, and then the outer surface of the hub formed at the top end of the vial.

Abstract: A catheter has a main portion made from an elongated tube and a soft tip that has softer flexural properties than the tube. The tip is affixed to the distal end of the tube. A reinforcement member is intermittently embedded in the body of the tube to provide kink and shear stress resistance as well as enhanced columnar strength and torque-ability to the catheter. With the flexible soft tip, the catheter is diverted when it meets an obstacle inside the patient to prevent the catheter from harming the patient. Another exemplar soft tip catheter is a one-piece elongated catheter with its distal portion selectively notched. A reinforcement member may be embedded along the length of the one-piece catheter or only along the main body portion. The notch at the distal portion may be a spiral cut or a number of ring cuts, with possibly different pitch, width and cut depth.

Abstract: An air warmer has a housing whereinto is positioned a noise reduction mechanism having a casing that encases a sound reducing structure having a maze like cavity. An axial fan is positioned within the sound reducing structure. In operation, air is drawn into the sound reducing structure by the fan along a first tortuous passage. The air is directed by the fan through another tortuous passage to an air outlet to inflate a convective blanket with an air hose connected to the air outlet. The configuration of the maze like cavity and the material from which the nosie reducing structure is formed reduce the noise generated by the fan. A heater is provided proximate to the air outlet to heat the output air. A filter is provided at the air inlet to filter the ambient air drawn into the warmer.

Abstract: A portal access assembly includes an inserter that has a needle, a cap moveable along the length of the needle and an infuser having a cannula through which the needle extends. A safety mechanism inside the cap allows the needle to be moved relative to the cap so long as the shaft of the needle biases against an edge of one of the legs of the mechanism. After the cannula is properly positioned in the implanted port to establish a fluid path between the port and the infuser, the needle is removed by being pulled upwards until it no longer biases the one leg of the mechanism. At which time the safety mechanism fixedly captures the needle inside the cap to prevent the contaminated tip of the needle from being exposed to the environment. At the same time, the cap is detached from the infuser.

Abstract: An information bearing septum viewable under radiographic imaging is formed by molding a septum base to have a depression with a given configuration and molding a one-piece solid radiopaque material insert having the same given configuration. The radiopaque insert is mounted to the cavity formed by the depression at the septum base. The top of the septum is then covered by a silicone layer that bonds to the septum. The finished septum is adapted to be fitted to a reservoir housing of a subcutaneous implantable portal. In place of the solid insert, the septum may be formed by placing on top of the septum base a one-piece top layer impregnated with a radiopaque material that has an integral hanging insert that fittingly mounts into the cavity formed by the depression at the septum base.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for programming a medical infusion pump are disclosed. One method includes displaying a meter having two or more locations, each of the two or more locations representing a corresponding parameter value programmable into the medical infusion pump. The method further includes displaying an indicator having a selectable positional relationship to the meter, the selected position corresponding to a parameter value.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to pressure plate for attachment to an infusion pump, where the pressure plate includes a tubing support surface at least partially surrounded by a raised perimeter support. The pressure plate includes a plurality of guide structures extending from the raised perimeter support that define a passageway for an infusion pump tube. Additionally an attachable flow stop assembly is included that includes an attachable occlusion arch and an attachable flow stop arm. The attachable occlusion arch includes a plurality of tab structures that couple to the raised perimeter support. The occlusion arch further includes an aperture configured to surround an infusion pump tube threaded therethrough. The attachable flow stop arm is operatively coupled to the raised perimeter support adjacent the attachable occlusion arch in a spring-biased fashion such that the aperture in the occlusion arch may be selectively occluded by the flow stop arm.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating a prescription form is disclosed. The method includes displaying a first menu containing a plurality of therapy menu items. The method also includes displaying a second menu containing at least one qualifier menu item. The method further includes displaying a third menu containing at least one drug menu item. The method includes, upon selection of a therapy menu item, a qualifier menu item, and a drug menu item, selecting a protocol including one or more patient specific pump parameters corresponding to the therapy menu item, the qualifier menu item, and the drug menu item. The method also includes displaying a prescription form including at least one of the one or more patient specific pump parameters.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a server for communicating with a medical device. The server comprises a web browser process for communicating with a remote device and a pump interface process for communicating with a medical device. Another aspect of the present invention is a medical device. The medical device comprises memory configured to store data and a programmable circuit in electrical communication with the memory. The programmable circuit is programmed with a web server for communicating data with a remote device. Another aspect of the invention is a server for communicating with a medical device. The server comprises memory for storing data and a programmable circuit in electrical communication with the memory. The programmable circuit programmed with an interface for communicating with a medical device.

Abstract: An apparatus for indicating a change in operation of a medical infusion pump. The apparatus includes a memory configured to store an original pump parameter and a current pump parameter. The apparatus further includes a programmable circuit in electrical communication with the memory, the programmable circuit programmed to display the original pump parameter and the current pump parameter. A method indicates a change in operation of a medical infusion pump.

Abstract: A method and medical pump to perform a flushing procedure are provided. The medical pump is configured to execute the flushing procedure subsequent to an infusion procedure, the flushing procedure and infusion procedure lacking a specified relationship between each other until after performance of the infusion procedure. The method comprises performing an infusion procedure of a medicament with the medical pump and automatically querying in human detectable form whether to execute a flushing procedure in response to conclusion of the infusion procedure.