Patents Assigned to TherOx, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20060193799
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a FC emulsion. The method comprises mixing an FC immiscible hydrophilic liquid and a solid emulsifying agent by agitation at a temperature elevated above the phase transition temperature of the emulsifying agent and below the boiling temperature of the FC immiscible hydrophilic liquid, and adding FC to the mixture of step (a) and agitating at the elevated temperature to disperse droplets of FC in the FC immiscible hydrophilic liquid to form the FC emulsion. The invention also provides another method of making an FC emulsion, which does not require a solid emulsifying agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Creech, Li-Chien Hsu, Margaret Kivinski, Paul Zalesky
  • Publication number: 20060193878
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a FC emulsion. The method comprises mixing an FC immiscible hydrophilic liquid and a solid emulsifying agent by agitation at a temperature elevated above the phase transition temperature of the emulsifying agent and below the boiling temperature of the FC immiscible hydrophilic liquid, and adding FC to the mixture of step (a) and agitating at the elevated temperature to disperse droplets of FC in the FC immiscible hydrophilic liquid to form the FC emulsion. The invention also provides another method of making an FC emulsion, which does not require a solid emulsifying agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Creech, Li-Chien Hsu, Margaret Kivinski, Paul Zalesky
  • Patent number: 7013703
    Abstract: A bubble detector utilizes an ultrasonic transducer to sample bubbles as they pass the transducer. The envelope of the return signal is analyzed to determine the volume of each sampled bubble. If the total volume of bubbles sampled within a certain period of time exceeds a desired maximum volume, the bubble detector may initiate a system shut down. A bubble detector can be evaluated or calibrated by introducing bubbles into a conduit, detecting the bubbles introduced into the conduit using visual inspection or a bubble detector of known resolution and comparing the results with the examination of a bubble detector under evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Daw J. Derek, Jeffrey L. Creech, William R. Patterson
  • Patent number: 7008535
    Abstract: A method and apparatus creates gas-enriched fluid that is used to treat wastewater. In one embodiment, the wastewater is withdrawn from a supply of wastewater to be treated, and the wastewater is delivered in an atomized manner to a vessel pressurized with gas to form gas-enriched wastewater. The gas-enriched wastewater is then delivered to the supply of wastewater to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignees: Wayne State University, TherOx, Inc., DynamOx, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Richard Spears, Richard Crilly, Ray Rydman, James Gessert, Steve Myrick
  • Patent number: 6974435
    Abstract: A system utilizes an oxygenation device to generate a gas-enriched physiologic fluid and to combine it with a bodily fluid to create a gas-enriched bodily fluid. The oxygenation device may take the form of a disposable cartridge, which is placed within an enclosure. An electronic controller manages various aspects of the system, such as the production of gas-enriched fluids, flow rates, bubble detection, and automatic operation and shut down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc
    Inventors: Derek J. Daw, William R. Patterson, Stephen E. Myrick, Jeffrey L. Creech, Vincent Divino, Jr., Gregory P. Watson, Paul J. Zalesky
  • Patent number: 6936221
    Abstract: A method for forming a gas-enriched fluid is provided. The method includes a step of providing a mixing chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet. A first fluid is delivered into the mixing chamber via the first inlet and flows vertically. A second fluid having a liquid phase supersaturated with a gas is delivered to the mixing chamber via the second inlet to mix with the first fluid and from the gas-enriched fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent Divino, Jr., William R. Patterson, Jeffrey L. Creech, Stephen E. Myrick
  • Patent number: 6899847
    Abstract: A device for producing a gas-supersaturated fluid is provided. The device includes a chamber having a first inlet to receive a gas and a second and a third inlets to receive a fluid; and an outlet for removal of the produced gas-supersaturated fluid. The gas is received from a gas supply that maintains pressure within the chamber at a predetermined level. An atomizer nozzle is coupled to the third inlet to create fine droplets of fluid within the chamber into which gas diffuses to create the gas-supersaturated fluid. The device also includes a first valve coupled to the outlet of the chamber and a second valve coupled to the second inlet, the third inlet and an actuator assembly to control delivery of the fluid from the piston assembly into the chamber. The fluid is delivered into the chamber through the second inlet when the second valve is open and the fluid is delivered through the third inlet when the second valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Therox, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Myrick, Mark S. Buhr
  • Patent number: 6890482
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for blood oxygenation are provided. The apparatus advantageously comprises a liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly. The liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly includes a pressurizable chamber having inlets for a first gas-supersaturated fluid and a second fluid, such as blood. The inlets are advantageously positioned on the mixing chamber in such a way that the first fluid and the second fluid enter the mixing chamber normally to each other to promote mixing and liquid-to-liquid gas transfer. The mixed fluid exits the chamber via an outlet for delivery to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Therox, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent Divino, Jr., Jeffrey L. Creech, William R. Patterson, Stephen E. Myrick
  • Patent number: 6855291
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for blood oxygenation are provided. The apparatus includes a chamber having a first inlet to receive a gas-supersaturating fluid, e.g., physiologic saline; a second inlet to receive a gas, e.g., oxygen, from a gas supply; and an outlet coupled to a capillary assembly. An atomizer nozzle coupled to the first inlet creates within the chamber fine droplets of fluid into which the gas diffuses to create the gas-supersaturated fluid, which is removed via the outlet. The removed gas-supersaturated fluid mixes with blood within a liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly to form oxygenated blood for delivery to a patient. Alternately, the blood may be provided by the pump to a high pressure hollow fiber or other type membrane oxygenator within which oxygen diffuses across the membranes(s) and into the blood to form oxygenated blood, again for delivery to a patient or other site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Patterson, Stephen E. Myrick, Vincent Divino, Jr., Jeffrey L. Creech, Mark S. Buhr
  • Patent number: 6849235
    Abstract: A method for gas-supersaturating fluids, e.g., physiologic saline, includes providing a chamber having a first inlet to receive the fluid; a second inlet to receive a gas, e.g., oxygen, from a gas supply that maintains pressure within the chamber at a predetermined level, advantageously about 600 psi; and an outlet advantageously coupled to a capillary assembly. An atomizer nozzle coupled to the first inlet advantageously creates within the chamber fine droplets of fluid into which gas diffuses to create the gas-supersaturated fluid, which collects within the chamber below the atomizer nozzle for removal via the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Myrick, Mark S. Buhr
  • Patent number: 6843099
    Abstract: A bubble detector utilizes an ultrasonic transducer to sample bubbles as they pass the transducer. The envelope of the return signal is analyzed to determine the volume of each sampled bubble. If the total volume of bubbles sampled within a certain period of time exceeds a desired maximum volume, the bubble detector may initiate a system shut down. A bubble detector can be evaluated or calibrated by introducing bubbles into a conduit, detecting the bubbles introduced into the conduit using visual inspection or a bubble detector of known resolution and comparing the results with the examination of a bubble detector under evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Daw J. Derek, Jeffrey L. Creech, William R. Patterson
  • Patent number: 6811750
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for blood oxygenation are provided. The apparatus includes a chamber having a first inlet to receive a fluid, e.g., physiologic saline; a second inlet to receive a gas, e.g., oxygen, from a gas supply; and an outlet coupled to a capillary assembly. An atomizer nozzle coupled to the first inlet creates within the chamber fine droplets of fluid into which the gas diffuses to create a gas-supersaturated fluid, which is removed via the outlet. The removed gas-supersaturated fluid mixes with blood within a liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly to form oxygenated blood for delivery to a patient. Alternately, the blood may be provided by a pump to a high pressure hollow fiber or other type membrane oxygenator within which oxygen diffuses across the membrane(s) and into the blood to form oxygenated blood, again for delivery to a patient or other site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Patterson, Stephen E. Myrick, Vincent Divino, Jr., Jeffrey L. Creech, Mark S. Buhr
  • Patent number: 6782924
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Therox, Inc.
    Inventors: Adib G. Daoud, James M. Gessert
  • Patent number: 6759008
    Abstract: An apparatus for blood oxygenation and delivery is provided. The apparatus advantageously comprises a liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly with a pressurizable chamber having inlets for a first gas-supersaturated fluid and a second fluid, such as blood. The inlets are advantageously positioned on the mixing chamber in such a way that the first fluid and the second fluid enter the mixing chamber normally to each other to promote mixing and liquid-to-liquid gas transfer. The apparatus also includes a delivery system coupled to the blood oxygenation assembly. The delivery system includes a generally tubular elongated member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a transition portion located between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion. The transitional portion is relatively flexible compared to the proximal end portion and is relatively stiff compared to the distal end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Therox, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Patterson, Jeffrey L. Creech
  • Patent number: 6676900
    Abstract: A gas-enriched fluid is provided by the combination of a first fluid, such as a patient's blood, with a second gas-supersaturated fluid, such as an oxygen supersaturated fluid. In this example, a catheter assembly includes a portion that receives the patient's blood from a pump and that receives the oxygen supersaturated fluid from an appropriate fluid source. The oxygen supersaturated fluid is advantageously combined with the blood in an area of laminar flow, and then this gas-enriched fluid is delivered to the patient through an appropriate lumen coupled to the portion of the catheter assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignees: TherOx, Inc., Wayne State University
    Inventors: Vincent Divino, Jr., Seth A. Foerster, James M. Gessert, Robert A. Mest, Paul J. Zalesky, James Richard Spears
  • Patent number: 6622542
    Abstract: A bubble detector utilizes an ultrasonic transducer to sample bubbles as they pass the transducer. The envelope of the return signal is analyzed to determine the volume of each sampled bubble. If the total volume of bubbles sampled within a certain period of time exceeds a desired maximum volume, the bubble detector may initiate a system shut down. A bubble detector can be evaluated or calibrated by introducing bubbles into a conduit, detecting the bubbles introduced into the conduit using visual inspection or a bubble detector of known resolution and comparing the results with the examination of a bubble detector under evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Daw J. Derek, Jeffrey L. Creech, William R. Patterson
  • Patent number: 6613280
    Abstract: A device generates a gas-enriched physiologic fluid and combines it with a bodily fluid to create a gas-enriched bodily fluid. The device may take the form of a disposable cartridge. The cartridge may include a fluid supply chamber for delivering physiologic fluid under pressure to an atomizer. The atomizer delivers fluid droplets into a gas-pressurized atomization chamber to enrich the physiologic fluid with the gas. The gas-enriched physiologic fluid is delivered to a mixing chamber in the cartridge where the gas-enriched physiologic fluid is mixed with a bodily fluid, such as blood, to create a gas-enriched bodily fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Therox, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Myrick, Gregory P. Watson, William R. Patterson, Paul J. Zalesky
  • Patent number: 6607698
    Abstract: A system and method for increasing gas concentration in blood which has use as a generalized extracorporeal system and method to treat hypoxemic blood from a patient by mixing the blood with an oxygen supersaturated solution to generate hyperoxemic blood to be infused back to the patient. The extracorporeal system comprises an extracorporeal tubing through which blood from the patient is circulated, a blood pump for withdrawing blood from and delivering blood to the patient, at least one channel for delivering oxygen-supersaturated fluid and a mixing region for introducing supersaturated fluid without bubble formation. By infusing the oxygen-supersaturated fluid into the hypoxemic or normoxemic blood from the patient, hyperoxemic blood is thereby produced. The hyperoxemic blood is then returned to a central vein, right heart or artery of the patient with the blood pump at approximately the same volume delivery rate as blood volume withdrawal rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignees: TherOx, Inc., Wayne State University
    Inventors: J. Richard Spears, Seth A. Foerster, James M. Gessert, Paul J. Zalesky
  • Patent number: 6605217
    Abstract: A bacterial fluid filter includes a filter element supported by a backing member. The filter element and backing member are sealed, e.g., with one or more o-ring seals, in a housing to provide a filter assembly capable of filtering fluid under relatively high pressure. In one embodiment, a filter element, backing member, and seal are disposed in a removable and disposable housing that is sized to fit within a filter housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Buhr, Adib G. Daoud, Derek J. Daw, John E. Merritt
  • Patent number: D497989
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: TherOx, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Myrick, Mark S. Buhr, William R. Patterson, Gregory P. Watson