Abstract: Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a medical implement having a male protrusion. The cleaning device including a housing defining an inner cavity by and having an inner wall that encloses the inner cavity and an opening. The inner wall has a recess near the opening to the housing. The recess has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the opening. The cap further includes a movable piston having a forward end and rearward end surrounded by a flexible flange that extends outward to abut the inner wall near the recess of the housing. The rearward end of the movable piston configured to contact couple with a distal end of the male protrusion to move the piston toward a distal end of the housing opposite the opening of the housing to provide a portion of the cleaning solution to the male protrusion.

Abstract: Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a medical implement such as a female Luer connector. The cleaning device includes a cap having an interior cavity and an opening adapted to receive a site of the medical implement. The interior cavity is defined by an interior wall that includes a male Luer protrusion extending in the direction of the opening from an end of the interior cavity opposite the opening. A skin of cleaning material overlies at least a portion of the interior wall. The cleaning material may be pre-loaded with a cleaning agent and is adapted to clean the site of the medical implement.

Abstract: Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

Abstract: Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a site of a medical implement is disclosed. The cleaning device can include a cap having an opening to an inner cavity, and the opening can be adapted to receive a site of the medical implement. The inner cavity can include a male luer protrusion that extends up from an inner wall toward the opening, and can be sized and adapted for insertion into a female luer when the cap is provided on the medical implement. The cleaning device can further include a cleaning material that contains a cleaning agent prior to receipt of the site of the medical implement, i.e. the cleaning material is pre-loaded with the cleaning agent, to swab and clean the site with the cleaning agent. The cap can further include a friction-forming member for creating a friction-based fitting of the cap onto the site of the medical implement.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cap having an opening and that defines an inner cavity, and a channel that extends from a bottom of the inner cavity to a bottom of the cap. A plunger includes a domed top surface, a shoulder, and a rod member. The plunger moves toward the bottom of the cap as the domed top surface is contacted by a male protrusion of a male medical implement, to push the rod member and piercing end further into the channel. The crush ribs contact an inner surface of the channel to inhibit reverse movement of the plunger. A cleaning material contains a cleaning agent and is positioned around the rod member and compressed between the bottom of the inner cavity and the shoulder of the plunger to release the cleaning agent around the shoulder to contact the male protrusion.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a site of a medical implement is disclosed, as are methods for using such devices. The cleaning device can include a cap having an opening to an inner cavity, and the opening can be adapted to receive a site of the medical implement. The inner cavity can include a male luer protrusion that extends up from an inner wall toward the opening, and can be sized and adapted for insertion into a female luer when the cap is provided on the medical implement. The cleaning device can further include a cleaning material that contains a cleaning agent prior to receipt of the site of the medical implement, i.e. the cleaning material is pre-loaded with the cleaning agent. The cleaning material can be at least partially secured in the inner cavity and adapted to swab and clean the site with the cleaning agent. The cap can further include a friction-forming member for creating a friction-based fitting of the cap onto the site of the medical implement.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cap having an opening and that defines an inner cavity, and a channel that extends from a bottom of the inner cavity to a bottom of the cap. A plunger includes a domed top surface, a shoulder, and a rod member. The plunger moves toward the bottom of the cap as the domed top surface is contacted by a male protrusion of a male medical implement, to push the rod member and piercing end further into the channel. The crush ribs contact an inner surface of the channel to inhibit reverse movement of the plunger. A cleaning material contains a cleaning agent and is positioned around the rod member and compressed between the bottom of the inner cavity and the shoulder of the plunger to release the cleaning agent around the shoulder to contact the male protrusion.

Abstract: A cleaning cap for a medical implement having a male protrusion. The cleaning cap includes a housing defining an inner cavity defined by an inner wall and distal end that encloses the inner cavity, and an opening opposite the distal end. The inner wall has a recess near the opening to the housing. The recess has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the inner wall near the recess. The cap further includes a movable piston having a forward nose and rearward end surrounded by a flexible flange that extends outward and toward the opening to abut the inner wall near the recess of the housing to maintain a cleaning solution in the inner cavity prior to receipt of the male protrusion into the inner cavity. The rearward end of the movable piston configured to couple with a distal end of the male protrusion to move the piston toward a distal end of the housing opposite the opening of the housing to provide a portion of the cleaning solution to the male protrusion.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cap having an opening and that defines an inner cavity, and a channel that extends from a bottom of the inner cavity to a bottom of the cap. A plunger includes a domed top surface, a shoulder, and a rod member. The plunger moves toward the bottom of the cap as the domed top surface is contacted by a male protrusion of a male medical implement, to push the rod member and piercing end further into the channel. The crush ribs contact an inner surface of the channel to inhibit reverse movement of the plunger. A cleaning material contains a cleaning agent and is positioned around the rod member and compressed between the bottom of the inner cavity and the shoulder of the plunger to release the cleaning agent around the shoulder to contact the male protrusion.

Abstract: A cleaning system for medical implements includes a number of cleaning caps attached to a substrate. Each cleaning cap can be selectively and individually removed from the substrate, which, prior to such removal, acts as a seal to the opening of each cap. Each cap includes an inner cavity accessible through the opening. The inner cavity holds a cleaning material that contains a cleaning agent, which is held in the inner cavity by the seal provided by the substrate. Upon removal, the cap can be placed on a site of a medical implement to clean the site by contact with the cleaning material and cleaning agent.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a site of a medical implement is disclosed, as are methods for using such devices. The cleaning device can include a cap having an opening to an inner cavity, and the opening can be adapted to receive a site of the medical implement. The inner cavity can include a male luer protrusion that extends up from an inner wall toward the opening, and can be sized and adapted for insertion into a female luer when the cap is provided on the medical implement. The cleaning device can further include a cleaning material that contains a cleaning agent prior to receipt of the site of the medical implement, i.e. the cleaning material is pre-loaded with the cleaning agent. The cleaning material can be at least partially secured in the inner cavity and adapted to swab and clean the site with the cleaning agent. The cap can further include a friction-forming member for creating a friction-based fitting of the cap onto the site of the medical implement.

Abstract: An injection valve includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid channel extending between the inlet and the outlet. A piston is slidable within a bore of the housing between a first position wherein the piston is relatively far from the closed end and a second position wherein the piston is relatively near to the closed end. A biasing spring biases the piston toward the first position. The piston closes and seals the inlet when the piston is in the first position and allows fluid to pass from the inlet to the fluid channel to the outlet when the piston is in the second position. A piston seal is formed between the piston and a wall of the bore, dividing the bore into a unsealed chamber and a sealed chamber adjacent to the closed end. There is no vent between the sealed chamber and an exterior of the housing.