Patents by Inventor Tracy Birchmeier

Tracy Birchmeier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • X-bar stopcock device for pulmonary artery catheterization
    Patent number: 12702813
    Abstract: A unified X-bar stopcock, including a bidirectional stopcock having a first port, second port, third port, and fourth port; and a three-way stopcock having a fifth port, sixth port, and seventh port. The bidirectional stopcock is fluidly coupled to the three-way stopcock via the first port and the fifth port. A method of using the X-bar stopcock includes providing a Swan-Ganz catheter, an X-bar stopcock, a transducer, a monitor, and at least one bag of saline. The method includes connecting the X-bar stopcock to at least two lumens of the Swan-Ganz catheter. The method additionally includes connecting at least one port of the X-bar stopcock to the transducer connected to the monitor, connecting at least one port of the X-bar stopcock to the bag of saline, and connecting the transducer to the bag of saline. The unified X-bar stopcock may also include a protective case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Mark Miller, Tracy Birchmeier, Bree Susalla, Yuru Chen, Rayna Berris, Cara Spencer, Caroline Schmiedeler
  • X-BAR STOPCOCK DEVICE FOR PULMONARY ARTERY CATHETERIZATION
    Publication number: 20230191104
    Abstract: A unified X-bar stopcock, including a bidirectional stopcock having a first port, second port, third port, and fourth port; and a three-way stopcock having a fifth port, sixth port, and seventh port. The bidirectional stopcock is fluidly coupled to the three-way stopcock via the first port and the fifth port. A method of using the X-bar stopcock includes providing a Swan-Ganz catheter, an X-bar stopcock, a transducer, a monitor, and at least one bag of saline. The method includes connecting the X-bar stopcock to at least two lumens of the Swan-Ganz catheter. The method additionally includes connecting at least one port of the X-bar stopcock to the transducer connected to the monitor, connecting at least one port of the X-bar stopcock to the bag of saline, and connecting the transducer to the bag of saline. The unified X-bar stopcock may also include a protective case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Mark Miller, Tracy Birchmeier, Bree Palo, Yuru Chen, Rayna Berris, Cara Spencer, Caroline Schmiedeler