MEDICAL INJECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS RELATED TO USER ACTIVATED CONTROL DEVICES
A control module for a medical injection system generates an injection control signal based on sensed internal pressure of a user activated control device, for example, in response to an applied external force that causes the sensed internal pressure to increase from a baseline pressure, and continues to sense the internal pressure of the device, following release of the applied external force, so that, if the sensed internal pressure drops below the baseline pressure, the control module may generate a notification. Thus, an operator of the system may monitor internal pressure of the control device for a drop below the baseline pressure, and then, if such a drop is detected, inspect the control device for leaks and reconnect, replace or repair the control device, or simply reconnect or replace the control device.
The present disclosure pertains to medical injection systems and more particularly to user activated control devices thereof.
BACKGROUNDMedical injection systems of the present invention include a pump, an injection control module, and a user activated control device coupled to the injection control module, wherein the control module includes a pressure sensor in fluid communication with an internal volume of the control device, to sense an internal pressure thereof, so that the control module may generate an injection control signal, which is based upon the sensed internal pressure of the control device; the sensed internal pressure increases from a baseline pressure in response to application of an external force to the control device. According to some embodiments and methods of the present invention, the pressure sensor continues to sense the internal pressure of the control device following release of the applied external force, and, if the sensed internal pressure drops below the baseline pressure, the control module generates a notification. Thus, according to some methods, a user/operator of the system, during setup/calibration and/or system operation, can monitor the sensed internal pressure of the control device, after releasing an applied external force to the control device, to detect if the sensed internal pressure drops below the baseline pressure; and, if the internal pressure does drops below the baseline pressure, the operator may then inspect the control device for leaks and repair, reconnect or replace the control device, or simply reconnect or replace the control device without inspecting. According to some methods and embodiments, the baseline pressure is approximately atmospheric pressure, or, preferably, zero differential pressure with respect to atmospheric.
The following drawings are illustrative of particular methods and embodiments of the present disclosure and, therefore, do not limit the scope of the invention. The drawings are not to scale (unless so stated) and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description. Methods and embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and:
The following detailed description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides practical illustrations for implementing exemplary methods and embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many of the examples provided have suitable alternatives that can be utilized.
A setup/calibration procedure for control device 200 correlates each ADC input signal 201-ADC, for example, resulting from an external force, above a predetermined threshold, applied to bladder 210, to a corresponding injection control signal, each of which dictates a volume flow rate for injection of contrast agent, for example, delivered by the positive displacement pump of pressurizing unit 130. Some setup/calibration methods of the present invention are described below in conjunction with
With reference back to
Thus, according to embodiments and methods of the present invention, pressure sensor 315 of control module 300 (
With reference back to
According to some methods, the first applied external force, per step 503, following connection of the control device at step 501, is a maximum force for the particular user/operator, and, as the external force is increased from an initial force to the maximum force, internal pressure is continuously monitored to establish a series of injection control signals corresponding to each external applied force in a range from a predetermined threshold force to the maximum. Alternately the user/operator may apply, in a serial manner, individual forces of different magnitudes, per repeated steps 503, to calibrate injection control signals. It should be noted that methods of the present invention are not limited to setup/calibration of user activated control devices, but, as described above, are also implemented during system operation following setup/calibration.
In the foregoing detailed description, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, it may be appreciated that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1-22. (canceled)
23. An injection control device for an injection system comprising:
- a closed internal volume having a baseline pressure;
- an elastic portion defining at least one side of the closed internal volume, the closed internal volume being compressible by application of an external force to the elastic portion such that, when the closed internal volume is compressed, the internal pressure of the closed internal volume increases above the baseline pressure; and wherein
- the closed internal volume is in fluid communication with an interfacing portion of the injection system that is used to monitor the internal pressure of the closed internal volume after the external force is released from the elastic portion to detect the presence of a leak in the closed internal volume.
24. The injection control device of claim 23, wherein a leak in the closed internal volume is detected in the event that, after the external force is released from the elastic portion, the internal pressure of the closed internal volume drops below the baseline pressure.
25. The injection control device of claim 23, wherein the pressure of the closed internal volume is monitored while the external force is applied to the elastic portion, and wherein a leak in the closed internal volume is detected in the event that, while the external force is applied to the elastic portion, the internal pressure in the closed internal volume decreases by a predetermined amount.
26. The injection control device of claim 23, wherein the closed internal volume comprises a first closed internal volume, and further comprising:
- a second closed internal volume separate from the first closed internal volume; and
- a second elastic portion defining at least one side of the second closed internal volume; and wherein
- the second closed internal volume is in fluid communication with a second interfacing portion of the injection system.
27. The injection control device of claim 26, further comprising:
- a first connector in fluid communication with the first closed internal volume via a first tubing line and configured to provide an interface between the first closed internal volume and the interfacing portion of the injection system; and
- a second connector in fluid communication with the second closed internal volume via a second tubing line and configured to provide an interface between the second closed internal volume and the second interfacing portion of the injection system.
28. An injection system comprising:
- an injection control device comprising: a closed internal volume having a baseline pressure; and an elastic portion defining at least one side of the closed internal volume, the closed internal volume being compressible by application of an external force to the elastic portion such that, when the closed internal volume is compressed, the internal pressure of the closed internal volume increases above the baseline pressure;
- a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the closed internal volume; and
- a controller in communication with the pressure sensor configured to monitor the internal pressure of the closed internal volume and alert a user of a detected leak in the closed internal volume of the injection control device; wherein
- the internal pressure of the closed internal volume is monitored after the external force is released from the elastic portion, and a leak is detected in the closed internal volume in the event that, after the external force is released from the elastic portion, the internal pressure drops below the baseline pressure.
29. The injection system of claim 28, further comprising:
- a display in communication with the controller; and wherein
- alerting the user of a detected leak in the closed internal volume comprises presenting a visual notification to the user via the display.
30. The injection system of claim 29, wherein alerting the user of a detected leak in the closed internal volume comprises displaying a graphical plot of the internal pressure of the closed internal volume over time on the display.
31. The injection system of claim 29, wherein alerting the user of a detected leak in the closed internal volume comprises generating a light signal or message on the display.
32. The injection system of claim 28, wherein alerting the user of a detected leak in the closed internal volume comprises generating an audible alert.
33. The injection system of claim 28, wherein the internal pressure is monitored while the external force is applied to the elastic portion.
34. The injection system of claim 33, wherein, if the internal pressure does not significantly drop while the external force is applied to the elastic portion, the controller establishes an injection control signal to perform an injection operation.
35. The injection system of claim 33, wherein the injection operation comprises delivering a contrast injection into a patient at a flow rate, the flow rate being dependent on the external force applied to the elastic portion.
36. A method for controlling a medical injection system comprising:
- experiencing an external force applied to an elastic portion of a closed internal volume causing the internal pressure of the closed internal volume to increase from a baseline pressure;
- monitoring the internal pressure of the closed internal volume as the external force is released from the elastic portion; and
- if the monitored internal pressure of the closed internal volume drops below the baseline pressure, outputting a signal indicating the presence of a leak in the closed internal volume.
37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:
- monitoring the internal pressure of the closed internal volume while the external force is applied to the elastic portion; and
- if the pressure drops significantly while the external force is applied to the elastic portion, outputting a signal indicating the presence of a leak in the closed internal volume.
38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:
- if the pressure does not drop significantly while the external force is applied to the elastic portion, establishing an injection control signal and performing an injection operation.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the injection operation comprises delivering a contrast injection into a patient at a flow rate, the flow rate being dependent on the external force applied to the elastic portion.
40. The method of claim 37, further comprising establishing a series of injection control signals, each injection control signal corresponding to one of a series of applied external forces to the elastic portion.
41. The method of claim 36, wherein outputting a signal indicating the presence of a leak in the closed internal volume comprises presenting an audible and/or a visible alert.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein outputting the signal indicating the presence of a leak in the closed internal volume comprises displaying a graphical plot of the internal pressure of the closed internal volume over time on a display.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 28, 2016
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2017
Inventor: Reed Brian Wagner (Bloomington, MN)
Application Number: 15/337,529