8454results about "Flow control" patented technology

An apparatus for delivering a bolus of a medical agent to a patient. The apparatus comprises a pump mechanism, a data input device, and a processor in data communication with the keypad and arranged to control the pump mechanism. The processor is programmed to receive data specifying a bolus amount through the data port, receive data regarding duration through the data port, receive a percentage through the data port, the percentage defining a portion of the bolus amount to deliver immediately upon executing a deliver command and a remainder of the bolus amount to deliver over the duration upon executing a deliver command, and execute the deliver command thereby controlling the pump mechanism to deliver the bolus. Also a method of temporarily adjusting the delivery rate of an infusion pump. The infusion pump is programmed to deliver a basal rate. The method comprises prompting a user to select whether to enter the temporary rate as a percent of the current delivery rate or as a new delivery rate; entering into the pump a period of time having a beginning and an end; entering into the pump a temporary basal rate; and delivering the therapeutic agent at a delivery rate substantially equal to the temporary basal rate during the period of time.

A piston-type infusion pump is provided having an improved method of occlusion detection. The infusion pump includes processing circuitry for controlling the drive mechanism to infuse medication to a patient, including a sensor to track the position of the syringe plunger, thereby metering the amount of medication dispensed to the patient. The processing circuitry also includes a force sensor for providing signals indicative of the presence of occlusions along the infusion path. The operation of the drive mechanism causes delivery of medication to the patient. The infusion pump is constructed to be watertight.

A microfluidic method and device for focusing and/or forming discontinuous sections of similar or dissimilar size in a fluid is provided. The device can be fabricated simply from readily-available, inexpensive material using simple techniques.

A method for transcutaneously delivering fluid to a patient including providing at least one disposable infusion pump, wherein the pump includes a housing adapted to be mounted on a patient's skin, a transcutaneous patient access tool for extending through the housing and providing transcutaneous access to the patient, a reservoir prefilled with a therapeutic fluid, a dispenser for causing fluid from the reservoir to flow to the transcutaneous patient access tool, a processor connected to the dispenser and programmed to cause a flow of fluid from the reservoir to the transcutaneous patient access tool based on flow instructions, and a wireless receiver connected to the processor for receiving flow instructions from a remote controller and for delivering the flow instructions to the processor.

A pump system for an infusion system includes a linear drive (36, 36′) which minimizes the space occupied by the pump components in a portable housing (10, 10′). A motor (34) and a motor drive shaft (42) are arranged in parallel with, and adjacent to a syringe (14, 14′) and lead screw (94, 94′). A gear box (54) connects the drive shaft and lead screw to transfer rotational movements between them. A piston driving member, such as a cone (116) or drive nut (116′) converts the rotational movement of the lead screw into linear motion of a syringe piston (24). Sensors (150, 152) detect when the piston or cone is in a “home” position and in an “end” position, respectively. Optionally, a proximity sensor (170) is used to ensure that the cone and the piston (24) are abutting during dispensing. Alternatively, a clamping member (350) selectively clamps the lead screw (94′) against linear motion in at least a dispensing direction.

A method of dispensing a therapeutic fluid from a line includes providing an inlet line connectable to an upstream fluid source. The inlet line is in downstream fluid communication with a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a pump outlet. The method also includes actuating a force application assembly so as to restrict retrograde flow of fluid through the inlet while pressurizing the pumping chamber to urge flow through the pump outlet. A corresponding system employs the method.

A method of detecting a change (that is, an increase or a decrease) in the level of fluid in tissue in a first area of a body includes the steps of: applying electromagnetic energy, preferably in the frequency range of approximately 300 MHz to approximately 30 GHz, to a first volume of the body; measuring a resultant or returned signal; comparing the signal to a reference signal to determine if the fluid level in the tissue has changed. In one embodiment, the method detects changes in the level of fluid in tissue of a body by applying electromagnetic energy to a first volume of the body over a period of time (for example, using an antenna or antennae); measuring a resultant signal or a signal returned from the tissue; and comparing the signal to a reference signal to determine if a level of fluid in the tissue has changed during the period of time.

PCT No. PCT/JP96/01254 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 2, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 2, 1997 PCT Filed May 13, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/35368 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 14, 1996The present invention relates to a device for diagnosing physiological state based on blood pulse waves detected in the body. It is the objective of the present invention to provide a device which correctly diagnoses the current physiological state based on changes in physiological state measured over a specified period of time in the past while taking into consideration the cyclical variation exhibited in physiological state. In order to realize this objective, the device according to the present invention has as its main components: blood pulse wave detector 381 and stroke-volume-per-beat measurer 382 which respectively detect blood pulse wave and stroke volume in the body; blood pulse wave extraction memory 386 which extracts characteristic information from the detected blood pulse wave; memory 383 in which the physiological state calculated from the stroke volume and this characteristic information is stored; output portion 385 which outputs an alarm; and microcomputer 387 which controls each part inside the device. The microcomputer calculates the circulatory parameters based on characteristic information obtained from the waveform extraction memory, and stores the parameters in memory at specified time intervals. At these times, microcomputer 387 calculates the circulatory parameters from the stroke volume per beat and the characteristic information of the blood pulse wave at specified time intervals, and stores the parameters in memory 383. Further, microcomputer 387 reads out from memory 383 the circulatory parameters from a specified time interval in the past, and calculates the average value and standard deviation. Microcomputer 387 then determines whether or not the current circulatory parameters are within a specified range determined by their average value and standard deviation. When the circulatory parameters are determined to be outside this range, microcomputer 387 controls output portion 385 to sound an alarm.

An impedance model of tissue is useful for describing conductivity reconstruction in tissue. Techniques for determining and mapping conductivity distribution in tissue supply useful information of anatomical and physiological status in various medical applications. Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) techniques are highly suitable for analyzing conductivity distribution. Electrical characteristics of tissue include resistive elements and capacitive elements. EIT techniques involve passing a low frequency current through the body to monitor various anatomical and physiological characteristics. The system can interrogate at multiple frequencies to map impedance. Analytical techniques involve forward and inverse solutions to boundary value analysis to tissue characteristics.

Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, methods of implementing irrigation control are provided that detect a presence of a first module coupled with a control unit of an irrigation controller, the control unit operating in accordance with a bootloader set of code and a first set of code to implement irrigation control, identify that the first module stores a second set of code, and activate the bootloader set of code to replace the first set of code with the second set of code. Also described are various different types of modular controllers, expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of the controller and these modules in the controller.

A medication delivery and monitoring system and methods whereby drugs are safely delivered to a patient, monitored in real-time during delivery and crucial events are recorded during delivery to provide real-time, on-line information and detail for an audit trail. A novel safety label cradle unit is disclosed. Safety label cradles (SLC's) are provided in a plurality of sizes to match varying sizes of syringes which are disposed on a cradle of the SLC to provide a constant needle height on the SLC unit independent of syringe volume (barrel diameter). A selected SLC is securely affixed to a syringe by an adhesively backed label wrapping. The label is preprinted to provide drug identification indicia and drug preparation information. The information is automatically read into the system from the label. A novel delivery station of the system monitors drug delivery as a plunger of the syringe is pushed to deliver a drug to a patient. A smart tray in cooperation with a slider portion of the SLC is used to selectively deliver drugs to a port in the IV set. The smart tray comprises a first portion for carrying SLC units, an attachable second portion having a control panel for operating the system and a cover for lockably affixing the SLC units to the tray.

A system for at least partial closed-loop control of a medical condition is disclosed. The system includes at least one medical fluid pump. The medical fluid pump including a sensor for determining the volume of fluid pumped by the pump. Also, at least one continuous analyte monitor, and a controller. The controller is in communication with the medical fluid pump and the at least one continuous analyte monitor. The controller includes a processor. The processor includes instructions for delivery of medical fluid based at least on data received from the at least one continuous analyte monitor.

Tissue sensors house one or more sensor elements. Each element has a housing mounted substrate and a superstrate with a planar antenna between. A transitional periphery (TP) of a superstrate outer surface interconnects a base to a plateau. At least some of the TP has a generally smooth transition. Plural elements are spaced by the housing. Alternately, the superstrate TP is flat, the housing extends to the outer superstrate surface and a shield surrounds the element. The housing is flush with or recessed below the superstrate and defines a TP between the housing and superstrate. A method converts a reference signal to complex form; plots it in a complex plane as a reference point (RP); converts a measurement signal to complex form; plots it in the complex plane as a measurement point (MP); determine a complex distance between the MP and the RP; and compares complex distance to a threshold.

A load management system controller employs a method for determining carbon credits earned as a result of a control event in which power is reduced to at least one service point serviced by a utility. The controller is located remotely from the service point(s) and determines power consumed over time by at least one device located at the service point(s) to produce power consumption data. The controller stores the power consumption data. At some later point in time, the controller initiates a control event and determines an amount of power reduced during the control event based on the stored power consumption data. The controller also determines a generation mix for power that would have been supplied to the service point(s) if the control event had not occurred. The controller then determines a quantity of carbon credits earned based at least on the amount of power reduced and the generation mix.