Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-05
2001-07-17
Mendez, Manuel (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261261
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices for preheating intravenous (IV) solutions prior to infusion into a patient, and more particularly to a disposable cassette having an infrared heating element electively powered for heating an IV solution prior to infusion to a patient.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been found that in many medical situations it is advantageous to provide a patient with an intravenous infusion of a solution containing water, glucose, medicine, blood or components of blood, chemotherapy solutions, dyes, radiation-tracing materials and many other medical solutions for healing, therapy, diagnosis or other medical purposes. In may cases, the rate of infusion needs to be so rapid that the temperature of the solution may have a significant impact on the patient. Particularly, where the solution is administered at room temperature or below, which temperatures are significantly lower than the standard body temperature of 98.6 degrees.
In many situations, it has been found advantageous to heat a unit of solution, for example, a unit of plasma or a unit of blood prior to hanging the unit on the IV stand and attaching it to the IV tubing for infusion to the patient.
More recently, it has been found advantageous to provide disposable cassettes having metallic-resistance elements positioned adjacent to portions of an IV solution passage or enclosed tubing so that the solution is heated immediately prior to infusion to the patient. This advantageously allows maintenance of the solution at a cooler temperature, thereby preserving its usefulness, until immediately prior to infusion of the desired quantity at the prescribed rate. The metallic electrical resistance heater has certain drawbacks in the energy requirements for producing sufficient electrical resistance heating. Further, such devices have required special manufacturing techniques and materials that make the cost of production significant.
Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive, reliable infrared device for prewarming IV solutions immediately prior to infusing to patients.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Applicant has provided an infrared device for prewarming IV solutions that comprises a cassette having a predetermined length of IV tubing or a passage corresponding in size to the inside diameter of standard IV tubing. The passage has an inlet connectable to a source of IV solution and an outlet connectable to an IV infusion device, such as a needle or a catheter for infusing the prewarmed solution to the patient. At least one infrared energy-generating sheet is positioned in the cassette adjacent to the predetermined length of IV tubing. The infrared energy-generating sheet includes a fiberglass support grid and a matrix layer of a mixture of carbon and polymeric materials formed on the support grid for producing infrared radiation in response to electrical current passed through the matrix layer. A pair of electrical conduction power strips are placed along opposite sides of the matrix layer. Input power terminals are connected to the electrical conduction power strips and an electrical power source is connected to the input power terminals for providing electrical power to be passed through the power strips and thereby pass through the matrix layer of carbon and polymer mixture to generate infrared radiation. The cassette holds the infrared energy-generating sheet adjacent along the predetermined length of IV tubing so that the infrared energy is transferred to an IV solution carried through the tubing. Preferably, a temperature control microchip is provided operatively connected for sensing the temperature that results from infrared heating of the IV solution and automatically controls the electrical power to the infrared energy-generating sheet to maintain a desired rate of heating.
Haynes and Boone L.L.P.
Mendez Manuel
Montgomery John W.
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