Pudenz-schulte Medical Research Corporation

Alfons Heindle

Gary P East

Rudolf R Schulte

A totally subcutaneously implantable infusion reservoir and pump system includes a variable capacity reservoir for receiving and storing fluids containing medications for delivery to a catheter which directs the medications to a specific infusion location in the body. A pump and a valving arrangement is interposed between the reservoir and the catheter to facilitate and control the transfer of the medications from the reservoir to the catheter in a safe and efficient manner. In one preferred form, a normally closed first valve is situated between the reservoir and a pump, and a normally closed second valve is situated between the pump and the catheter in a manner such that the pump and valving arrangement defines a portion of a fluid flow conduit between the reservoir and the catheter. The pump and valving arrangement requires at least two deliberate and sequential steps before the medications stored in the reservoir can be transferred to the catheter. As an additional safety feature, an integral flow occluder can be added to the pump and valving arrangement to prevent the emptying of the medications in the reservoir through the catheter into the body when both normally closed valves are opened simultaneously. When the system is used in the treatment of terminally ill patients, the catheter can be placed within the body to direct morphine or other pain killing medications directly into the lateral ventricle of the brain or into the lumbar subarachnoid space.

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Goleta, CA, United States of America

Alfons Heindle