I-flow Corporation Inc.

Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Baxter International Inc.

American Hospital Supply Corporation

Avent, Inc.

Kenneth Wayne Rake

Roger Dillard Massengale

Jose Castillo Deniega

Donald M Earhart

Charles J McPhee

Eric Mabry

Orvil L Judge

Orvile L Judge

James Dal Porto

Donald Eugene Bobo, Sr

Mark Anthony Siminuk

Robert R Weyant

Joe W Young

Lois Rake, Legal Representative

Bernardino Rubalcaba, Jr

Ralph M Kerns

Michael V North

Kevin Forest

Kurt J Sebesta

The present invention provides a catheter for the delivery of fluid medication across an anatomical region. In accordance with some embodiments, the catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube and an elongated member positioned within the tube. The exit holes combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. Advantageously, fluid within the catheter flows through all of the exit holes, resulting in uniform distribution of fluid within an anatomical region.

Catheter for uniform delivery of medication

Catheters for uniform delivery of medication within an anatomical region. A catheter includes an elongated tube with a plurality of exit holes along an infusion section of the catheter, and an elongated flexible porous member residing within the tube and forming an annular space between the tube and the member. A catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube. The exit holes may combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. A catheter includes an elongated tubular member made of a porous membrane. The porous membrane is configured so that a fluid introduced into an open end of the tubular member will flow through side walls of the tubular member at a substantially uniform rate along a length of the tubular member. A catheter includes an elongated 'weeping' tubular coil spring attached to an end of, or enclosed within, a tube. Fluid within the spring and greater than or equal to a threshold pressure advantageously flows radially outward between the spring coils.

A catheter having features configured to provide a substantially uniform flow rate of a fluid exiting the catheter and also exhibits anti-microbial properties. The uniform flow rate features may include one or more of a flow restricting membrane or flow restricting component within an infusion section of the catheter. In other arrangements, exit holes defining the infusion section of the catheter may be configured to provide the desired uniform flow rate over the length of the infusion section. Furthermore, the catheter also includes anti-microbial properties to inhibit the growth of microbes on or within the catheter and, preferably, to inhibit microbe growth in an anatomical region surrounding the catheter. The desired anti-microbial properties may be provided by an anti-microbial layer, anti-microbial materials dispersed within the material from which components of the catheters are constructed, or a combination of anti-microbial layers and embedded anti-microbial materials. In some arrangements, one or more portions of the catheter may be bio-absorbable.

Anti-microbial catheter

A catheter is provided for uniform distribution of fluid medication within an anatomical region. One embodiment of the catheter is comprised of an elongate tubular catheter body defining a lumen. A distal end of the lumen is closed and a portion of the catheter body includes a plurality of openings thereby defining an infusion section of the catheter. A tubular sheath is constructed from a porous material and is positioned over the infusion section. The tubular sheath extends at least a length of the infusion section. The tubular sheath and the catheter body are configured such that fluid within the lumen must pass through the tubular sheath to exit the catheter. In at least one embodiment, a pore size of the porous material is less than about 0.5 microns.

The present invention provides a catheter for the delivery of fluid medication across an anatomical region. In accordance with some embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated tubular member made of a porous membrane. The porous membrane is configured so that a fluid introduced into an open end of the tubular member will flow through side walls of the tubular member at a substantially uniform rate along a length of the tubular member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated 'weeping' tubular coil spring attached to an end of, or enclosed within, a tube. Fluid within the spring and greater than or equal to a threshold pressure advantageously flows radially outward between the spring coils. Advantageously, the fluid is dispensed substantially uniformly throughout a length of the spring. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube. The exit holes combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. Advantageously, fluid within the catheter flows through all of the exit holes, resulting in uniform distribution of fluid within an anatomical region.

A catheter is provided for uniform distribution of fluid medication within an anatomical region. One embodiment of the catheter is compromised of an elongated, proximal tube defining a lumen and an elongated, distal tube having a closed end. The distal tube is constructed from a bio-absorbable material and also defines a lumen, which communicates with the lumen of the proximal tube. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the distal tube defines a porous side wall that permits fluid within the lumen to pass through the portion of the distal tube. In another embodiment, the proximal tube and the distal tube overlap one another and are secured to one another at the overlapping surfaces.

A device and method for the infusion of medicinal fluid at a controlled flow rate to a wound site or the blood stream of a patient is disclosed. A pump delivers fluid under pressure from a fluid source through a continuous and substantially constant flow path and through a supplemental bolus dose flow path. A large volume bolus dose reservoir accumulates a large quantity of fluid from the bolus dose flow path and holds the fluid under pressure. A flow regulator controls the fill rate of the large volume bolus reservoir. The large volume supplemental bolus dose is released from the bolus reservoir upon patient activation of a valve. The release rate of the bolus dose is controlled by the decompression of an elastomeric sphere or spring chamber, by the pressure gradient at the valve and/or by optional flow control tubing. In one embodiment, a source of fluid under pressure is pumped at a continuous and substantially constant rate to a wound site or the blood stream of a patient and into a bolus syringe, which is capable of holding a large quantity of fluid under pressure. A plunger on the bolus syringe may be depressed to release a bolus dose of fluid into a chamber accumulator and then to the patient at a controlled release rate.

Large volume bolus device and method

The present invention provides a catheter for the delivery of fluid medication across an anatomical region. In accordance with one embodiment, the catheter comprises an elongated tube with a plurality of exit holes along an infusion section of the catheter, and an elongated flexible porous member residing within the tube and forming an annular space between the tube and the member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube. The exit holes may combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. Advantageously, fluid within the catheter flows through all of the exit holes, resulting in uniform distribution of fluid within an anatomical region. In one particular embodiment, the catheter comprises a tube having elongated exit slots therein. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated tubular member made of a porous membrane. The porous membrane is configured so that a fluid introduced into an open end of the tubular member will flow through side walls of the tubular member at a substantially uniform rate along a length of the tubular member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated 'weeping' tubular coil spring attached to an end of, or enclosed within, a tube. Fluid within the spring and greater than or equal to a threshold pressure advantageously flows radially outward between the spring coils. Advantageously, the fluid is dispensed substantially uniformly throughout a length of the spring.

A device for regulating the flow rate of a fluid includes a housing containing a plurality of flow conduits fluidly connecting an inlet and an outlets each of the flow conduits comprising a flow control tube and a resiliently compressive occlusion tube, wherein the flow control tubes are of substantially equal internal diameter. Each of the flow control tubes has a length associated with a different flow rate. A resilient flow-blocking element is operatively associated with each of the occlusion tubes and is movable into a flow-blocking compression against its associated occlusion tube. An actuation mechanism in the housing is operable (a) to selectively engage and move one or more of the flow-blocking elements into the flow-blocking compression against its associated occlusion tube, and (b) to selectively be disengaged from any of the flow-blocking elements.

Device for selectively regulating the flow rate of a fluid

A device for regulating the flow rate of a fluid includes a housing containing a plurality of flow conduits fluidly connecting an inlet and an outlet, each of the flow conduits comprising a flow control tube () and a resiliently compressive occlusion tube (), wherein the flow control tubes are of substantially equal internal diameter. Each of the flow control tubes has a length associated with a different flow rate. A resilient flow-blocking element () is operatively associated with each of the occlusion tubes and is movable into a flow-blocking compression against its associated occlusion tube. An actuation mechanism () in the housing is operable: (a) to selectively engage and move one or more of the flow-blocking elements into the flow-blocking compression against its associated occlusion tube, and (b) to selectively be disengaged from any of the flow-blocking elements.

A catheter is provided for uniform distribution of fluid medication within an anatomical region. One embodiment of the catheter is comprised of an elongated, proximal tube defining a lumen and an elongated, distal tube having a closed end. The distal tube is constructed from a bio-absorbable material and also defines a lumen, which communicates with the lumen of the proximal tube. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the distal tube defines a porous side wall that permits fluid within the lumen to pass through the portion of the distal tube. In another embodiment, the proximal tube and the distal tube overlap one another and are secured to one another at the overlapping surfaces.

The present invention provides a catheter for the delivery of fluid medication across an anatomical region. In accordance with one embodiment, the catheter comprises an elongated tube with a plurality of exit holes along an infusion section of the catheter, and an elongated flexible porous member residing within the tube and forming an annular space between the tube and the member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube. The exit holes may combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. In one particular embodiment, the catheter comprises a tube having elongated exit slots therein. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated tubular member made of a porous membrane. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated 'weeping' tubular coil spring attached to an end of, or enclosed within, a tube.

Growing community of inventors

Laguna Niguel, CA, United States of America

Kenneth Wayne Rake