Quest Medical, Inc.

Thomas C Thompson

Martyn S Abbott

Kenneth A Jones

Albert Michael Davis

Andrew P Mattson

Jack E Meyer

John A Gula

Tamera L Clark

Andrew Johnson

David J Harrison

Andrew D LeCocq

Don M Killman

Andrew S Wechsler

Joyce M Alt

John D Brady

Robert L Easley

The present invention relates to a retrograde cardioplegia catheter for the delivery of a cardioplegia solution to a patient's heart during open heart surgery. The catheter includes a flexible, elongated cannula having a proximal and a distal end. The cannula includes at least two lumens, the primary lumen being utilized to deliver cardioplegia solution. Typical of retrograde catheters, a sealing member is positioned and secured about the distal end of the cannula. In contrast to conventional catheters, however, the sealing member is comprised of (i) a thin-walled membrane that defines an interior chamber and (ii) a compressible, resilient form positioned within such chamber to fully support the membrane. The resilient form is in an expanded state when relaxed. The resilient form of the present invention enables the distribution of a consistent, definable force across the surface of the semi-rigid sealing member, whereby the resilient form empowers the sealing member of the present invention to overcome migratory tendencies of air- and fluid-filled sealing members typical of conventional retrograde cardioplegia catheters.

Retrograde cardioplegia catheter and method of use

A system and method for blood mixture fluid delivery to a patient includes fluid delivery conduits connected to the patient for delivering blood mixture fluid, a pump for controlled pumping of blood mixture fluid through the conduits to the patient, and an automatic control mechanism operatively connected to the pump for controlling the pump so that the blood mixture fluid is continuously delivered to the patient at a defined constant pressure.

Constant pressure blood mixture delivery system and method

A disposable cassette for a cardioplegia system for delivering cardioplegic solution to the heart during open heart surgery in cooperation with an extracorporeal blood circuit employing a heart/lung machine, includes a conduit diverting a portion of the blood flow from the heart/lung machine to a cardioplegia delivery line. A heat exchanger for controlling fluid temperature is provided in the cardioplegia delivery line. A first pump combines the blood from the conduit with a second fluid and delivers the combined flow into the delivery line leading to the heat exchanger. A control panel is operatively connected for adjusting the ratio of blood and second fluid delivered by the first pump and for adjusting the total volumetric rate of flow from the first pump.

Disposable cassette for cardioplegia delivery system

A display panel for use with a blood mixture fluid delivery system, which system has mechanisms for infusing blood mixture fluid to a patient and for controlling characteristics of the fluid delivery system. The display panel includes a visible schematic representation of a blood mixture fluid flow path through the fluid delivery system and visible displays of two or more of the controllable characteristics of the fluid delivery system, which visible displays are positioned along the schematic representation of the blood mixture fluid flow path.

Display panel and controls for blood mixture delivery system

A cardioplegia system for delivering cardioplegic solution to the heart during open heart surgery in cooperation with an extracorporeal blood circuit employing a heart/lung machine, includes a conduit diverting a portion of the blood flow from the heart/lung machine to a cardioplegia delivery line. A heat exchanger for controlling fluid temperature is provided in the cardioplegia delivery line. A first pump combines the blood from the conduit with a second fluid and delivers the combined flow into the delivery line leading to the heat exchanger. A control panel is operatively connected for adjusting the ratio of blood and second fluid delivered by the first pump and for adjusting the total volumetric rate of flow from the first pump.

Cardioplegia delivery system

An apparatus for rate controlled gravity drip delivery of a liquid from a replaceable storage container to a delivery site includes a first mount for removably suspending the container at a first elevation higher than the site. A second mount is located above the site, but at a second elevation below the first elevation by a predetermined amount. The second mount carries an intersurface comprising a venting tubing connector having an outlet into a delivery conduit extending to the site. A metering tube of predetermined flow resistance substantially higher than that of the delivery conduit extends from the container at one end and is releasably secured to the connector at its other end to define a two part flow path from the container to the site through the metering tube and delivery conduit. The venting of the connector subjects the fluid at the connector to the same ambient pressure as the fluid in the container so that the rate of delivery is substantially predetermined by the difference in the first and second elevations and flow resistance of the metering tube.

Rate-controlled gravity drip delivery apparatus

This invention relates to the parenteral infusion of fluids into patients, and particularly to the addition of drugs or other secondary fluids in infusion systems operating on an automatic basis.

Automated drug additive infusion system

A parenteral fluid administration system in which a measured medication dose is drawn into a syringe and the syringe is placed into a hangable bag so that its outlet can protrude from an aperture in the bag. A novel connector secures the delivery tubing in communication with the syringe outlet, and provides an air vent extending into the syringe barrel a sufficient distance to prevent venter air bubbles from being drawn out of the syringe outlet.

Parenteral fluid administration apparatus and method

A flow status monitoring method is disclosed for a gravity flow metering system employing a metering chamber separated by a movable diaphragm into two compartments, each with a valved inlet and valved outlet. The system alternately opens pairs of valves on opposite sides of the diaphragm at preselected time intervals to deliver a fixed increment of fluid. Each preselected interval is divided into a series of discrete sub-intervals, and flow monitoring information is generated by displaying a a discrete indicator representative of the sub-interval in which movement of the diaphragm across the chamber is completed.

Method for flow control monitoring

An intravenous administration set assembly (10) is disclosed which is capable of introducing fluid from a plurality of sources of intravenous fluids into a patient and which allows the various sources of fluid to be easily attached and detected from the assembly without the necessity for intravening safety steps, such as purging the system, and yet without any possibility of air or bacteria being introduced through the system into the patient. An air-eliminating filter (32) is attached to a manifold formed of fittings (26) which are connected through inlet adapters (28) to the sources of intravenous fluid. The air-eliminating filter (32) ensures that air or bacteria introduced into the assembly (10) through attaching or detaching sources to the assembly does not pass to the patient and also ensures that a head pressure is maintained relative to the venous pressure of the patient to prevent a back flow of blood from the patient into the assembly. Check valves are provided in each of the inlet adapters (28) attached to the manifold fittings (26) to prevent back flow from any one of the sources of fluid into another one of the sources to thus prevent contamination of the sources.

Intravenous administration set assembly

A system for sensing flow faults in a membrane system for intravenous fluid introduction is provided. A scanner is pulsed to generate reflected energy signals representative of the position of a membrane within a chamber. The scanner is pulsed both before and after the membrane is commanded to move within the chamber. The signals are then compared by an electronic circuit to determine the difference between them. If there exists a sufficiently large difference between the signals, this indicates that the membrane is moving in response to the command signals and the system is functioning properly. If there exists little or no difference between the signals, this indicates that there is a flow fault in the system, and an alarm is sounded.

Flow fault sensing system

An improved fluid additive system is disclosed. The first embodiment of the invention is formed by a system (10) including a controller (26) which automatically delivers a preselected quantity of a secondary fluid from a secondary container (14) at a preselected rate and subsequently delivers a preselected quantity of a primary fluid from a primary container (12) at a preselected rate. Within the controller (26) are input controls (48) for operator input of the desired preselected rates and quantity of fluid to be infused. A passive metering unit (36, 36') is provided in the controller for metering a known quantity of fluid to a delivery line upon each activation thereof. A microprocessor (40) responds to the rates amd quantity input into the input controls (48) to direct a drive unit (38) to activate the metering unit (36) to achieve the desired rates and quantity of infusion of the primary and secondary fluids.

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McKinney, TX, United States of America

Thomas C Thompson