Fluid delivery systems, devices and methods for delivery of fluids

Abstract

A fluid delivery system includes a container for fluid to be delivered to a patient, a continuous pump mechanism in non-removable fluid connection with the container, and an outlet in fluid connection with the pump mechanism.

1 . A fluid delivery system comprising: 
 at least one container for fluid to be delivered to a patient;    a continuous pump mechanism in non-removable fluid connection with the container; and    an outlet in fluid connection with the pump mechanism.    
   
   
       2 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the container is a flexible container.  
   
   
       3 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one one-way valve in fluid connection between the pump mechanism and the container to prevent flow from the pump to the container.  
   
   
       4 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a plurality of ports in fluid connection with the pumping mechanism, a one way valve being in fluid connection between the pump mechanism and each the plurality of ports, the one way valves preventing flow from the pumping mechanism to the container.  
   
   
       5 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the pump mechanism comprises at least one pressurizing chamber in fluid connection with the container and adapted to be placed in operative, removable connection with a drive mechanism to pump fluid from within the container.  
   
   
       6 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 5  wherein fluid from the container is pressurized within the pressurizing chamber via positive displacement.  
   
   
       7 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 6  wherein the pump mechanism comprises a plurality of pressurizing chambers in which fluid from the container is pressurized for delivery to the patient via positive displacement.  
   
   
       8 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 7  wherein each of the pressurizing chambers is in fluid connection with a single pump mechanism outlet.  
   
   
       9 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 7  wherein the pressurizing chambers are formed from a flexible, resilient material that can be compressed to pressurize fluid within the pressurizing chamber.  
   
   
       10 . The fluid delivery device of  claim 9  wherein the flexible material of the pressurizing chambers is suitably resilient such that recovery of the flexible material of the pressurizing chambers creates a pressure difference between the pressurizing chamber and the storage container suitable to draw fluid from the storage container into the pressurizing chambers.  
   
   
       11 . The fluid delivery device of  claim 7  wherein each of the pressurizing chambers comprises a piston slidably disposed therein.  
   
   
       12 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the container is filled with fluid to be injected and is substantially devoid of air.  
   
   
       13 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 13  wherein in the volume of air in the container is less than 1 volume percent.  
   
   
       14 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the container comprises no inlet port through which a fluid can enter the container.  
   
   
       15 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the fluid container and the pump mechanism are disposable as unit.  
   
   
       16 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the outlet of the pumping mechanism is in fluid connection with a connector adapted to place the fluid delivery system in fluid connection with a per-patient disposable tubing set.  
   
   
       17 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 16  wherein the connector is adapted to place the pumping mechanism in fluid connection with a plurality of per-patient disposable tubing sets sequentially to allow injection of fluid from the container into multiple patients.  
   
   
       18 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 17  wherein the connector is swabable to clean the connector after a tubing set has been removed therefore and prior to connection of another tubing set thereto.  
   
   
       19 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the pumping mechanism cannot pump fluid from outside the container into the container.  
   
   
       20 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the pump mechanism is adapted to pressurize the fluid to at least 20 psi.  
   
   
       21 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the pump mechanism is adapted to pressurize the fluid to at least 50 psi.  
   
   
       22 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the pump mechanism is adapted to pressurize the fluid to at least 100 psi.  
   
   
       23 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the pump mechanism is adapted to pressurize the fluid with a degree of pulsatile flow no greater than 25%, wherein the degree of pulsatile flow is defined by the following equation.  
       100%*(max flow−min flow)/average flow.  
   
   
       24 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 23  wherein the degree of pulsatile flow is no greater than 20%.  
   
   
       25 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 23  wherein the degree of pulsatile flow is no greater than 15%.  
   
   
       26 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 23  wherein the degree of pulsatile flow is no greater than 10%.  
   
   
       27 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 1  further comprising a mechanism to prevent flow of fluid into the container.  
   
   
       28 . A fluid delivery system, comprising: 
 at least one container for fluid to be delivered to a patient;    a drive mechanism;    a continuous pump mechanism in non-removable fluid connection with the fluid container, the pump mechanism being adapted to be placed in removable, operative connection with the drive mechanism; and    an outlet in fluid connection with the pump mechanism.    
   
   
       29 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 28  wherein the pump mechanism comprises a plurality of pressurizing chambers in which fluid from the container is pressurized at least one one-way valve being in fluid connection between the pump mechanism and the container to prevent flow from the pump mechanism to the container.  
   
   
       30 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 29  wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one drive member to compress the pressurizing chambers.  
   
   
       31 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 29  wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive member for each of the pressurizing chambers to compress each of the pressurizing chambers in a timed fashion.  
   
   
       32 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 31  wherein the drive member compresses the pressurizing chambers is a timed fashion to reduce pulsatile nature of the flow.  
   
   
       33 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 28  wherein each of the pressurizing chambers comprises a piston slidably disposed therein.  
   
   
       34 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 33  wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a plurality of connectors, one of the plurality of connectors being in operative connection with each of the pistons, each of the plurality of connectors being adapted to be placed in releasable connection with the drive mechanism.  
   
   
       35 . The fluid delivery system of  claim 34  wherein the drive mechanism comprises a plurality of drive members, each of the plurality of drive member including a cooperating connector adapted to be place in removable, operative connection with one of the connectors of the pumping mechanism.  
   
   
       36 . A method of distributing a fluid to be injected into a patient, comprising: 
 creating a fluid delivery system by filling at least one container with fluid to be to be injected into at least one patient, the fluid container being placed in non-removable fluid connection with a continuous pump mechanism, the pump mechanism including an outlet; and    transporting the fluid delivery system to a user.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the pump mechanism is in non-removable fluid connection with container prior to filling the container.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the pump mechanism is placed in non-removable fluid connection with container after filling the container.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising priming the pumping mechanism with fluid from the container prior to transporting the fluid delivery system.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising purging air from at least the container of the fluid delivery system prior to transporting the fluid delivery system.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the container includes no port through which fluid can be introduced to the container.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the container is a flexible container.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises a one-way valve is in fluid connection between the pump mechanism and the container to prevent flow from the pump mechanism to the container.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the pump mechanism comprises at least one pressurizing chamber in fluid connection with the port of the container, the pump mechanism being adapted to be placed in operative, removable connection with a drive mechanism to pump fluid from within the container.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising the step of placing the fluid delivery system in a package prior to transporting the fluid delivery system.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the fluid delivery system is packaged in a sterile state.  
   
   
       47 . A method of delivery fluid to a patient, comprising: 
 removing a fluid delivery system from a package, the fluid delivery system comprising: 
 at least one container having therein fluid to be delivered to a patient;  
 a continuous pump mechanism in non-removable fluid connection with the container; and  
 an outlet in fluid connection with the pump mechanism;  
   removably connecting the pump mechanism to a drive mechanism; and    connecting a first patient interface to the outlet.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising injecting fluid into at least a first patient.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising the step of removing the first patient interface from connection with the outlet after injecting fluid into the first patient and connecting a second patient interface to the outlet.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 47  further comprising disposing of the fluid delivery system after injecting fluid therefrom.  
   
   
       51 . A kit for fluid delivery packaged in a sterile container, comprising: 
 at least one fluid delivery system, comprising: 
 at least one container for fluid to be delivered to a patient;  
 a continuous pump mechanism in non-removable fluid connection with the container; and  
 an outlet in fluid connection with the pump mechanism.  
   
   
   
       52 . The kit of  claim 51  further comprising at least one per-patient disposable tubing set including a connector to connect to the outlet of the fluid delivery system.  
   
   
       53 . The kit of  claim 51  further comprising at least one manual syringe connectible to the tubing set adapted to draw blood from a patient or to inject a fluid.  
   
   
       54 . The kit of  claim 51  comprising a plurality of per-patient disposable tubing sets.  
   
   
       55 . The kit of  claim 51  comprising a plurality of fluid delivery systems, each of the fluid delivery systems including a different fluid in the container thereof.  
   
   
       56 . The kit of  claim 55  wherein the container of one of the fluid delivery systems encloses a contrast enhancement medium and the container of another one of the fluid delivery systems encloses saline.  
   
   
       57 . A fluid delivery device, comprising: 
 at least one inlet connectible to a fluid supply;    at least two resilient pressurizing chambers in fluid connection with the at least one inlet, each of the pressurizing chambers being formed from a flexible material that can be compressed to pressurize fluid within the pressurizing chamber;    an inlet valve in fluid connection with each of the pressurizing chambers between the storage container and the pressurizing chamber and being operable to allow fluid to enter the pressurizing chamber from the storage container but to prevent fluid from flowing from the pressurizing chamber into the storage container;    a common outlet in fluid connection with the pressurizing chambers;    an outlet valve in fluid connection with each of the pressurizing chambers between the pressurizing chamber and the outlet and being operable to allow fluid to enter the outlet from the pressurizing chamber but to prevent fluid from flowing from the outlet into the pressurizing chamber.