Apparatus for introducing intraosseous portals

Abstract

Apparatus are disclosed for intraosseous fluid infusion or aspiration of bone marrow of a subject. Particular apparatus include a bone portal (bone-penetrating member) comprising axially-aligned distal and proximal sections. The proximal section extends in a distal direction from a proximate end of the bone portal and the distal section extends in the distal direction from the proximate section to a distal end of the bone portal. The bone portal also comprises a fluid-transport bore extending between a proximal opening in the proximal section and a distal opening in the distal section. At least a portion of the distal section has a cross-sectional area, perimeter, diameter and/or dimension greater than that of the proximal section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for intraosseous fluid infusion or aspiration of bone marrow of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a bone probe assembly having a plurality of bone probes for penetrating a soft tissue and resting on a surface of a cortical layer of a bone;   (b) a bone penetrating device having a distal end and a pusher at a proximal end for transmitting a force to push the distal end of the bone penetrating device to penetrate into said bone;   wherein the bone penetrating device is slidably movable relative to the bone probe assembly.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bone probe assembly comprises an aperture and the bone penetrating device is slidably movable through said aperture relative to the bone probe assembly. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said aperture is located at an axial center of the bone probe assembly. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bone probes are located on a circle surrounding an axial center of the bone probe assembly. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of bone probes is in the range of 3 to 12. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bone penetrating device comprises a stop surface and the slidable movement of the bone penetrating device relative to the bone probe assembly is limited by said stop surface. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pusher of the bone penetrating device moves in the same direction as the distal end of the bone penetrating device when the bone penetrating device is slidably moved relative to the bone probe assembly towards the subject. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bone probe assembly comprises a body portion and the plurality of bone probes extend from the body portion. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bone probes comprise a plurality of needles. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a patch for guiding the bone probe assembly to be located to a target zone on a body surface of the subject. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the patch comprises a patch base and an indicia located on or at an edge of the patch for locating the patch to said target zone. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the indicia comprises a notch. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the notch has a shape that generally matches an anatomical feature of the subject. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the notch has a shape that generally matches a sternal notch on a manubrium bone of the subject. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the patch comprises an opening formed in the patch base at a predetermined location relative to the indicia. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein a distance of the notch to the opening is shorter than a distance of any other peripheral portion of the patch to the opening. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , comprising a tube clamp affixed to the patch base for grippingly engaging a tube to the patch base. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the patch is flexible. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the patch has an adhesive underside. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the bone penetrating device comprises a bone portal. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the bone portal comprises a bore extending therethrough. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the bone penetrating device comprises an infusion tube coupled to the bone portal. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the bone penetrating device comprises a stylet extending through the infusion tube and the bore of the bone portal. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the stylet is removable from the infusion tube and the bone portal.