System and method for compounding medication

Abstract

A medication compounding system is described that is capable of receiving one or more medications and diluents and that includes an array of moveable transfer cartridges to access a medication container and to transfer medication. The transferred medication may be joined with a diluent to form a compounded medication. The resulting compounded medication may then be directed to a filling port where a compounded medication container may be coupled. A second medication container may align with a second transfer cartridge to transfer a second medication. Because the device may comprise one or more medications and diluents, a series of compounded medications may be created using an individual transfer cartridge for each medication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medication compounding system comprising:
 a medication module rotatable about a first axis of rotation and comprising a medication tray configured to hold one or more medication containers;   a transfer module rotatable about a second axis of rotation and configured to hold a circular array of transfer cartridges, and configured to rotate and align a respective transfer cartridge held by the rotatable transfer module with a selected medication container of the one or more medication containers held by the medication tray, the respective transfer cartridge comprising a respective access device configured to couple the respective transfer cartridge with the selected medication container when the respective transfer cartridge is aligned with the selected medication container; and   wherein the medication compounding system is configured to, after the respective transfer cartridge and the selected medication container are aligned and coupled, provide for a medication to be withdrawn from the selected medication container to the respective transfer cartridge.   
     
     
         2 . The medication compounding system of  claim 1 , wherein the respective transfer cartridge is coupled with the selected medication container by lowering the medication tray with respect to a body portion of the medication compounding system so that the respective access device extends into a fluid port of the selected medication container. 
     
     
         3 . The medication compounding system of  claim 2 , wherein the second axis of rotation is substantially parallel to and offset from the first axis of rotation on the same plane substantially perpendicular to the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The medication compounding system of  claim 3 , wherein the medication module, including the medication tray, is coupled to an elongated slot disposed within the body portion, the elongated slot configured to permit up and down movement of the medication module and the medication tray, towards or away from the transfer module. 
     
     
         5 . The medication compounding system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rotatable filling module aligned circumferentially along the second axis of rotation with the transfer module, wherein the rotatable filling module comprises a circular portion and a plurality of filling ports disposed on the circular portion around the second axis of rotation, wherein the circular portion is parallel to the array of transfer cartridges such that a respective filling port of the plurality of filling ports is positioned to fluidly couple to the respective transfer cartridge,   wherein the medication compounding system is configured to, after the respective transfer cartridge and the selected medication container are aligned and coupled, provide for the medication to be withdrawn from the selected medication container to the respective transfer cartridge and directed to the respective filling port.   
     
     
         6 . The medication compounding system of  claim 5 , wherein the transfer module and the rotatable filling module are joined together as an assembly coupled to a lower hub of a body portion of the medication compounding system. 
     
     
         7 . The medication compounding system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a diluent module aligned circumferentially along the second axis of rotation with the transfer module, wherein the diluent module comprises a diluent port disposed proximate to the second axis of rotation on the same plane as the circular portion of the rotatable filling module.   
     
     
         8 . The medication compounding system of  claim 7 , wherein the diluent port is fluidic communication with the respective filling port, and configured to connect to a diluent tube carrying a diluent and to transfer the diluent received from the diluent tube to the respective filling port. 
     
     
         9 . A method for compounding a medication, comprising:
 rotating a medication module about a first axis of rotation, the medication comprising a medication tray configured to hold one or more medication containers;   rotating a transfer module about a second axis of rotation, the transfer module configured to hold a circular array of transfer cartridges, to rotate and align a respective transfer cartridge held by the rotatable transfer module with a selected medication container of the one or more medication containers held by the medication tray, the respective transfer cartridge comprising a respective access device configured to couple the respective transfer cartridge with the selected medication container when the respective transfer cartridge is aligned with the selected medication container; and   withdrawing, after the respective transfer cartridge and the selected medication container are aligned and coupled, a medication from the selected medication container to the respective transfer cartridge.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 lowering the medication tray with respect to a body portion of the medication compounding system so that the respective access device extends into a fluid port of the selected medication container, the lowering coupling the respective transfer cartridge with the selected medication container.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 rotating a filling module aligned circumferentially along the second axis of rotation with the transfer module, wherein the rotatable filling module comprises a circular portion and a plurality of filling ports disposed on the circular portion around the second axis of rotation, wherein the circular portion is parallel to the array of transfer cartridges such that a respective filling port of the plurality of filling ports is positioned to fluidly couple to the respective transfer cartridge; and   withdrawing, after the respective transfer cartridge and the selected medication container are aligned and coupled, the medication from the selected medication container to the respective transfer cartridge and to the respective filling port.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 coupling, to the transfer module, a diluent module aligned circumferentially along the second axis of rotation with the transfer module, wherein the diluent module comprises a diluent port disposed proximate to the second axis of rotation on the same plane as the circular portion of the rotatable filling module, wherein the diluent port is fluidic communication with the respective filling port;   connecting a diluent tube carrying a diluent to the respective filling port; and   transferring the diluent received from the diluent tube to the respective filling port.   
     
     
         13 . A compounding device comprising:
 a body;   a medication module rotatably coupled to the body and rotatable about a first axis of rotation and comprising a medication tray configured to hold one or more medication containers;   a transfer module rotatably coupled to the body and rotatable about a second axis of rotation and configured to hold a circular array of transfer cartridges, and configured to rotate and align a respective transfer cartridge held by the rotatable transfer module with a selected medication container of the one or more medication containers held by the medication tray, the respective transfer cartridge comprising a respective access device configured to couple the respective transfer cartridge with the selected medication container when the respective transfer cartridge is aligned with the selected medication container; and   wherein the compounding device is configured to, after the respective transfer cartridge and the selected medication container are aligned and coupled, provide for a medication to be withdrawn from the selected medication container to the respective transfer cartridge.   
     
     
         14 . The compounding device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a rotatable filling module aligned circumferentially along the second axis of rotation with the transfer module, wherein the rotatable filling module comprises a circular portion and a plurality of filling ports disposed on the circular portion around the second axis of rotation, wherein the circular portion is parallel to the array of transfer cartridges such that a respective filling port of the plurality of filling ports is positioned to fluidly couple to the respective transfer cartridge,   wherein the compounding device is configured to, after the respective transfer cartridge and the selected medication container are aligned and coupled, provide for the medication to be withdrawn from the selected medication container to the respective transfer cartridge and directed to the respective filling port.   
     
     
         15 . The compounding device of  claim 14 , wherein the transfer module and the rotatable filling module are joined together as an assembly coupled to a lower hub of the body. 
     
     
         16 . The compounding device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a diluent module aligned circumferentially along the second axis of rotation with the transfer module, wherein the diluent module comprises a diluent port disposed proximate to the second axis of rotation on the same plane as the circular portion of the rotatable filling module.   
     
     
         17 . The compounding device of  claim 16 , wherein the diluent port is fluidic communication with the respective filling port, and configured to connect to a diluent tube carrying a diluent and to transfer the diluent received from the diluent tube to the respective filling port. 
     
     
         18 . The compounding device of  claim 14 , wherein the respective transfer cartridge is coupled with the selected medication container by lowering the medication tray with respect to the body so that the respective access device extends into a fluid port of the selected medication container. 
     
     
         19 . The compounding device of  claim 18 , wherein the second axis of rotation is substantially parallel to and offset from the first axis of rotation on the same plane as the circular portion of the rotatable filling module. 
     
     
         20 . The compounding device of  claim 19 , wherein the medication module, including the medication tray, is coupled to an elongated slot disposed within the body, the elongated slot configured to permit up and down movement of the medication module and the medication tray, towards or away from the transfer module.