Pre-filled package containing unit dose of medical gas and method of making same
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorsAndrew N. Lamborne, Eugene de Juan JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A unit dose, gas-filled syringe is provided which is filled with gas and packaged in a gas barrier material prior to use to increase shelf-life, that is, to minimize gas leakage and dilution of the contents of the syringe. The syringe is filled with a selected gas and sealed inside a container made from a high gas barrier material. The container is also filled with the selected gas. The container material is selected to have a gas transmission rate sufficient to prevent the selected gas from diffusing out of the container into the atmosphere. The volume of gas in the container is greater that atmospheric pressure to prevent atmospheric contaminants from entering the container and syringe.
Claims22
A gas syringe for injecting a gas into the body of an animal, said syringe comprising:
- a prefilled gas syringe containing a unit dose of a pharmaceutically acceptable gas, said gas being substantially in the absence of air, said syringe including a syringe barrel with a gas delivery outlet, and a plunger slidably received in said syringe barrel for expelling said unit dose of said gas through said delivery outlet;
- and
- a container enclosing said gas syringe to prevent contact of said gas syringe with air and contaminants external to said container, said container having an internal volume containing said gas substantially in the absence of air, said container being made of a substantially gas impermeable material and said container having an internal pressure to inhibit diffusion of air and contaminants into said container.
A method of introducing a gas into the body of an animal comprising the steps of:
- providing a clean and sterile packaged, prefilled syringe having a syringe barrel, delivery outlet and plunger, said syringe containing a unit dose of a pharmaceutically acceptable gas, said gas being substantially free of air, wherein said prefilled syringe is enclosed in a container, said container being formed from a material substantially impermeable to air and said pharmaceutically acceptable gas and having an internal volume surrounding said syringe and being filled with said gas at a pressure at least substantially equal to atmospheric pressure,
- removing said syringe from said container, and
- introducing said delivery outlet into an animal and injecting said gas into said animal.
A method of introducing a gas into the eye during eye surgery, said method comprising the steps of
- providing a clean and sterile prefilled syringe containing a unit dose of a pharmaceutically acceptable gas and being substantially free of air and oxygen, said syringe having a syringe barrel, a gas delivery outlet, and a plunger, said syringe being completely enclosed in a substantially gas impermeable container, said container having an internal volume surrounding said syringe and being filled with said pharmaceutically acceptable gas at a pressure at least substantially equal to atmospheric pressure,
- removing said syringe from said container, and introducing said gas delivery outlet of said syringe into the eye of a patient and introducing said gas into the eye.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.