Medical Valve with Multiple Variable Volume Regions

A method comprising:

• connecting a medical valve to a patient, the medical valve comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a valve member having a distal seal member with a normally closed aperture therethrough, the medical valve also having a first variable volume region and a second variable volume region longitudinally spaced from the first variable volume region;
• inserting a medical implement through the inlet;
• moving the medical implement distally within the housing to transition the valve from an open mode to a closed mode by opening the normally closed aperture and fluidly connecting the inlet and outlet via a fluid path between the inlet and the outlet, the first and second variable volume regions being part of the fluid path;
• transferring fluid between the medical implement and the patient through the valve;
• and
• moving the medical implement proximally within the housing to fluidly disconnect the inlet and outlet by closing the aperture, the first variable volume region contracting upon withdrawal of the medical implement, the second variable volume region expanding upon withdrawal of the medical implement,
• the fluid path having a closed volume before insertion of the medical implement and an open volume when in an open mode, the closed volume being substantially equal to the open volume.

A medical valve having an open mode that permits fluid flow, and a closed mode that prevents fluid flow, the medical valve comprising:

• a housing having an inlet and an outlet;
• a valve means within the housing and having a distal sealing means with a normally closed aperture therethrough, insertion of a medical implement into the inlet opening the aperture and fluidly connecting the inlet and outlet via a fluid path between the inlet and the outlet, withdrawal of the medical implement closing the aperture and fluidly disconnecting the inlet and outlet;
• a first means for forming a first variable volume region;
• and
• a second means for forming a second variable volume region longitudinally spaced from the first variable volume region, the first and second variable volume regions being part of the fluid path, the first variable volume region contracting upon withdrawal of the medical implement, the second variable volume region expanding upon withdrawal of the medical implement,
• the fluid path having a closed volume before insertion of the medical implement and an open volume when in an open mode, the closed volume being substantially equal to the open mode.

A medical valve having an open mode that permits fluid flow, and a closed mode that prevents fluid flow, the medical valve comprising:

• a housing having an inlet and an outlet;
• a valve member within the housing and having a distal seal member with a normally closed aperture therethrough, insertion of a medical implement into the inlet opening the aperture and fluidly connecting the inlet and outlet via a fluid path between the inlet and the outlet, withdrawal of the medical implement closing the aperture and fluidly disconnecting the inlet and outlet;
• a first variable volume region;
• and
• a second variable volume region longitudinally spaced from the first variable volume region, the first and second variable volume regions being part of the fluid path, the first variable volume region contracting upon withdrawal of the medical implement, the second variable volume region expanding upon withdrawal of the medical implement,
• the fluid path having a closed volume before insertion of the medical implement and an open volume when in the open mode, the closed volume being less than the open volume.