US 2012/0071736 A1Published application

Medical Device With a Fitting Having A Gas Venting Position

AssigneeTerumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation

InventorsCharles A. Luevano, David M. Fallen

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Abstract

A blood parameter measurement cassette or other device is configured to control incidental liquid discharged during the device's calibration process. The cassette includes optical sensors which are chemically responsive to blood constituents and require calibration with a blood parameter monitoring device prior to use in a medical procedure. During the calibration process, an incidental amount of a liquid may be expelled from the cassette. The present invention is directed towards controlling the expelled liquid by absorbing it using an absorbent material disposed on the exterior of the cassette's main body. The absorbent material thereby prevents the liquid from causing detrimental effects to the monitoring and calibration equipment used in conjunction with the cassette. The scope includes additional embodiments wherein the inventive concept is applied to other fluid-handling medical devices that require venting of gases.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A blood parameter measurement cassette having sensors which are chemically responsive to blood constituents during a medical procedure, said sensors being calibrated with a blood parameter monitoring device prior to said medical procedure, said cassette comprising:

a main body with a longitudinal axis being oriented substantially vertically during a calibration process, wherein said main body includes a middle chamber containing a quantity of a liquid, a lower end with a first port, and an upper end with a second port, wherein during said calibration process said first port is used as a calibration gas inlet port for connection to a source of a calibration gas, wherein during said calibration process said second port is used as a gas outlet port for venting said calibration gas to atmosphere, and wherein said calibration gas being vented may induce an amount of said liquid to expel from said main body through said gas outlet port;
a fitting coupled to said second port, said fitting being movable between a first closed position and a second venting position, wherein while in said venting position an egress path is defined by a space between said main body and said fitting, said egress path being used during said calibration process for venting said calibration gas to atmosphere;
and
an absorbent material member disposed at least partially in said egress path, wherein during said calibration process said absorbent material permits said calibration gas to vent to atmosphere while absorbing said liquid that is induced to be expelled from said main body by venting of said calibration gas.

1 more element

A method for collecting a liquid discharge generated by a venting process of a medical device, wherein said medical device is capable of receiving a liquid flow and includes an exterior, an interior, a fitting with closed and venting positions for venting to atmosphere a gas previously disposed in said interior, and an absorbent material disposed on said exterior at least partially in an egress path of said liquid discharge, the method comprising the steps of:

opening said fitting to said venting position;
venting said gas from said interior of said medical device;
collecting by absorption in said absorbent material said liquid discharge expelled along with said gas being vented;
and
closing said fitting to said closed position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.