Flow Actuated Valve for Implantable Drug Delivery Device
AssigneeFlowonix Medical Incorporated
InventorsPaul BURKE, Steve ADLER, Benjamin PIECUCH, Steve HANTMAN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An “MRI-safe” implantable infusion apparatus and method that includes a flow actuated valve (FAV) that closes to prevent a free flow of infusate to a patient during an MRI procedure, and a release mechanism that opens the valve so that the device may return to normal operation following the MRI procedure. In this manner, patient safety is improved and the inconvenience of having to empty the pump reservoir before undergoing an MRI procedure may be avoided.
Claims31
An implantable infusion apparatus, comprising:
- an infusate reservoir;
- a metering assembly configured to receive infusate from the reservoir and output a metered quantity of infusate at a first flow rate;
- an outlet configured to deliver the metered quantity of infusate to a delivery site;
- and
- a flow activated valve in a fluid path between the reservoir and the outlet, the flow activated valve configured to maintain an open position allowing infusate to flow through the valve at the first flow rate and to close when the rate of flow of the infusate through the valve exceeds a threshold flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate.
A method of delivering infusate to a delivery site within a human or animal body using an implantable infusion apparatus, comprising:
- flowing a metered quantity of infusate from an infusate reservoir through a flow activated valve to the delivery site at a first infusate flow rate;
- and
- closing the flow activated valve to restrict the flow of infusate to the delivery site when a flow rate of the infusate through the flow activated valve exceeds a threshold flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate.
An implantable infusion apparatus, comprising:
- means for flowing a metered quantity of infusate from an infusate reservoir through a flow activated valve to the delivery site at a first infusate flow rate;
- and
- means for closing the flow activated valve to restrict the flow of infusate to the delivery site when a flow rate of the infusate through the flow activated valve exceeds a threshold flow rate, greater than the first flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.