Multi-way connector

A system for conveying a suspension of particles, comprising:

• two or more sources of fluid, wherein at least one source of fluid is a suspension of particles;
• a connector comprising:
• a housing (10) comprising an internal cavity (12) that comprises a first passageway (14) having a longitudinal axis for conveying fluid and wherein the first passageway terminates in an outlet;
• two or more inlet conduits (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) formed in the housing and arranged radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first passageway;
• and a rotatable component (18) received in a portion of the internal cavity that is adjacent to the first passageway, the rotatable component being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the first passageway, wherein the rotatable component comprises an internal second passageway (20) in fluid communication with the first passageway at a first end (20a) of the second passageway, and wherein the rotatable component is rotatable such that a second end (20b) of the second passageway is selectively alignable with any one of the inlet conduits such that a continuous flow path is established between the first passageway and a selected inlet conduit;
• wherein an angle between a longitudinal axis of each of the inlet conduits and the longitudinal axis of the first passageway is greater than 90 degrees;
• two or more feed lines for supplying fluid to the connector wherein each of the two or more feed lines is connected to each of the two or more inlet conduits at a first feed line end and each of the two or more feed lines is connected to each of the two or more sources of fluid at a second feed line end;
• and
• a catheter in fluid communication with the first passageway.

A method of conveying a suspension of particles through a system comprising (a) two or more sources of fluid, wherein at least one source of fluid is a suspension of particles;

• (b) a connector comprising:
• a housing (10) comprising an internal cavity (12) that comprises a first passageway (14) having a longitudinal axis for conveying fluid and wherein the first passageway terminates in an outlet;
• two or more inlet conduits (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) formed in the housing and arranged radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the first passageway;
• and a rotatable component (18) received in a portion of the internal cavity that is adjacent to the first passageway, the rotatable component being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the first passageway, wherein the rotatable component comprises an internal second passageway (20) in fluid communication with the first passageway at a first end (20a) of the second passageway, and wherein the rotatable component is rotatable such that a second end (20b) of the second passageway is selectively alignable with any one of the inlet conduits such that a continuous flow path is established between the first passageway and a selected inlet conduit;
• wherein an angle between a longitudinal axis of each of the inlet conduits and the longitudinal axis of the first passageway is greater than 90 degrees;
• (c) two or more feed lines for supplying fluid to the connector wherein each of the two or more feed lines is connected to each of the two or more inlet conduits at a first feed line end and each of the two or more feed lines is connected to each of the two or more sources of fluid at a second feed line end;
• and (d) a catheter in fluid communication with the first passageway, the method comprising:
• using the rotatable component to select a first inlet conduit of the two or more inlet conduits thereby delivering fluid through the system from a first source of fluid of the two or more sources of fluid to the catheter;
• and
• rotating the rotatable component to select a second inlet conduit of the two or more inlet conduits thereby delivering fluid through the system from a second source of fluid of the two or more sources of fluid to the catheter.