Constant flush device

Abstract

A blood pressure monitoring system in which an intravascular catheter is connected through flexible tubing to a transducer. The tubing between the catheter and the transducer is filled with physiological solution supplied from a bag under pressure of approximately 300 mm. of mercury. The supply line from the bag to the tube is in series with a capillary so that after the system is filled with the physiological solution, the capillary passes fluid from the supply to the catheter at the rate of around two to seven cc. per hour. Provision is made for bypassing the capillary for the purpose of fast flushing the system as would occur when the system is initially filled with fluid. The fast flush line consists of a plug in series with the line from the supply, the plug having upstream and downstream longitudinal grooves separated by a central collar. A flexible tube surrounds the plug and blocks passage from the upstream and downstream groove past the collar. The tube has a pull tab overlying the position of the grooves. Fast flushing is accomplished by pulling on the tab so that the fluid in the upstream groove can flow over the collar into the downstream groove.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.