Implantable sensor flush sleeve
AssigneeMedtronic MiniMed, Inc.
InventorsBradley J. Enegren, Marianne A. Kolopp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A apparatus and method for cleaning a sensor tip of an implantable sensor includes a flush sleeve directed towards the sensor tip, a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the flush sleeve, where fluid injected into a first end of a flush sleeve surrounding the sensor sprays off the sensor tip through at least one orifice located at the second end of the flush sleeve. The first end of the flush sleeve contains a fluid conduit and a septum, where a needle is used to pierce the septum to inject the fluid into the fluid conduit.
Claims13
An implantable sensor system for taking readings from a patient in vivo, the sensor system comprising:
- an implantable sensor having a distal end with a sensor tip for direct contact with patient fluids and a proximal end to anchor the implantable sensor within the patient;
- a flush sleeve directed towards the sensor tip;
- a rinsing fluid;
- and
- a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the flush sleeve,
- wherein the rinsing fluid received in the fluid conduit is used to spray the sensor tip,
- wherein the flush sleeve concentrically surrounds the implantable sensor around a substantially common axis, such that the sensor is within the flush sleeve,
- wherein the fluid conduit contains a septum and a protector sleeve, wherein the septum is pierced by a needle injected into the patient to deliver the rinsing fluid into the fluid conduit, and wherein the protector sleeve acts as a backstop to prevent the needle from penetrating the sensor.
An implantable multi-lumen sensor system for taking readings from a patient in vivo, the sensor system comprising:
- an inner lumen comprising an implantable sensor having a distal end with a sensor tip for direct contact with patient fluids and a proximal end to anchor the implantable sensor within the patient;
- an outer lumen comprising a flush sleeve surrounding the inner lumen in a substantially coaxial manner, such that the inner lumen is within the outer lumen;
- and
- a rinsing fluid received in the flush sleeve to spray the sensor tip,
- wherein the flush sleeve farther contains a septum and a protector sleeve, wherein the septum is pierced by a needle injected into the patient to deliver the rinsing fluid into the flush sleeve, and wherein the protector sleeve acts as a backstop to prevent the needle from penetrating the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.