Method and apparatus to indicate prior use of a medical item

A medical item notifying a user of prior use comprising:

• a receptacle including a medical fluid;
• a port with a passage to enable insertion of a substance into said receptacle via an instrument;
• and
• an indicator disposed within said passage to determine use of said medical item and alter an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid in response to said insertion of said instrument within said passage, wherein said indicator includes an inflatable device that is filled with a colored fluid and enables said colored fluid to alter an appearance of said medical fluid to indicate said medical item use in response to said instrument piercing said inflatable device during said insertion within said passage.

A medical item notifying a user of prior use comprising:

• a receptacle including a medical fluid;
• a port with a passage to enable insertion of a substance into said receptacle via an instrument;
• and
• an indicator disposed within said passage to determine use of said medical item and alter an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid in response to said insertion of said instrument within said passage, wherein said indicator includes a chamber defined within said passage by a fluid barrier that isolates said chamber from said medical fluid, wherein said chamber includes an object that alters an appearance of at least one of said object and said medical fluid in response to said insertion of said instrument within said passage to indicate said medical item use, and wherein said object includes a reactive material to change a material characteristic in response to contact with said medical fluid, and said fluid barrier enables said medical fluid to contact said reactive material to alter said material characteristic and indicate said medical item use in response to said instrument piercing said fluid barrier during said insertion within said passage.

A medical item notifying a user of prior use comprising:

• a receptacle including a medical fluid;
• a port with a passage to enable insertion of a substance into said receptacle via an instrument;
• and
• an indicator disposed within said passage to determine use of said medical item and alter an appearance of at least one of said indicator and said medical fluid in response to said insertion of said instrument within said passage, wherein said indicator includes a chamber defined within said passage by a fluid barrier that isolates said chamber from said medical fluid, wherein said chamber includes an object that alters an appearance of at least one of said object and said medical fluid in response to said insertion of said instrument within said passage to indicate said medical item use, and wherein said object includes a colored fluid and said fluid barrier enables said colored fluid to alter said appearance of said medical fluid to indicate said medical item use in response to said instrument piercing said fluid barrier during said insertion within said passage.