Self priming intravenous delivery system

A method for priming a patient intravenous line comprising the steps of:

• providing a self priming intravenous delivery system, comprising a coupling assembly for attaching the delivery system to a source of liquid and including a coupling membrane for controlling the flow of liquid and air through the coupling assembly;
• a drip chamber for receiving liquid through the coupling, the drip chamber having an inlet and an outlet, and having a membrane disposed therein for preventing air from leaving the drip chamber;
• a self leveling port disposed within a wall of the drip chamber being permeable to air, but impermeable to liquid;
• a patient conduit in fluid communication with the drip chamber;
• a flow control plug disposed at the distal end of the conduit, wherein the flow control plug includes a housing that houses a single flow control material, wherein the flow control material is permeable to air but impermeable to liquid;
• and
• attaching a source of fluid to the coupling assembly such that fluid flows into and through the delivery system without user intervention but such that the patient conduit is bubble free during system priming.

A self priming intravenous delivery system, comprising:

• a coupling assembly for attaching the delivery system to a source of liquid and including a coupling membrane for controlling the flow of liquid and air through the coupling assembly;
• a drip chamber having an inlet for receiving liquid through the coupling assembly, the drip chamber having a membrane for preventing air from leaving the drip chamber;
• a self leveling port disposed within a wall of the drip chamber, the port comprising a filter which is permeable to air but impermeable to liquid, and which becomes impermeable to air upon contact with liquid;
• a patient conduit in fluid communication with a drip chamber outlet;
• and
• a flow control plug disposed at the distal end of the patient conduit, wherein the flow control plug includes a housing that houses a single flow control material, wherein the flow control plug is permeable to air but impermeable to liquid and controls fluid flow in the patient conduit during priming to reduce air bubble formation, wherein the flow control plug is constructed such that it restricts the venting of air from the conduit as liquid flows through the conduit so that the volume of fluid flowing through the drip chamber inlet is greater than or about equal to the liquid flow through the chamber outlet until the self leveling port is closed.