Syringe-based fluid diversion mechanism for bodily fluid sampling

A syringe-based device for parenterally-procuring bodily fluid samples with reduced contamination from a patient, the device comprising:

• a housing including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining an inner volume therebetween, the proximal end portion being substantially open and the distal end portion having a port configured to be coupled to a lumen-defining device for receiving bodily fluids from the patient;
• an actuator mechanism movably disposed in the inner volume of the housing, the actuator mechanism having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion including a first plunger and the proximal end portion including an engagement portion configured to allow a user to selectively move the actuator mechanism;
• a second plunger movably disposed in the inner volume of the housing and releasably coupled to the actuator mechanism, the second plunger defining a flow channel configured to be placed in selective fluid communication with the port;
• and
• a flow control mechanism operable to selectively control fluid flow between the port and a pre-sample reservoir, the second plunger and the housing defining the pre-sample reservoir,
• the flow control mechanism being configured to be moved between a first configuration in which the bodily fluid can flow through a first flow path to the pre-sample reservoir, and a second configuration in which the bodily fluid can flow through a second flow path to a sample reservoir, the first plunger, the second plunger, and the housing collectively defining the sample reservoir.

A method of using a syringe-based transfer device to obtain a bodily fluid sample from a patient, the syringe-based transfer device including a housing having a port configured to be coupled to the patient, and an actuator mechanism movably disposed in the housing, the method comprising:

• establishing fluid communication between the patient and the port of the syringe-based transfer device;
• establishing fluid communication between the port and a pre-sample reservoir;
• transferring a first volume of bodily fluid to the pre-sample reservoir with the syringe-based transfer device;
• fluidically isolating the pre-sample reservoir from the port to sequester the first volume of bodily fluid in the pre-sample reservoir;
• after the first volume of bodily fluid has been sequestered in the pre-sample reservoir, establishing fluid communication between the port and a sample reservoir defined at least in part by the actuator mechanism and the housing;
• moving the actuator mechanism from a first position to a second position to draw a second volume of bodily fluid from the patient into the sample reservoir.