One-time priming iv infusion extension set

Abstract

To provide a one-time priming IV extension set configured simply to connect a syringe having priming infusion to one of a plurality of tube branches.SOLUTION: A multi-tube intravenous IV extension set may include: an outlet tube fluidly coupled to a primary multi-tube connector at one end and fluidly coupled to a vascular device at an opposite end; and a primary inlet tube having a proximal end with an adapter for connection to a syringe containing a priming or a medicinal fluid, and a distal end coupled to the primary multi-tube connector. The IV extension set may further include at least one secondary inlet tube with a proximal end having an adapter for receiving a medicinal fluid and a distal end selectively fluidly coupled to the primary multi-tube connector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to an IV extension set for transporting at least two medical fluids to a patient independently of each other. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an IV extension set having a plurality of tubing branches that can be primed simultaneously.

Background Art

[0002] Infusion IV sets are generally used in infusion therapy to deliver a drug from a pre-filled container, such as an IV bag containing a desired drug, to a patient. Generally, the IV tube is connected to a catheter inserted into a local area of the treatment subject. In some cases, it is necessary to deliver a plurality of drugs to a patient that may have different dosages, thereby requiring an IV extension set having a plurality of tubing branches capable of administering a plurality of drugs to the patient.

[0003] The description provided in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely because it is described in or related to the background section. The background section may include information describing one or more aspects of the subject technology.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Before administering a drug through an IV extension set, it is desirable to prime each of the plurality of tubes of the IV extension set to remove air from the inside of the tube that may generate air bubbles in the drug to be delivered. It is desirable to remove air from the inside of the tube because the air may be trapped as air bubbles in the medical fluid, which may cause an inappropriate (e.g., too little) dosage of the drug to be administered to the patient through the tube.

[0005] With many IV extension sets, such as those having multiple tubing branches within the IV extension set shown in FIG. 1 below, a practitioner connects a syringe one at a time to each adapter of the tubing branches in order to prime each of the multiple tubes (one at a time). Since each of the tubing branches of conventional IV extension sets is primed individually (one at a time), the priming process can be time consuming, especially if the extension set has several branches. As a result, the overall priming process for some multiple-tube IV extension sets (such as those shown in FIG. 1 below) can be somewhat inefficient.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need in the field for a one-time priming IV extension set configured such that it is only necessary to connect a syringe having a priming fluid to one of the multiple tubing branches in order to prime all of the tubing branches of the extension set simultaneously.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a multi-lumen intravenous (IV) extension set may include an outlet tube, a primary inlet tube, at least one secondary inlet tube, and a slide clamp disposed on the outlet tube. The outlet tube can have a proximal end fluidly coupled to a multi-lumen connector and a distal end configured to be fluidly coupled to a patient's vascular device. The primary inlet tube can have a proximal end having an adapter for connecting to a syringe containing a priming fluid or a medical fluid and a distal end coupled to the multi-lumen connector. At least one secondary inlet tube can have a proximal end having an adapter for receiving a medical fluid and a distal end selectively fluidly coupled to the multi-lumen connector. The slide clamp can be configured to restrict the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube in a closed configuration, reverse the direction of the priming fluid flowing into the outlet tube via the multi-lumen connector, and direct it to flow into at least one secondary inlet tube via the multi-lumen connector.

[0008] According to some embodiments, a method for simultaneously priming multiple branches of a multi-lumen intravenous (IV) extension set having a primary inlet tube fluidly coupled to a multi-lumen connector, at least one secondary inlet tube fluidly coupled to the multi-lumen connector, and an outlet tube fluidly coupling the multi-lumen connector to a vascular device is disclosed. The method can include connecting a syringe to the adapter of the primary inlet tube and pinching, bending, or otherwise folding a slide clamp disposed on the outlet tube to block the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube. The method can further include depressing the plunger of the syringe to force a priming fluid downstream from the syringe through the primary inlet tube via the multi-lumen connector into the outlet tube and reversing the flow of the priming fluid to flow upstream through the multi-lumen connector and into at least one secondary inlet tube. Thus, air present in at least one secondary inlet tube can be discharged from the at least one secondary inlet tube by flowing the priming fluid.

[0009] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the subject technology described in the claims. It should also be understood that other aspects may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the subject technology.

[0010] The following drawings are included to illustrate certain aspects of the embodiments and should not be considered exclusive embodiments. Considerable modifications, variations, combinations, and equivalents in form and function may be made to the disclosed subject matter as would be apparent to those skilled in the art and those having the benefit of this disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The following detailed description sets forth various configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent the only configuration in which the subject technology may be implemented. The detailed description includes specific details for a thorough understanding of the subject technology. Accordingly, dimensions may be provided as non-limiting examples with respect to specific aspects. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject technology may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the subject technology.

[0013] It should be understood that the present disclosure includes examples of the subject technology and is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Here, various aspects of the subject technology will be disclosed according to specific but non-limiting examples. The various embodiments described in the present disclosure may be implemented in different ways and variations and according to the desired application or implementation.

[0014] The present invention generally relates to tubing extension sets used for the administration of fluids to a patient, commonly referred to as intravenous (IV) extension sets. More particularly, various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to one-time priming IV extension sets configured such that a syringe having a priming fluid may simply be connected to one of a plurality of branches to simultaneously prime all branches of the extension set. Further, various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to IV extension sets having an air stop membrane included within or otherwise attachable to the IV extension set to prevent air bubbles from accumulating in a plurality of branches of the IV extension set. The IV extension sets according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are widely used herein to describe tubing sets and may be used for arterial, intravenous, intravascular, peritoneal, and non-intravascular administration of fluids. Further, the IV extension sets of various embodiments described herein may be used to administer fluids to other locations within a patient's body.

[0015] One common method of administering a plurality of fluids into a patient's bloodstream is through an IV set having a plurality of branches, as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the IV set 10 generally includes a plurality of branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 for providing a connection between a fluid IV bag (not shown) containing a medical fluid and the patient. Each of the branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 may be used to deliver various medical fluids to the patient in desired amounts. The IV set 10 may further include a connector 12 for attachment to a catheter (not shown) that may be disposed within the patient's vein. As shown in FIG. 1, the IV extension set 10 may also include adapters 30, 32, 34, and 36 that enable the administration of fluids (e.g., medical fluid from the IV bag or priming fluid from a syringe) within the individual branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 of the IV set.

[0016] Before injecting a drug through an IV extension set, it is desirable to prime each of the plurality of tubes of the IV extension set, such as IV extension set 10, to remove air from the IV set prior to accessing the patient's bloodstream. This is desirable because, for example, air from inside the tubing can create bubbles in the drug being delivered, which can in turn cause an inappropriate dose of the drug to be administered to the patient via the tubing. This is a concern when accessing arterial blood and is also a concern when accessing the venous side. Specifically, if bubbles can enter the patient's bloodstream while the patient is receiving an intravenous infusion of fluid, the bubbles can form an air embolism and cause serious harm to the patient.

[0017] In the majority of the adult population, the right and left atria are completely separated from each other, so that blood and bubbles can move from the right atrium to the right ventricle and then to the lungs where the bubbles can be safely released. Next, the bubble-free blood can return to the left atrium and, after the blood is moved to the left ventricle, is sent throughout the body. However, in infants and some segments of the adult population, the right and left atria may not be completely separated in some cases. As a result, bubbles moving with the medical fluid in each of the tubing branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 can be transferred to the patient and, after moving directly from the right atrium into the left atrium, can be dispersed throughout the body. As a result, these bubbles can cause stroke, tissue damage, and / or death. Therefore, it is important to prime the tubing of the IV extension set to prevent bubbles from entering the patient's bloodstream.

[0018] Although it is important to remove air bubbles while priming an IV set for intravenous administration of fluid, complete removal of air bubbles can be a time-consuming process. With conventional IV extension sets, such as the IV extension set shown in FIG. 1 described below, for example, an operator connects a syringe one at a time to each of the adapters 30, 32, 34, 36 of the plurality of branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 in order to prime each of the plurality of branches. Each of the branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 of the conventional IV extension set 10 is primed individually (one at a time), so the priming process can be time-consuming, especially if the extension set has several branches. As a result, the overall priming process for a conventional multi-tube IV extension set 10 can be somewhat inefficient.

[0019] The priming process of using a conventional IV set, such as the IV extension set 10, can cause contamination of the IV set by inadvertently contacting the sterilized end of the IV set. Typically, when the IV set 10 is being primed, the clamp 27 may be closed to prevent fluid from moving from the drip chamber (attached to the IV bag) through the individual branches 18, 19, 21, and 22. Typically, fluid can be drawn from the IV bag or bottle into the drip chamber by squeezing a drip chamber made of transparent flexible plastic. The drip chamber can then be filled to a predetermined amount, and the clamps 27 on each of the branches 18, 19, 21, and 22 connected to the drip chamber and the IV bag can be opened to allow fluid to flow through the individual tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22 to the end 14 of the IV set 10.

[0020] However, this conventional priming process will typically result in the aforementioned air bubbles being trapped within the tubing 18, 19, 21, and 22, which must be removed. For example, the flow of fluid through the tubing 18, 19, 21, and 22 of an IV set can be turbulent, and when the boundary layer between the fluid and the tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22 is sheared, air can be trapped within each of the tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22. Additionally, the flow rate exiting the drip chamber may be greater than the flow rate of the fluid entering the drip chamber. This can cause a bubble ladder to form when air is drawn from the drip chamber into each of the tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22.

[0021] Furthermore, bubbles can be generated when droplets strike the surface of the fluid pool within the drip chamber. These bubbles can be drawn from the drip chamber into the tubing of the IV set. In pediatric applications, where the drip orifice is smaller and may increase turbulence, this problem can be exacerbated.

[0022] To remove air bubbles from the IV set, fluid can flow through the tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22 from the IV bag or bottle while an attendant gently taps the tubing to urge the bubbles out of the end of the IV set. When the fluid is drained from the IV set to remove air bubbles from the tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22, the fluid can generally flow into a waste receptacle or other container. During this procedure, the ends of the tubing can become contaminated by contacting the waste receptacle or being touched by the attendant. A further drawback of this debubbling process is that it requires the attention and time that could have been used to perform other tasks that may be valuable to the patient.

[0023] Another method of removing air bubbles is to directly remove the air bubbles from the IV set. For example, if the IV set includes a connector, such as connector 25 along the lengths of tubes 18, 19, 21, and 22, the air bubbles can be removed at connector 25 using a syringe.

[0024] In some instances, to address the difficulty of removing bubbles from the IV set, various prior art IV set designs have used a membrane to filter air from the fluid as the fluid flows through the IV set. For example, the membrane can often be placed at the bottom of the drip chamber such that the fluid flowing out of the drip chamber must pass through the membrane. The membrane can be configured to allow the passage of fluid while blocking the passage of air. In this way, air bubbles are restricted or prevented from proceeding into the tube connected to the patient. Similarly, the membrane can be included within the connector that attaches the tube to the catheter to prevent any air present within the tube from proceeding into the patient's vascular system.

[0025] The use of air filtration membranes in these prior art IV set designs has been beneficial. However, there are still various drawbacks even when using these membranes. For example, when the IV fluid bag is emptied, all of the fluid within the IV set flows through the IV set and into the patient, and the IV set becomes filled with air. When this occurs, the IV set must be re-primed to remove the air from the IV set before a new fluid bag can be administered. Thus, the clinician must be present when the fluid bag is becoming empty to ensure that the fluid bag can be replaced before the drip chamber becomes empty so that the IV set does not need to be re-primed. Also, if the clinician does not notice that air has entered the tube, there is a possibility of failing to re-prime the IV set when connecting a new fluid bag. As a result, when the new fluid bag is administered, air may flow into the patient's body.

[0026] The one-time priming IV extension sets 100, 200, and 300 of the various embodiments described herein, and the related methods, overcome the drawbacks of traditional or conventional IV sets such as the IV extension set 10 described above. For example, the various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to one-time priming IV extension sets configured such that it is only necessary to connect a syringe having a priming fluid to one of a plurality of branches in order to prime all of the branches of the extension set simultaneously. Thus, all of the branches of the tube can be primed simultaneously, leading to a more rapid and efficient priming process. Further, the various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to IV extension sets having an air stop membrane that is included within or can otherwise be attached to the IV extension set to prevent air bubbles from accumulating in the plurality of branches of the one-time priming IV extension set. Thus, the IV extension sets 100, 200, and 300 of the various embodiments described herein can advantageously release air bubbles that may be present in the plurality of branches without the disadvantageous potential result of tube contamination that occurs as described above with respect to priming traditional or conventional IV extension sets.

[0027] FIG. 2A shows a one-time priming multiple tube IV extension set 100 including a hydrophobic filter 110 on the body of an adapter 120 of secondary tubes 122, 124 of a multiple tube IV extension set 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2A, a multiple tube intravenous (IV) extension set 100 for transporting at least two medical fluids independently of each other may include a primary inlet tube 126 having a proximal end coupled to an adapter 140 for connection to a syringe 150 (shown in FIG. 2B) containing a fluid such as a priming fluid or a medical fluid. The primary inlet tube 126 may further include a distal end coupled to a primary multiple tube connector 118. The primary multiple tube connectors 118 in various embodiments described herein serve the purpose of fluidly connecting the primary inlet tube 126 and any additional secondary inlet tubes, such as inlet tubes 122 and 124, to a common outlet tube 128 that is connected to a patient. In particular, in some embodiments, the outlet tube 128 can have a proximal end coupled to an end of the primary multiple tube connector 118 opposite the end where the primary inlet tube 126 and the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 are joined. The outlet tube 128 can also have a distal end configured to be fluidly coupled to a patient's vascular device (not shown). Thus, the outlet tube 128 can be coupled to a distal end adapter 130, such as a luer adapter that connects to an IV catheter (not shown) inserted into a target region of the patient's body for delivery of a medical fluid.

[0028] FIG. 2A shows a configuration having two or more secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124. In these embodiments, the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be fluidly connected to the primary multiple tube connector 118 via a secondary multiple tube connector 116. In particular, the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be fluidly coupled to an intermediate tube 117 via the secondary multiple tube connector 116. The intermediate tube 117 can have a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the secondary multiple tube connector 116 and a distal end coupled to a proximal end of the primary multiple tube connector 118. In particular, as shown, the distal ends of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be connected to the proximal end of the intermediate tube 117 via the secondary multiple tube connector 116.

[0029] However, the various embodiments described herein are not limited to the foregoing configuration. Instead, in some embodiments, the multi-lumen IV extension set 100 may include only one secondary inlet tube. In these embodiments, only one secondary inlet tube may be directly coupled to the primary multi-lumen connector 118 to be in fluid communication with the outlet tube 128 (i.e., the secondary multi-lumen connector 116 need not be interposed therebetween).

[0030] According to various embodiments, at least one of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 may include, at its proximal end, an adapter 120 for receiving a medical fluid. For example, each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 may be connected to an IV bag or a needle via the adapter 120 as described above. In this way, the medical fluid may be administered from the IV bag or syringe through the adapter 120 into the secondary inlet tubes 122, 124. In some embodiments, each adapter 120 of at least one of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 has a tubular body 121 including an outer surface 123 and an inner surface defining a lumen therethrough. Accordingly, the adapter 120 may be in the form of a hollow tubular body. As shown, the body 121 of the adapter 120 may include at least one vent hole 110 disposed on the body and extending from the inner surface of the body to the outer surface 123. The at least one vent hole 110 may extend from the inside to the outside of the body 121 so that the lumen is in fluid communication with the exterior of the tubular body 121.

[0031] In some embodiments, the permeable membrane 111 covers the vent holes 110 or is disposed within the vent holes 110 and is configured such that air can vent from the lumen of the tubular body 121 to the exterior of the tubular body 121. For example, in some embodiments, the permeable membrane 111 may be a hydrophobic membrane configured to allow air to vent between the lumen and the exterior of the tubular body 121 while blocking the flow of liquid. In this way, when the tubes 122 and 124 are primed with the priming fluid, any air present therein can be pushed out of the tubes 122 and 124, through the hydrophobic membrane within the vent holes 110, and to the exterior of the tubular body 121 by the priming fluid.

[0032] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the slide clamp 114 is located on the outlet tube 117 and can be configured to restrict the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 117 when arranged in a closed configuration. For example, the slide clamp 114 may be clamped or otherwise bent into a closed configuration, creating a restriction in the outlet tube 117 and blocking any fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 117, such that the priming fluid is forced to reverse direction and flow in the reverse (or upstream) direction into at least one secondary inlet tube 124 via the primary multi-tube connector 118. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B where the IV extension set 100 includes two or more secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, the priming fluid is forced to reverse direction and flows into the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 via the primary multi-tube connector 118, the intermediate tube 117, and the secondary multi-tube connector 116.

[0033] Figure 2B shows a method of simultaneously priming all the branches of the one-time priming multiple tube IV extension set of Figure 2A, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, a method of simultaneously (one-time) priming the primary inlet tube 126 and the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 includes connecting the syringe 150 to the adapter 140 of the primary inlet tube 126 and pinching, bending, or otherwise folding the slide clamp 114 to block the fluid flow between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 128. This method further includes depressing the plunger of the syringe 150 to push the priming fluid, such as saline, from the syringe 150 into the primary inlet tube 126. The continuous flow of the priming fluid from the syringe 150 causes the priming fluid to flow into the outlet tube 128 through the primary multiple tube connector 118.

[0034] When the priming fluid reaches the limit where the slide clamp 114 blocks the fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 114, the priming fluid has to reverse direction, flow back upstream through the primary multiple tube connector 118, and into the plurality of secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 via the intermediate tube 117 and the secondary multiple tube connector 116. When the priming fluid flows upstream into the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, any air present in each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 is pushed out of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 by the fluid flow and exits to the outside via the vent holes 110 located between the lumen and the outside of the tubular body 121. After each of the branches 122, 124, and 126 is primed with the priming fluid, the slide clamp 114 located on the outlet tube 128 can be operated to an open configuration, thereby restoring the fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 128. In some embodiments, this method may further include depressing the plunger of the syringe 150 to flow the priming fluid through the primary inlet tube 126 and the primary multiple tube connector 118 into the distal adapter 130 to ensure proper priming of the outlet tube 128 and the distal adapter 130.

[0035] Accordingly, with the configuration of the IV extension set 100 described herein, all of the tubing branches 122, 124, and 126 can be primed simultaneously, eliminating the need to separately connect a syringe 150 at each of the adapters 120 to separately prime each of the plurality of secondary tubes 122 and 124. By incorporating vent holes 110 on the adapters 120 disposed at the proximal ends of each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 to expel any air present in the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, the IV extension set 100 of the various embodiments described herein advantageously prevents air bubbles from being trapped within the secondary tubes 122 and 124. Accordingly, the aforementioned problems associated with conventional or traditional IV sets, including, but not limited to, improper dosing to a patient, air bubbles forming an air embolism that can cause significant harm to the patient, and contamination of the IV set by inadvertent contact with the sterilized end of the IV set, can be avoided.

[0036] Figure 3A shows a one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 200 that includes a hydrophobic filter 215 within a vent cap 211 connected to an adapter 220 of secondary tubes 122, 124 of the multi-tube IV extension set 200 through a vent tube 210, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 3A and similar to the embodiment of Figure 2A, a multi-tube intravenous (IV) extension set 200 for transporting at least two medical fluids independently of each other can include a primary inlet tube 126 having a proximal end coupled to an adapter 140 for connection to a syringe 150 (shown in Figure 3B) containing a fluid such as a priming fluid or a medical fluid. The primary inlet tube 126 can further include a distal end coupled to a primary multi-tube connector 118. As previously described with respect to Figures 2A and 2B, the primary multi-tube connectors 118 of the various embodiments described herein are adapted to fluidly connect the primary inlet tube 126 and any additional secondary inlet tubes, such as inlet tubes 122 and 124, to a common outlet tube 128 that is connected to a patient. In particular, in some embodiments, the outlet tube 128 can have a proximal end coupled to an end of the primary multi-tube connector 118 that is opposite the end where the primary inlet tube 126 and the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 are joined. The outlet tube 128 can also have a distal end configured to be fluidly coupled to a patient's vascular device (not shown). Thus, the outlet tube 128 can be coupled to a distal end adapter 130, such as a luer adapter that connects to an IV catheter (not shown) inserted into a target area of the patient's body for delivery of a medical fluid.

[0037] FIG. 3A shows a configuration having two or more secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124. In these embodiments, the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be fluidly connected to the primary multi-tube connector 118 via the secondary multi-tube connector 116. In particular, the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be fluidly coupled to the intermediate tube 117 via the secondary multi-tube connector 116. The intermediate tube 117 can have a proximal end coupled to the distal end of the secondary multi-tube connector 116 and a distal end coupled to the proximal end of the primary multi-tube connector 118. In particular, as shown, the distal ends of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be connected to the proximal end of the intermediate tube 117 via the secondary multi-tube connector 116.

[0038] However, the various embodiments described herein are not limited to the foregoing configuration. Instead, in some embodiments, the multi-tube IV extension set 200 can include only one secondary inlet tube. In these embodiments, only one secondary inlet tube may be directly coupled to the primary multi-tube connector 118 to fluidly communicate with the outlet tube 128.

[0039] Since the primary and secondary inlet tubes 126, 122 and 124, the primary multi-tube connector 118, the secondary multi-tube connector 116, the intermediate tube 117, and their connections and fluid communications with each other are the same as described above with respect to the one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 100 of FIGS. 2A and 2B, further detailed description with respect to the one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 200 is omitted.

[0040] According to various embodiments, at least one of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can include, at its proximal end, an adapter 220 for receiving a medical fluid. For example, each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be connected to an IV bag or a needle via the adapter 220 as described above. In this way, the medical fluid can be administered from an IV bag or a syringe through the adapter 220 into the secondary inlet tubes 122, 124. In some embodiments, each adapter 220 of at least one of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 has a tubular body 221 that includes an outer surface 223 and an inner surface that defines a lumen therethrough. Thus, the adapter 220 may be in the form of a hollow tubular body 221. As shown, the body 221 of the adapter 220 can include a proximal end 212 for receiving a medical fluid, a distal end 214 for releasing air from at least one of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, and an inner surface that defines a lumen therethrough. Each adapter 220 can include a vent tube 210 having a proximal end 217 coupled to the distal end 214 of the adapter 220, a distal end 219, and a vent lumen 213 extending therebetween. The vent lumen 213 can be in fluid communication with an adapter lumen (disposed inside the lumen body 221).

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the vent cap 211 can be disposed at the distal end of the vent tube 210 to place the vent lumen 213 in fluid communication with the exterior of the tubular body 221. The permeable membrane 215 can be disposed to cover the lumen of the vent cap 211, or on the lumen, or inside the lumen to allow air to be released from the adapter lumen through the vent lumen 213 to the exterior of the tubular body 221. For example, in some embodiments, the permeable membrane 215 can be a hydrophobic membrane configured to allow air to pass between the vent lumen 213 and the exterior of the tubular body 221 while blocking the flow of liquid. In this way, when the secondary tubes 122 and 124 are primed with a priming fluid, any air present therein can be forced by the priming fluid into the vent lumen 213 through the lumen of the adapter 220 from the tubes 122 and 124 and out through the hydrophobic membrane of the vent cap 211 to the exterior of the tubular body 221.

[0042] Similar to the various embodiments of FIGS. 2A and 2B above, the slide clamp 114 is located on the outlet tube 117 and can be configured to restrict the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 117 when arranged in a closed configuration. For example, the slide clamp 114 can be clamped or otherwise bent into a closed configuration to create a restriction in the outlet tube 117 and block any fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 117. As a result, the priming fluid is forced to reverse direction and flow into at least one secondary inlet tube 124 via the primary multi-tube connector 118. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B where the IV extension set 200 includes two or more secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, the priming fluid is forced to reverse direction and flows into the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 via the primary multi-tube connector 118, the intermediate tube 117, and the secondary multi-tube connector 116.

[0043] FIG. 3B shows a method of simultaneously priming all of the branches 122, 124, and 126 of the one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 200 of FIG. 3A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, a method of simultaneously (''one-time'') priming the primary inlet tube 126 and the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can include connecting a syringe 150 to the adapter 140 of the primary inlet tube 126 and clamping, bending, or otherwise folding the slide clamp 114 to block the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 128. This method further includes depressing the plunger of the syringe 150 to push a priming fluid, such as saline, from the syringe 150 into the primary inlet tube 126. The continuous flow of priming fluid from the syringe 150 causes the priming fluid to flow into the outlet tube 128 through the primary multi-tube connector 118.

[0044] When the priming fluid reaches the limit where the slide clamp 114 blocks the fluid communication between the proximal end and the distal end of the outlet tube 114, it has to reverse direction, flow back upstream through the primary multi-tube connector 118, and flow into the plurality of secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 via the intermediate tube 117 and the secondary multi-tube connector 116. When the priming fluid flows upstream into the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, any air present in each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 is pushed out of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 by the fluid flow and exits to the outside via the vent tube 210 and the hydrophobic membrane 215 in the vent cap 211. After each of the tube branches 122, 124, and 126 has been primed with the priming fluid, the slide clamp 114 located on the outlet tube 128 can be operated into an open configuration, thereby restoring the fluid communication between the proximal end and the distal end of the outlet tube 128. In some embodiments, this method may further include pushing down the plunger of the syringe 150 to flow the priming fluid into the distal adapter 130 through the primary inlet tube 126 and the primary multi-tube connector 118 to ensure proper priming of the outlet tube 128 and the distal adapter 130.

[0045] Therefore, with the configuration of the IV extension set 200 described herein, all of the tubing branches 122, 124, and 126 can be primed simultaneously, eliminating the need to separately connect a syringe 150 to each of the adapters 220 to separately prime each of the multiple secondary tubes 122 and 124. By incorporating a vent tube 210 and a vent cap 211 having a hydrophobic membrane at the proximal end of each of the adapters 220 for the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, the IV extension set 200 of the various embodiments described herein advantageously prevents air bubbles from being trapped within the secondary tubes 122 and 124. Thus, the foregoing problems associated with conventional or traditional IV sets, including, but not limited to, improper dosing to a patient, air bubbles forming air emboli that can cause serious harm to the patient, and contamination of the IV set by inadvertent contact with the sterilized end of the IV set, can be avoided.

[0046] Figure 4A shows a one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 300 including a hydrophobic filter 311 within a vent cap 313 connected to the proximal end of an adapter 320 of secondary tubes 122, 124 of a multi-tube IV extension set 300, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4A and similar to the embodiment of Figure 2A, a multi-tube intravenous (IV) extension set 300 for transporting at least two medical fluids independently of each other can include a primary inlet tube 126 having a proximal end coupled to an adapter 140 for connection to a syringe 150 (shown in Figure 3B) containing a fluid such as a priming fluid or a medical fluid. The primary inlet tube 126 can further include a distal end coupled to a primary multi-tube connector 118. As previously described with respect to Figures 2A and 2B, the primary multi-tube connectors 118 of the various embodiments described herein are adapted to fluidly connect the primary inlet tube 126 and any additional secondary inlet tubes, such as secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, to a common outlet tube 128 that is connected to a patient. In particular, in some embodiments, the outlet tube 128 can have a proximal end coupled to an end of the primary multi-tube connector 118 that is opposite the end where the primary inlet tube 126 and the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 are joined. The outlet tube 128 can also have a distal end configured to be fluidly coupled to a patient's vascular device (not shown). Thus, the outlet tube 128 can be coupled to a distal end adapter 130, such as a luer adapter that connects to an IV catheter (not shown) inserted into a target area of the patient's body for delivery of a medical fluid.

[0047] FIG. 4A shows a configuration having two or more secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124. In these embodiments, the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be fluidly connected to the primary multi-tube connector 118 via the secondary multi-tube connector 116. In particular, the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be fluidly coupled to the intermediate tube 117 via the secondary multi-tube connector 116. The intermediate tube 117 can have a proximal end coupled to the distal end of the secondary multi-tube connector 116 and a distal end coupled to the proximal end of the primary multi-tube connector 118. In particular, as shown, the distal ends of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be connected to the proximal end of the intermediate tube 117 via the secondary multi-tube connector 116.

[0048] However, the various embodiments described herein are not limited to the foregoing configuration. Instead, in some embodiments, the multi-tube IV extension set 200 can include only one secondary inlet tube. In these embodiments, only one secondary inlet tube may be directly coupled to the primary multi-tube connector 118 to fluidly communicate with the outlet tube 128.

[0049] Since the primary and secondary inlet tubes 126, 122, and 124, the primary multi-tube connector 118, the secondary multi-tube connector 116, the intermediate tube 117, and their connections and fluid communications with each other are the same as described above with respect to the one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 100 of FIGS. 2A and 2B, further detailed description with respect to the one-time priming multi-tube IV extension set 300 is omitted.

[0050] According to various embodiments, at least one of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can include, at its proximal end, an adapter 320 for receiving a medical fluid. For example, each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 can be connected to an IV bag or a needle via the adapter 320 as described above. In this way, the medical fluid can be administered from the IV bag or syringe through the adapter 320 into the secondary inlet tubes 122, 124. In some embodiments, each adapter 320 of the at least one secondary inlet tube 122 and 124 has a tubular body 321 that includes an outer surface 323 and an inner surface that defines a lumen therethrough. Thus, the adapter 320 can be in the form of a hollow tubular body 321. In some embodiments, the vent cap 313 can be formed on or integrally incorporated within the proximal end 312 of the adapter 320 of each secondary inlet tube 122 and 124. In other embodiments, the vent cap 313 can be configured to be coupled to the proximal end 312 of the adapter 320 of each secondary inlet tube 122 and 124.

[0051] As shown, the vent cap 313 can have a body 335, and a vent lumen 345 is defined therethrough. The vent lumen 345 can place the adapter lumen in fluid communication with the exterior of the tubular body 321. In some embodiments, a hydrophobic filter can be a permeable membrane 311 disposed within and attached to the inner surface 347 of the vent cap 313 that defines the vent lumen 345. The permeable membrane can be configured such that air can enter the vent lumen 345 from the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 through the lumen of the adapter 320 and exit to the exterior of the tubular body 320.

[0052] Similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 2A to 3B, the permeable membrane 311 may be a hydrophobic membrane configured to block the flow of liquid between the ventilation lumen 345 and the outside of the tubular body 320. In this way, when the secondary tubes 122 and 124 are primed with the priming fluid, the air present therein is drawn by the priming fluid from the tubes 122 and 124 through the lumen of the adapter 320 into the ventilation lumen 345 and pushed out through the hydrophobic membrane 311 of the ventilation cap 313 to the outside of the tubular body 321.

[0053] Similar to the various embodiments of FIGS. 2A to 3B described above, the slide clamp 114 is located on the outlet tube 117 and may be configured to restrict the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 117 when arranged in a closed configuration. For example, the slide clamp 114 is either clamped or otherwise bent into a closed configuration to create a restriction in the outlet tube 117 and block any fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 117, such that the priming fluid is forced to reverse direction and flow into at least one secondary inlet tube 124 via the primary multi-tube connector 118. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B where the IV extension set 300 includes two or more secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, the priming fluid is forced to reverse direction and flows into the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 via the primary multi-tube connector 118, the intermediate tube 117, and the secondary multi-tube connector 116.

[0054] Figure 4B shows a method for simultaneously priming all the branches 122, 124, and 126 of the one-time priming multiple tube IV extension set 300 of FIG. 4A, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, a method for simultaneously (``one-time'') priming the primary inlet tube 126 and the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 may include connecting a syringe 150 to the adapter 140 of the primary inlet tube 126 and pinching, bending, or otherwise folding the slide clamp 114 to block the fluid flow between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 128. This method further includes depressing the plunger of the syringe 150 to push a priming fluid, such as saline, from the syringe 150 into the primary inlet tube 126. The continuous flow of the priming fluid from the syringe 150 causes the priming fluid to flow into the outlet tube 128 through the primary multi-tube connector 118.

[0055] When the priming fluid reaches the limit where the slide clamp 114 blocks the fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 114, the priming fluid has to reverse direction, flow upstream through the primary multi-tube connector 118, and flow into the plurality of secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 via the intermediate tube 117 and the secondary multi-tube connector 116. When the priming fluid flows upstream into the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124, any air present in each of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 is pushed out of the secondary inlet tubes 122 and 124 by the fluid flow and exits to the outside via the vent lumen 345 and the hydrophobic membrane 311 in the vent cap 313. After each of the branches 122, 124, and 126 is primed with the priming fluid, the slide clamp 114 located on the outlet tube 128 can be operated to an open configuration, thereby restoring the fluid communication between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube 128. In some embodiments, this method may further include depressing the plunger of the syringe 150 to flow the priming fluid through the primary inlet tube 126 and the primary multi-tube connector 118 into the distal adapter 130 to ensure proper priming of the outlet tube 128 and the distal adapter 130.

[0056] Thus, with the configuration of the IV extension set 300 described herein, all of the lumens 122, 124, and 126 can be primed simultaneously, eliminating the need to separately connect a syringe 150 to each of the adapters 320 to separately prime each of the plurality of secondary lumens 122 and 124. By incorporating a vent cap 313 having a hydrophobic membrane 311 at the proximal end of each of the adapters 320 of the secondary inlet lumens 122 and 124, the IV extension sets 300 of the various embodiments described herein advantageously prevent air bubbles from being trapped within the secondary lumens 122 and 124. Thus, the foregoing problems associated with conventional or traditional IV sets, including but not limited to improper dosing to a patient, air bubbles that can form an air embolism that can cause serious harm to the patient, and contamination of the IV set by inadvertent contact with the sterilized end of the IV set, can be avoided.

[0057] The present disclosure is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. The present disclosure provides various examples of the subject technology, and the subject technology is not limited to these examples. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects.

[0058] References to elements in the singular are not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather "one or more." Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term "some" refers to one or more. Masculine pronouns (e.g., "his") include feminine and neuter (e.g., "her" and "its"), and vice versa. Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the invention.

[0059] As used herein, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example or illustration." Any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. In one aspect, the various alternative configurations and operations described herein may be considered to be at least equivalent.

[0060] As used herein, the phrase "at least one of" preceding a series of items modifies the entire list of items, rather than each individual item in the list, along with the term "or" used to separate any of the items. The phrase "at least one of" does not require the selection of at least one item. Rather, this phrase permits the meaning of including at least one of any of the items, and / or at least one of any combination of the items, and / or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the expression "at least one of A, B, or C" can refer to only A, only B, or only C, or any combination of A, B, and C.

[0061] Expressions such as "aspect" do not mean that such an aspect is essential to the subject technology or that such an aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. The disclosure regarding one aspect can apply to all configurations, or to one or more configurations. One aspect may provide one or more examples. Expressions such as "one aspect" may refer to one or more aspects, and vice versa. Expressions such as "example" do not mean that such an example is essential to the subject technology or that such an example applies to all configurations of the subject technology. The disclosure regarding one example can apply to all examples, or to one or more examples. One example may provide one or more instances. Expressions such as "one example" may refer to one or more examples, and vice versa. Expressions such as "configuration" do not mean that such a configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such a configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. The disclosure regarding one configuration can apply to all configurations, or to one or more configurations. One configuration may provide one or more instances. Expressions such as "one configuration" may refer to one or more configurations, and vice versa.

[0062] In one aspect, unless otherwise specified, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, sizes, dimensions, and other specifications described in this specification, including the following claims, are approximate and not exact. In one aspect, they are intended to have a reasonable range consistent with the functions they relate to and what is customary in the technical field they are related to.

[0063] It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps or operations in the disclosed processes or methods are examples of typical approaches. Based on the preferences or scenarios of an implementation, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations, or processes can be rearranged. Some of the steps, operations, or processes can be performed simultaneously. In some preferences or scenarios of implementations, certain operations may or may not be performed. Some or all of the steps, operations, or processes can be automatically performed without user intervention. The appended method claims present the various steps, operations, or elements of the process in a sample order and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0064] All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or will become known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Further, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is expressly recited in the claims. No element of any of the claims is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for" or, in the case of a method claim, the phrase "step for". Further, to the extent that the terms "include", "have", and the like are used, they are intended to be inclusive in the same manner as the term "comprise" as interpreted when the term "comprise" is used as a transitional phrase in the claims.

[0065] The title, background art, summary, brief description of the drawings, and abstract of the present disclosure are incorporated into the present disclosure and provided as exemplary examples of the present disclosure, and are not provided as limiting descriptions. It is understood that they are presented without being used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Further, in the detailed description of the invention, exemplary examples are provided by way of explanation, and it will be understood that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of rationalizing the present disclosure. The method of the present disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than those explicitly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the appended claims, the subject matter of the present invention lies in fewer features than all the features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. Accordingly, the appended claims are incorporated into the detailed description of the invention, and each claim stands on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0066] The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but rather are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims and to include all legal equivalents. Nevertheless, no claim is intended to cover, or should be construed to cover, subject matter that fails to meet the requirements of Sections 101, 102, or 103 of the United States Patent Act.

Claims

1. An outlet tube having a proximal end fluidly coupled to a plurality of primary tubes at one time and a distal end configured to be fluidly coupled to a patient's vascular device, A primary inlet tube having a proximal end for connection to a syringe containing a priming fluid or a medical fluid and a distal end coupled to the plurality of primary tubes at one time, At least one secondary inlet tube having a proximal end with an adapter for receiving a medical fluid and a distal end selectively fluidly coupled to the plurality of primary tubes at one time, A slide clamp disposed on the outlet tube and configured to restrict the flow of fluid between the proximal end and the distal end of the outlet tube in a closed configuration, reverse the direction of the priming fluid flowing into the outlet tube via the plurality of tubes connector, and flow into the at least one secondary inlet tube via the plurality of primary tubes connector A multi-tube intravenous (IV) extension set comprising.

2. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary inlet tube comprises a plurality of secondary inlet tubes fluidly coupled to the plurality of primary tubes via a secondary plurality of tubes connector.

3. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of secondary inlet tubes has a distal end fluidly connected to the secondary plurality of tubes connector.

4. The secondary plurality of tubes connector is fluidly coupled to the plurality of primary tubes via an intermediate tube, The intermediate tube is, A proximal end fluidly connected to the distal end of the secondary plurality of tubes connector, A distal end fluidly coupled to the proximal end of the plurality of primary tubes connector The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 2, comprising.

5. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 1, wherein the secondary inlet tube comprises a single inlet tube fluidly coupled directly to the plurality of primary tubes at one time.

6. The adapter of the at least one secondary inlet tube comprises a tubular body, and the tubular body is, An outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen therethrough, At least one vent hole disposed on the tubular body and extending from the inner surface to the outer surface, the at least one vent hole fluidly communicating the lumen with the outside of the tubular body The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 1, comprising.

7. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 6, further comprising a permeable membrane disposed to cover the ventilation hole, wherein the permeable membrane is configured to release air from the lumen to the outside of the tubular body.

8. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 7, wherein the permeable membrane comprises a hydrophobic membrane configured to block the flow of liquid between the lumen and the outside of the tubular body.

9. The adapter of the at least one secondary inlet tube comprises a proximal end for receiving the medical fluid, a distal end for releasing air from the at least one secondary inlet tube, and an inner surface defining a lumen therethrough. The multi-tube intravenous (IV) extension set A ventilation tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a ventilation lumen extending therebetween, the ventilation lumen being in fluid communication with the lumen of the adapter, the ventilation tube being coupled to the distal end of the adapter. A ventilation cap disposed at the distal end of the ventilation tube, the ventilation cap fluidly communicating the ventilation lumen with the outside of the adapter. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 1, further comprising the above.

10. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 9, further comprising a permeable membrane disposed to cover the lumen of the ventilation cap, or disposed on the lumen of the ventilation cap, or disposed inside the lumen of the ventilation cap, wherein the permeable membrane is configured to release air from the lumen of the adapter through the ventilation lumen to the outside of the tubular body.

11. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 10, wherein the permeable membrane comprises a hydrophobic membrane configured to vent the air between the ventilation lumen and the outside of the tubular body while blocking the flow of liquid.

12. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 1, further comprising a ventilation cap disposed at the proximal end of the adapter of the at least one secondary inlet tube. The adapter of the at least one secondary inlet tube has an inner surface defining a lumen therethrough. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation cap has a body having a ventilation lumen defined therethrough, and the ventilation lumen fluidly communicates the lumen of the adapter with the outside of the tubular body.

13. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 12, further comprising a permeable membrane disposed and coupled to the inner surface of the vent cap that defines the vent lumen, the permeable membrane being configured to release air from the lumen to the exterior of the tubular body.

14. The multi-tube IV extension set according to claim 13, wherein the permeable membrane comprises a hydrophobic membrane configured to block the flow of liquid between the lumen and the exterior of the tubular body.

15. A method for simultaneously priming multiple tube branches of a multi-tube intravenous (IV) extension set having a primary inlet tube fluidly coupled to a primary multi-tube connector, at least one secondary inlet tube fluidly coupled to the primary multi-tube connector, and an outlet tube fluidly coupling the primary multi-tube connector to a vascular device, the method comprising: connecting a syringe to the adapter of the primary inlet tube; pinching, bending, or otherwise folding a slide clamp located on the outlet tube to block the flow of fluid between the proximal and distal ends of the outlet tube; pushing down on the plunger of the syringe to push a priming fluid downstream through the primary inlet tube, through the primary multi-tube connector, and into the outlet tube; reversing the flow of the priming fluid to return upstream through the primary multi-tube connector and into the at least one secondary inlet tube; and releasing air present in the at least one secondary inlet tube by flowing the priming fluid through the at least one secondary inlet tube. A method comprising the steps of.

16. The reverse flow of the priming fluid includes placing a slide clamp on the outlet tube and placing the slide clamp in a closed configuration to form a restriction in the outlet tube, Upon reaching the restriction, the flow of the priming fluid is redirected from the downstream direction to the upstream direction towards the at least one secondary inlet tube. The method according to claim 15.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising a plurality of secondary inlet pipes, wherein the at least one secondary inlet pipe is fluidly coupled to the primary plurality of pipe connectors via a secondary plurality of pipe connectors and intermediate pipes, and the discharging of the air present in the at least one secondary inlet pipe discharges the air present in the plurality of secondary inlet pipes by flowing the priming simultaneously through the main and the secondary inlet pipes.

18. Each secondary inlet pipe comprises an adapter having at least one vent hole extending from the lumen to the outer surface of the adapter, and the discharging of the air present in the plurality of secondary inlet pipes discharges the air to the outside of the secondary inlet pipe through the hydrophobic filters of the lumen and the vent holes by flowing the priming fluid upstream simultaneously through the secondary inlet pipes. The method according to claim 17.

19. Each secondary inlet pipe comprises an adapter having a vent pipe having a vent lumen in fluid communication with each of the secondary inlet pipes and a vent cap fluidly coupled to the distal end of the vent pipe, and the discharging of the air present in the plurality of secondary inlet pipes discharges the air to the outside of the secondary inlet pipe through the hydrophobic filters of the vent lumen and the vent cap by flowing the priming fluid upstream simultaneously through the secondary inlet pipes. The method according to claim 17.

20. Each secondary inlet pipe comprises an adapter including a vent cap having a vent lumen in fluid communication with each of the secondary inlet pipes and a hydrophobic filter disposed in the vent lumen, and the discharging of the air present in the plurality of secondary inlet pipes discharges the air to the outside of the secondary inlet pipe through the hydrophobic filters of the vent lumen and the vent cap by flowing the priming fluid upstream simultaneously through the secondary inlet pipes. The method according to claim 17.

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