Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue

Abstract

A tissue penetrating system has a housing member. A plurality of penetrating members are positioned in the housing member. A tissue stabilizing member is coupled to the housing. A penetrating member sensor is coupled to the plurality of penetrating members. The penetrating member sensor is configured to provide information relative to a depth of penetration of a penetrating member through a skin surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 335,212, filed Dec. 31, 2002, which application is a continuation-in-part and of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 127,395, filed Apr. 19, 2002. This application is also a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 237,261, filed Sep. 5, 2002, and U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 237,262, filed Sep. 5, 2002. All applications listed above are fully incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Lancing devices are known in the medical health-care products industry for piercing the skin to produce blood for analysis. Typically, a drop of blood for this type of analysis is obtained by making a small incision in the fingertip, creating a small wound, which generates a small blood droplet on the surface of the skin. [0003] Early methods of lancing included piercing or slicing the skin with a needle or razor. Current methods utilize lancing devices that contain a multitude of spring, cam and m...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides improved tissue penetrating systems and methods of use that have several technical effects. These include reduced pain during tissue penetration, controlled depth of penetration, controlled velocity of penetration and stimulation of target tissue. The systems also have user interfaces, low volume sample chambers, multiple penetrating members, and stimulating members, such as vibratory or electromechanical drivers. The invention also includes a tissue stabilizing member and a cartridge with seals for maintaining the distal tip of the penetrating member in a sterile condition prior to lancing. Overall, the invention provides better tissue penetrating systems and methods for use in various medical procedures."

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, the pain associated with each lancing event using known technology discourages patients from testing.

In addition to vibratory stimulation of the skin as the driver impacts the end of a launcher stop, known spring based devices have the possibility of harmonically oscillating against the patient tissue, causing multiple strikes due to recoil.

This recoil and multiple strikes of the lancet against the patient is one major impediment to patient compliance with a structured glucose monitoring regime.

Another impediment to patient compliance is the lack of spontaneous blood flow generated by known lancing technology.

In addition to the pain as discussed above, a patient may need more than one lancing event to obtain a blood sample since spontaneous blood generation is unreliable using known lancing technology.

Known devices poorly account for these skin thickness variations.

A still further impediment to improved compliance with glucose monitoring are the many steps and hassle associated with each lancing event.

The large number of steps required in traditional methods of glucose testing, ranging from lancing, to milking of blood, applying blood to the test strip, and getting the measurements from the test strip, discourages many diabetic patients from testing their blood glucose levels as often as recommended.

Older patients and those with deteriorating motor skills encounter difficulty loading lancets into launcher devices, transferring blood onto a test strip, or inserting thin test strips into slots on glucose measurement meters.

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