Multi-piston contrast medium injector

Abstract

injector (1) with a chamber housing (2), with - at least one tube (3) which forms an outlet from the chamber housing (2), - at least two receiving chambers (4, 4a), namely a first receiving chamber (4) and a further receiving chamber (4a), for receiving injection solutions, and - at least one pressure chamber (5), wherein the further receiving chamber (4a) is provided between the first receiving chamber (4) and the pressure chamber (5), wherein at least one separating device (6) is arranged between the receiving chamber (4) and the pressure chamber (5), which separates the receiving chamber (4) from the pressure chamber (5), and wherein the first receiving chamber (4) and the further receiving chamber (4a) are separated by a further separating device (6a), and wherein the separating devices (6, 6a) are designed such that the volume of the receiving chambers (4, 4a) and the volume of the pressure chamber (5) are variable, wherein an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber (5) causes a decrease in the volume in the receiving chambers (4, 4a), so that received injection solutions can be squeezed out of the chamber housing (2) through the tube (3), characterized in that the tube (3) has a needle tip (7),wherein the needle tip (7) pierces at least one further separating device (6a) when the volume in the pressure chamber (5) increases.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an injector or infusor for the intravascular injection or infusion of injection or infusion solutions. In this context, the terms "injection" and "infusion" are always used interchangeably.

[0002] Currently available injectors in this field are complex to manufacture and maintain, complicated to handle, and thus potentially have serious consequences for the patient. They are also expensive and relatively large. A further disadvantage is the large distance between the injection fluid and the intravascular access, resulting in long tubes. For use near strong magnetic fields—typically during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations—the currently used components and systems are of limited use, or they must maintain a corresponding safety distance from the magnetic field, resulting in even longer tube lengths.

[0003] WO 97 / 05 915 A1 relates to an infusion device having a chamber for at least one infusion bag, wherein a pressure device in the chamber exerts pressure on the infusion bag in order to press out infusion fluid through an infusion tube.

[0004] US 5,700,245 A relates to a device for the controlled dispensing of liquids. The device comprises chemical reactants that combine to generate a gas and thus pressure to propel a liquid from a container, the liquid being dispensed from the device at a predetermined flow rate.

[0005] DE 20 2004 020 726 U1 discloses a hydraulic metering device with an injection unit, a master cylinder with a master piston, a slave cylinder with a slave piston, a hydraulic connection between the two cylinders and a mechanical coupling between the injection unit and the slave cylinder.

[0006] DE 199 07 744 A1 relates to a device for intracorporeal injections comprising a chamber with an outlet opening for a bag containing the injection medium and a unit which enables the bag to be directly or indirectly pressurised with a fluid under pressure.

[0007] WO 2006 / 114 012 A1 relates to a device for a liquid product, comprising a product container which holds the product to be administered, a fluid reservoir for a drive fluid, a drive, a product chamber and a fluid connection.

[0008] WO 2007 / 131367 A1 describes a device for administering a liquid product with a controllable delivery rate. The device comprises a housing with a drive unit and a product container, with the delivery rate being controlled by the drive unit.

[0009] WO 2017 / 055462 A1 relates to a multi-chamber syringe unit comprising an elongated body with a side wall, a distal end, a proximal end opposite the distal end, an interior space defined by the side wall between the distal end and the proximal end, and a distal opening arranged in the distal end for delivering a fluid from the body. The multi-chamber syringe unit enables the adequate administration of multiple pharmaceutical fluids by injection.

[0010] The object of the invention is therefore to provide an injector that meets the increasing demands placed on medical technology without compromising other aspects. In particular, the injector is easy to manufacture and maintain, allowing for simple handling. Simple operation (e.g., only one or two flow rates) can reduce potential sources of error, thus increasing patient safety.

[0011] This object is achieved by an injector having the features of claim 1. Due to the fact that the injector has a chamber housing with at least one tube which forms an outlet from the chamber housing, at least one receiving chamber is provided for receiving an injection solution and at least one pressure chamber is present, wherein at least one separating device is arranged between the receiving chamber and the pressure chamber, which separates the receiving chamber from the pressure chamber, wherein the separating device is designed such that the volume of the receiving chamber and the volume of the pressure chamber are variable, wherein an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber causes a reduction in the volume in the receiving chamber, the received injection solution can be easily pushed out of the chamber housing through the tube. This enables the simple injection of injection liquids into a blood or lymph vessel of a patient.This provides physicians, medical technicians, and patients with the option of simplified intravascular injection. The injector's simple design makes manufacturing easier and less expensive, as well as simplified maintenance, thus enabling significant cost savings in the healthcare sector. The separator is a movable separator that separates the receiving chamber from the pressure chamber. As the volume in the pressure chamber increases, the separator pushes the fluid in the receiving chamber out of the injector's chamber housing via the tube due to the expansion of the pressure chamber.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims. It should be noted that the features listed individually in the claims can also be combined with one another in any technologically expedient manner, thus revealing further embodiments of the invention.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least two receiving chambers are provided for receiving injection solutions, wherein at least one separating device is arranged between the receiving chambers and the pressure chamber, which separates the receiving chambers from the pressure chamber, wherein the separating device is designed such that the volumes of the receiving chambers and the volume of the pressure chamber are variable, wherein an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber causes a reduction in the volumes in the receiving chambers, so that received injection solutions can be pressed out of the chamber housing. The arrangement of two receiving chambers in the chamber housing of the injector enables the reception of two different injection solutions. The injection solutions can be different liquids, such as contrast agents, saline solutions or other pharmaceuticals.The injection solutions can be pushed out of the receiving chambers through a tube, or the chamber housing can be configured with multiple tubes, each with its own tube for emptying. The receiving chambers can be easily arranged in duplicate, side by side, or parallel within the chamber housing. It would also be conceivable to use a single container with two or more separate liquids, or to mix these liquids during injection. The injection solutions in the receiving chambers can thus be injected not only sequentially, but also simultaneously. This enables a wide range of treatment options with the proposed injector.

[0014] A particularly advantageous embodiment is that at least one further receiving chamber is arranged between the receiving chamber and the pressure chamber, wherein the first receiving chamber and the further receiving chamber are separated by a further separating device, wherein the further separating device is designed such that an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber causes a reduction in the volume in the receiving chambers, so that received injection solutions can be pressed out of the chamber housing. The arrangement of a further receiving chamber between the first receiving chamber and the pressure chamber and the separation by a further separating device enables particularly simple emptying of the receiving chambers, in particular simple emptying of the receiving chambers one after the other. As a result, the injection solutions received in the receiving chambers can be injected one after the other in a simple manner.

[0015] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that, in addition to the additional receiving chamber, further receiving chambers are arranged between the first receiving chamber and the pressure chamber. The receiving chambers are separated by additional separating devices. The additional separating devices are designed such that an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber causes a reduction in the volume in the receiving chambers, so that absorbed injection solutions can be pressed out of the chamber housing. The arrangement of additional receiving chambers in the chamber housing of the injector enables the simultaneous absorption of a wide variety of injection solutions, which can be different contrast agents or even saline solutions.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the injector already described could also be connected in parallel with another similar or identical injector, thus enabling more complex injection protocols.

[0017] According to one possible embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous that the tube has a needle tip, whereby the needle tip pierces at least one additional separating device when the volume in the pressure chamber increases. By piercing a separating device, the injection solution separated in this way and held in a receiving chamber can escape through the tube from the chamber housing of the injector.

[0018] An advantageous embodiment is that when the volume in the pressure chamber is increased, the injection solution held in a first receiving chamber is first pushed out, with the needle tip then piercing a separating device to a further receiving chamber so that the injection solution held in the further receiving chamber can be pushed out. In this way, the injection solution held in the first receiving chamber can be injected first before the injection solution held in the further receiving chamber is injected. By piercing the separating device with the needle tip of the tube, a simple way is provided to inject different injection solutions at different times by increasing the volume in the pressure chamber. The injection process of different injection solutions can thus be easily initiated and carried out by increasing the volume in the pressure chamber.

[0019] A particularly advantageous embodiment is one in which a valve is arranged on the tube. With a valve arranged on the tube, the flow of the injection solutions through the tube can be set and regulated. By opening the valve, the injection process of the injection agent can be started. When the valve is opened, the volume in the pressure chamber can increase, so that the volume in the receiving chamber decreases, allowing the received injection solution to be pressed out of the chamber housing of the injector. The open position of the valve also allows the flow rate of the injection agent to be adjusted. The flow rates should be between 1 ml / min and 10 ml / s. The valve can also be used to set minimum flow rates that prevent air bubbles in the tube.

[0020] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the valve is controllable via a control device. Controlling the valve via a control device provides a simple way to automatically activate the injection process and flexibly and precisely adjust the flow rate of the injection agent. The control device can have an interface with which the injector can be remotely controlled. This interface can, for example, comprise a Bluetooth-enabled communication module. In this way, commands for activating the injection process and the desired flow rate can be easily transmitted to the control device.

[0021] According to one embodiment, it is particularly advantageous that the chamber housing has an inlet through which a fluid can be introduced into the pressure chamber to increase the volume in the pressure chamber. Such an inlet makes it very easy to introduce fluid into the pressure chamber to increase the volume of the chamber and force the injection agent held in the receiving chamber out of the chamber housing.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a fluid delivery device is connected to the inlet. The fluid delivery device can be used to raise the pressure in the chamber housing above the ambient pressure. The fluid delivery device can be designed as a pump or in the form of a spray can that presses a fluid into the pressure chamber, or it can be a self-emptying pressure vessel. The fluid can be compressed air, gas, a liquid, or a medium produced by a chemical reaction.

[0023] A particularly advantageous embodiment is that the fluid delivery device can be controlled via a control device. Coupling the fluid delivery device to the control device provides a simple way to regulate or control the injection process.

[0024] The receiving chambers can also be designed as capsules that can be arranged in the chamber housing. These capsules, preferably provided as disposable products, can hold different injection solutions, such as contrast media or saline solution. Depending on the application, the user can position the capsules in the chamber housing. For example, depending on a patient's body weight, different amounts of injection solution may be required, and these can then be used preconfigured in the unit.

[0025] The injector can also be produced and delivered fully prefabricated, requiring only a few steps to perform an injection. The injector is preferably designed for single use. The injector can also have multiple chamber housings, preferably arranged side by side. The injector components are preferably made of non-ferromagnetic material so that they do not interfere with strong magnetic fields.

[0026] Further features, details, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the following drawings and are described in more detail below. Corresponding objects are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures. They show: Fig. 1 an injector according to the invention, Fig. 2 an injector according to the invention with a manual valve, Fig. 3 an injector according to the invention with a controlled valve and Fig. 4 a sectional view of the injector.

[0027] In the figures, designated by reference numeral 1, an injector according to the invention is shown. A chamber housing 2 of the injector 1 is attached to a wristband 10, so that the injector 1 can be easily positioned on the patient and remains securely in place during treatment. The chamber housing 2 has a cover 11 that can be removed to access the interior of the chamber housing 2. Fig. 1 shows that a tube 3 leads out of the chamber housing 2, forming an outlet from the chamber housing 2. A valve 8 is connected to the tube 3, via which the flow of the injection solution can be adjusted. Connected to the outlet side of the valve 8 is a tube 12 with an attached injection needle 13, which is inserted into a patient's blood vessel for intravascular injection.

[0028] The Fig. 2 shows the injector 1 according to Fig. 1 from a different perspective. Here, the connection of valve 8 to tube 3 is more clearly visible. The connection has a screw cap 14, allowing valve 8 to be removed from and reattached to tube 3.

[0029] Fig. 3 shows an embodiment in which a control device 9 is coupled to the valve 8. The flow of the injection solution at the valve 8 can be controlled via this coupled control device 9. Preferably, the control device 9 has a communications module, which further preferably provides a remote control option, e.g., via a Bluetooth-enabled interface. This interface can be used to start the injection process, automatically adjust the flow rate, and store the injection data (date, time of injection, flow rate, volume, batch information for the contrast agent, injection protocol) or forward it to a corresponding management system.

[0030] Out of Fig. Figure 4 shows a sectional view of an injector 1 according to the invention. It can be seen that the tube 3 forms an outlet from the chamber housing 2 of the injector 1. Two receiving chambers 4, 4a are arranged within the chamber housing 2, each of which serves to receive an injection solution. A second receiving chamber 4a is arranged between a first receiving chamber 4 and the pressure chamber 5, wherein the first receiving chamber 4 and the second receiving chamber 4a are separated by a separating device 6a. Furthermore, a pressure chamber 5 is arranged in the chamber housing 2. A separating device 6 is arranged between the receiving chambers 4, 4a and the pressure chamber 5, which separates the receiving chambers 4, 4a from the pressure chamber 5. This separating device 6 is designed such that the volumes of the receiving chambers 4, 4a and the volume of the pressure chamber 5 are variable. For this purpose, the separating device 6 can be designed as a flexible membrane or a fixed, movable separator, e.g.in the form of a partition. In the case of a fixed partition, this is sealed against the housing wall of the chamber housing 2 and is movable. The separating device 6a between the receiving chambers 4, 4a is designed such that an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber 5 causes a reduction in the volume in the receiving chambers 4, 4a. For this purpose, the separating device 6a can be designed as a flexible membrane or a fixed, movable separator in the form of a partition. In the case of a fixed partition, this is sealed against the housing wall of the chamber housing 2 and is movable. An increase in the volume in the pressure chamber 5 leads to a reduction in the volume in the receiving chambers 4, 4a. This causes injection solutions received in the receiving chambers 4, 4a to be forced out of the chamber housing 2.The injection solution held in the first receiving chamber 4 is first extruded out of the chamber housing 2 via the tube 3. This injection solution held in the first receiving chamber 4 can preferably be a contrast agent. The tube 3 has a needle tip 7, which is directed toward the separating device 6a that separates the two receiving chambers 4, 4a. When the volume in the pressure chamber 5 increases, the separating device 6a arranged between the receiving chambers 4, 4a is pierced by the needle tip 7. This allows the injection solution held in the second receiving chamber 4a to be extruded via the tube 3. This injection solution held in the second receiving chamber 4a can preferably be a saline solution.The separation of the two receiving chambers 4, 4a by the separating device 6a, which is pierced with the needle tip 7 of the tube 3, enables the injection solutions received in the receiving chambers 4, 4a to be pressed out of the chamber housing 2 of the injector 1 one after the other. The injection of contrast medium and the subsequent flushing of the vessels with saline solution makes the injection particularly well-tolerated. For the injection, only the volume of the pressure chamber 5 in the chamber housing 2 needs to be increased. This is easily possible, for example, via an inlet through which a fluid can be introduced to increase the volume in the pressure chamber 5. A fluid delivery device, which is designed, for example, in the form of a spray can or pump, can be connected to this inlet. This fluid delivery device can also be connected to the inlet via the connection shown in . Fig.3, which can also control the valve position of the valve 8. The valve can be used to regulate the flow rate of the injection solutions pushed out of the chamber housing, so that the desired amount of injection solution is injected via the tube 12 and the injection needle. List of reference symbols 1 injector 2 chamber housing 3 tubes 4 4a Recording chamber 5 pressure chamber 6 6a Separator 7 needle tip 8 valve 9 Control device 10 bracelets 11 lids 12 hose 13 Injection needle 14 screw cap

Claims

[1] Injector (1) with a chamber housing (2), with - at least one tube (3) which forms an exit from the chamber housing (2), - at least two receiving chambers (4, 4a), namely a first receiving chamber (4) and a further receiving chamber (4a), for receiving injection solutions, and - at least one pressure chamber (5), wherein the further receiving chamber (4a) is provided between the first receiving chamber (4) and the pressure chamber (5), wherein at least one separating device (6) is arranged between the receiving chamber (4) and the pressure chamber (5), which separates the receiving chamber (4) from the pressure chamber (5), and wherein the first receiving chamber (4) and the further receiving chamber (4a) are separated by a further separating device (6a), and wherein the separating devices (6, 6a) are designed such that the volume of the receiving chambers (4, 4a) and the volume of the pressure chamber (5) are variable, wherein an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber (5) causes a reduction in the volume in the receiving chambers (4, 4a), so that received injection solutions can be pressed out of the chamber housing (2) through the tube (3), characterized bythat the tube (3) has a needle tip (7), wherein the needle tip (7) pierces at least one further separating device (6a) when the volume in the pressure chamber (5) increases. [2] Injector (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that between the first receiving chamber (4) and the pressure chamber (5) in addition to the further receiving chamber (4a) further receiving chambers are arranged, wherein the receiving chambers (4, 4a) are separated by further separating devices (6a), wherein the further separating devices (6a) are designed such that an increase in the volume in the pressure chamber (5) causes a reduction in the volume in the further receiving chambers (4, 4a) and the needle tip (7) also pierces the further separating devices (6a) when the volume of the pressure chamber (5) is increased, so that absorbed injection solutions can be pressed out of the chamber housing (2). [3] Injector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat when the volume in the pressure chamber (5) increases, the injection solution held in a first receiving chamber (4) is first pressed out, wherein the needle tip (7) then pierces a separating device (6a) to a further receiving chamber (4a) so that the injection solution held in the further receiving chamber (4a) can be pressed out. [4] Injector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a valve (8) is arranged on the tube (3). [5] Injector (1) according to claim 4, characterized by that the valve (8) can be controlled via a control device (9). [6] Injector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the chamber housing (2) has an inlet through which a fluid can be introduced into the pressure chamber (5) to increase the volume in the pressure chamber (5). [7] Injector (1) according to claim 6, characterized bythat a fluid conveying device is connected to the inlet. [8] Injector (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that the fluid conveying device can be controlled via a control device (9).

Images