Disposable Infusion Assembly with Pressure Sensing for Epidural Space Identification

The patent combines the pressure sensing capability with the existing fluid delivery system by integrating a pressure sensor into the syringe assembly. The sensor is positioned within the fluid pathway to detect pressure changes that indicate needle entry into the target fluid-filled space, merging diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single integrated device.

The system implements real-time pressure feedback by continuously monitoring fluid pressure during injection. When the pressure sensor detects a characteristic pressure pattern indicating needle entry into the target space, the system provides feedback to control the injection process, automatically adjusting or stopping fluid delivery to prevent over-injection into non-target tissues.

The patent employs periodic or pulsatile fluid flow instead of continuous flow to identify fluid-filled spaces. The system delivers fluid in controlled pulses, monitoring pressure responses between pulses. This periodic action maintains identification speed by systematically probing the tissue while significantly reducing total fluid consumption compared to continuous flow methods.

The system uses partial action by delivering only the minimum necessary fluid volume required to detect pressure changes indicating target space entry. Rather than using excessive continuous flow to ensure identification, the controlled pulsatile delivery provides just enough fluid to generate detectable pressure signals, minimizing waste while maintaining identification capability.