초록 ▼

A method for delivering a fluid to an animal with a drug delivery device without causing contamination to the drug delivery device. The drug delivery device used by the method may comprise a fluid subsystem with a switching device, disposable syringes, fluid reservoirs, disposable tubing, and a cath

A method for delivering a fluid to an animal with a drug delivery device without causing contamination to the drug delivery device. The drug delivery device used by the method may comprise a fluid subsystem with a switching device, disposable syringes, fluid reservoirs, disposable tubing, and a catheter. In one embodiment, the method allows a user to deliver multiple drugs to an animal without contaminating the valves that control the flow of fluid.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for delivering a fluid to an animal, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a catheter;b. inserting the catheter into the animal, so that a fluid can be injected or withdrawn from the animal;c. providing first, second, third and fourth tubes;d. providing a first syringe with a

1. A method for delivering a fluid to an animal, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a catheter;b. inserting the catheter into the animal, so that a fluid can be injected or withdrawn from the animal;c. providing first, second, third and fourth tubes;d. providing a first syringe with a first outlet, wherein the first outlet includes a first syringe opening and a second syringe opening, and a second syringe with a second outlet, wherein the second outlet includes a third syringe opening and a fourth syringe opening;e. providing first and second fluid reservoirs;f. providing a first valve having a first fluid control position adapted to receive the first tube therethrough and a second fluid control position adapted to receive the second tube therethrough, wherein when the first fluid control position is closed, the second fluid control position is open, and vice versa;g. providing a second valve having a third fluid control position adapted to receive the third tube therethrough and a fourth fluid control position adapted to receive the fourth tube therethrough, wherein when the third fluid control position is closed, the fourth fluid control position is open, and vice versa;h. operatively connecting one end of the first tube to the first fluid reservoir and another end of the first tube to the first syringe opening;i. operatively connecting one end of the second tube to the second syringe opening and operatively connecting another end of the second tube to both one end of the fourth tube and to a system output, wherein the second tube operatively connects the first syringe to a system output;j. operatively connecting one end of the third tube to the second fluid reservoir and another end of the third tube to the third syringe opening;k. operatively connecting one end of the fourth tube to the fourth syringe opening and operatively connecting another end of the fourth tube to both one end of the second tube and to the system output, wherein the fourth tube operatively connects the second syringe to the system output;l. operatively coupling one end of the catheter to the system output;m. flushing the system output and the catheter by injecting a first fluid comprising a flushing fluid in the first syringe by closing the fourth fluid control position of the second valve, opening the second fluid control position of the first valve, and pushing the first syringe so that the first fluid in the first syringe will flow through the second tube, into the system output, through the catheter, whereby the first position of the first valve prevents the first fluid in the first syringe from flowing into the first reservoir; andn. injecting a second fluid comprising a drug in the second syringe into the animal by closing the second fluid control position of the first valve, opening the fourth fluid control position of the second valve, and pushing the second syringe so that the second fluid in the second syringe will flow through the fourth tube, into the system output, through the catheter and into the animal, whereby the third position of the second valve prevents the second fluid in the second syringe from flowing into the second reservoir. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: o. providing a first syringe pump operatively coupled to the first syringe, wherein step (m) comprises operating the first syringe pump to push the first syringe. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of: p. providing a second syringe pump operatively coupled to the second syringe, wherein step (n) comprises operating the second syringe pump to push the second syringe. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of: q. opening the first position of the first valve, opening the fourth position of the second valve and opening the fifth position of the third valve;r. causing the first and second syringe pumps to pull the first and second syringes, respectively, so that a body fluid of the animal appears in the catheter outlet and the first syringe fills with the first fluid;s. opening the second position of the first valve and opening the fifth position of the third valve; andt. causing the first syringe pump to push the first syringe, so that the first fluid flushes the system outlet and the catheter. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the drug delivery device further comprises a controller that is operably connected to the first syringe pump and that is operably connected to the first valve, such that the controller automatically controls the movement of the first syringe pump and controls the movement of the first and second positions of the first valve. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: n. filling the first syringe with first fluid from the first reservoir by opening the first position of the first valve and pulling the first syringe so that first fluid in the first reservoir will flow through the first tube and into the first syringe through the first syringe opening. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of: o. filling the second syringe with second fluid from the second reservoir by opening the third position of the second valve and pulling the second syringe so that second fluid in the second reservoir will flow through the third tube and into the second syringe through the thirds syringe opening. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (h)-(k) further comprise: h. operatively connecting one end of the first tube to the first fluid reservoir and another end of the first tube to the first syringe first opening via a first T-connector;i. operatively connecting one end of the second tube to the second syringe opening via the first T-connector and operatively connecting another end of the second tube to a first Y-connector, wherein the first Y-connector operably connects the end of the second tube to both one end of the fourth tube and one end of the system output, wherein the Y-connector connects the first syringe to the system output;j. operatively connecting one end of the third tube to the second fluid reservoir and another end of the third tube to the third syringe opening via a second T-connector;k. operatively connecting one end of the fourth tube to the fourth syringe opening via the second T-connector and operatively connecting another end of the fourth tube to the first Y-connector, wherein the first Y-connector operably connect the end of the fourth tube to both one end of the second tube and one end of the system output, wherein the Y-connector connects the second syringe to the system output. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: o. opening the second position of the first valve and the fourth position of the second valve; andp. injecting the first and second fluids into the animal through the catheter by pushing the first syringe and the second syringe. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device further comprises a waste outlet that is connected to the system outlet, a third valve including a fifth fluid control position adapted to receive the catheter therethrough and a sixth fluid control position adapted to receive the waste outlet, so that when the fifth position of the third valve is open, the sixth position of the third valve is closed and fluid is allowed to pass between the system outlet and the catheter outlet, and when the sixth position of the third valve is open, the fifth position of the third valve is closed and fluid is allowed to pass between the system outlet and the waste outlet. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fluid comprises a saline solution. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second fluids never come into contact with the first and second valves. 13. A method for delivering a fluid to an animal, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a catheter;b. inserting the catheter into the animal, so that a fluid can be injected or withdrawn from the animal;c. providing a first syringe with a first outlet, wherein the outlet includes a first syringe opening and a second syringe opening, and a second syringe with a second outlet, wherein the second outlet includes a third syringe opening and a fourth syringe opening;d. providing first and second fluid reservoirs;e. interruptibly connecting the fluid flow from the first fluid reservoir to the first syringe opening;f. interruptibly connecting the fluid flow from the second syringe opening to the fourth syringe opening and to a system output;g. interruptibly connecting the fluid flow from the second fluid reservoir to the third syringe opening;h. interruptibly connecting the fluid flow from the fourth syringe opening to the second syringe opening and to the system output;i. interruptibly coupling one end of the catheter to the system output; andj. flushing the system output and catheter by injecting a first fluid comprising a flushing fluid in the first syringe by interrupting the connection of fluid flow between the first fluid reservoir and the first syringe opening, interrupting the connection of fluid flow between the fourth syringe opening and the system output, and pushing the first syringe so that the first fluid in the first syringe will flow through the catheter; andk. injecting a second fluid comprising a drug in the second syringe into the animal by interrupting the connection of fluid flow between the second fluid reservoir and the third syringe opening, interrupting the connection of fluid flow between the second syringe opening and the system output, and pushing the second syringe so that the second fluid in the second syringe will flow through the catheter and into the animal, whereby the interrupted connection prevents the second fluid in the second syringe from flowing into the second reservoir. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: l. providing a first syringe pump operatively coupled to the first syringe, wherein step (j) comprises operating the first syringe pump to push the first syringe. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: m. providing a second syringe pump operatively coupled to the second syringe, wherein step (k) comprises operating the second syringe pump to push the second syringe. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the connection between the first fluid reservoir and the first syringe opening is interruptible via a first valve, wherein the connection between the second syringe opening and the system output is interruptible via a second valve, wherein the connection between the second fluid reservoir and the third syringe opening is interruptible via a third valve, wherein the connection between the fourth syringe opening and the system output is interruptible via a fourth valve, and wherein the connection between the catheter and the system output is interruptible via a fifth valve. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first fluid comprises a saline solution. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: n. operating the second valve to interrupt the connection of fluid flow between the second syringe opening and the system output, operating the third valve to interrupt the connection of fluid flow between the third syringe opening and the second reservoir, operating the fourth valve to prevent interruption of the connection between the fourth syringe opening and the system output, and operating the fifth valve to prevent the interruption of the connection between the catheter and the system output;o. causing the second syringe pump to pull the second syringe, so that a body fluid of the animal flows into the second syringe from the catheter;p. causing the first syringe pump to pull the first syringe, so that the first syringe fills with saline from the first fluid reservoir;q. operating the first valve to interrupt the connection between the first syringe opening and the first reservoir, operating the second valve to prevent interruption of the connection between the second syringe opening and the system output, operating the fourth valve to interrupt the connection between the fourth syringe opening and the system output, and operating the fifth valve to prevent the interruption of the connection between the catheter and the system output; andr. causing the first syringe pump to push the first syringe, so that the saline flushes the system outlet and the catheter. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of: n. providing a waste outlet that is interruptibly connected to the system output by a sixth valve. 20. The method of claim 13, wherein the connection between the first fluid reservoir and the first syringe first opening is interruptible via a first valve, wherein the connection between the second syringe opening and the system output is interruptible via a second valve, wherein the connection between the second fluid reservoir and the third syringe opening is interruptible via a third valve, and the connection between the fourth syringe opening and the system output is interruptible via a fourth valve. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: k. providing a controller that is operably connected to the first syringe pump and that is operably connected to the first and second valves, such that the controller automatically controls the movement of the first syringe pump and controls the movement of the first and second positions of the first and second valves. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second fluids never come into contact with the first, second, third, and fourth valves. 23. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: k. filling the first syringe with first fluid from the first reservoir by preventing interruption of the connection between the first fluid reservoir and the first syringe opening, interrupting the connection between the second syringe opening and the system output, and pulling the first syringe so that first fluid in the first reservoir will flow into the first syringe. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of: l. filling the second syringe with second fluid from the second reservoir by preventing interruption of the connection between the second fluid reservoir and the third syringe opening, interrupting the connection between the second syringe opening, interrupting the connection between the fourth syringe opening and the system output, and pulling the second syringe so that second fluid in the second reservoir will flow into the second syringe. 25. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: k. interrupting the connection of the fluid flow between the first syringe and the first reservoir and interrupting the connection of the fluid flow between the second syringe and the second reservoir; andl. injecting the first and second fluids into the animal through the catheter by pushing the first syringe and the second syringe.