A powerhead (50) of a power injector is disclosed that includes a syringe housing (110) that contains a capacitive fluid detector (112). The capacitive fluid detector (112) may be operable to detect fluid within a syringe (116) installed on the syringe housing (110). The output of the capacitive fluid detector (112) may be used to estimate the volume of fluid within the syringe (116). The capacitive fluid detector (112) may include a plurality of discrete capacitors (118a-118h) arranged serially along a longitudinal axis (120) of the syringe (116). Each of the plurality of capacitors (118a-118h) may be operable to produce an electric field extending into the syringe (116). Each of the plurality of capacitors (118a-118h) may be formed on a printed circuit board (130).

A syringe for use with a medical injector system includes a barrel and a semi-rigid hub, the hub having an outer surface adapted to slidingly move within the barrel, and an inner surface having a continous circumferential wall. The hub further includes an annular engaging portion recessed within at least part of the continous circumferential wall forming a groove, at least one radially extendable and retractable retention member disposed at partially within a proximal cylindrical portion of the hub, and the elastometric seal engaged with a seal engaging portion on the hub and slidingly engaged with the barrel of the syringe. The semi-rigid hub and the elastomeric seal are reciprocally slidable within the barrel, and the at least one radially entendable and retractable retention member is configured to releasably engage the groove upon retraction of the plunger to permit the semi-rigid hub to be selectively withdrawn within the barrel.

A unidirectional-driven drug infusion device, includes: a reservoir, a piston and a screw, the piston is arranged in the reservoir; a driving module which includes at least one driving wheel and at least one driving arm that cooperate with each other, the circumferential surface of the driving wheel is provided with wheel teeth; a power module coupled to the driving arm; a control module, connected to the power module, controls the power module to apply different driving powers to the driving arm, making the driving arm perform linear reciprocating motion; and a friction member which is in contact with the surface of the driving wheel. This device can fully utilize the internal space of the infusion device, and its weight and volume is reduced.

An apparatus (300) for suspending air bubbles in a fluid path of a fluid injector system includes an internal chamber (320) having a curved interior wall (322) defined within the housing (310), an inlet fluid pathway in fluid communication with the internal chamber, and an outlet fluid pathway in fluid communication with the internal chamber. The inlet fluid pathway extending into the chamber at a tangent to the curved interior wall, and the outlet fluid pathway spaced from the inlet fluid pathway such that fluid flowing into the internal chamber via the inlet fluid pathway is directed away from the outlet fluid pathway. The internal chamber is configured to create an internal fluid vortex in an injection fluid entering the internal chamber from the inlet fluid pathway, and wherein the internal fluid vortex at least temporarily suspends air bubbles in the fluid in the internal vortex and delays the passage of the air bubbles to the outlet fluid pathway.

This invention relates to a fluid delivery apparatus, system and method, in particular the use of elastic bands to generate the force required to push fluid out from a container. The fluid that is delivered from the container maybe prefilled and stored prior to its actuation by the elastic band driver or it could be filled just before use. In one embodiment disclosed, a prefilled option would require the user to attach an appropriate extension tubing that acts as a flow control tube to the fluid container which in one embodiment is tubular shaped. In the application where the device is filled just before use, the fluid container that would be engaged with the actuating housing is presented with a fixed rate flow tube. The selection of a particular device configuration replaces the need for programming a flow rate into an electronic syringe pump.

A system for controlling a fluid injection system is disclosed. The system includes at least one processor programmed or configured to determine at least one characteristic of a power injection protocol, where the at least one characteristic of the power injection protocol is associated with a medical fluid involved in the power injection protocol, determine an estimated value of viscosity of the medical fluid based on the at least one characteristic of the power injection protocol, calculate a hydraulic resistance score based on the estimated value of viscosity of the medical fluid, and determine one or more motor controller gains of a motor of a powered fluid injector in the power injection protocol based on the hydraulic resistance score.

A connecting arrangement for connecting a syringe to an electromechanical pump for drug infusion is provided. The syringe comprises a hollow cylindrical syringe body having a first, tapered open end for discharging the drug and a second open end. The syringe body is surrounded by connecting means arranged to firmly connect the syringe to the pump in a removable manner, an axially sliding plunger being housed in the syringe body for causing suction and injection of the drug through the first end. The pump comprises a pump body housing electromechanical members comprising a sliding rod partially projecting out of the pump body to cause sliding of the plunger within the syringe body of the syringe connected to the pump. The pump body being provided with connecting means arranged to receive in an engaging configuration the syringe body. The connecting means provided on the pump body comprise a cylindrical collar axially extending around the sliding rod and being internally provided with engaging elements, the collar defining a sealing end. The connecting means surrounding the syringe body comprise engaging elements arranged to cooperate with the engaging elements provided in the collar for firmly connecting the syringe to the pump in a removable manner. An annular flange extends radially around the syringe body. The flange cooperates with the sealing end defined in the collar to establish a tight sealing between the syringe body and the collar, whereby, when the syringe is attached to the pump, any moisture that may be present in the surrounding environment outside the pump and the syringe attached thereto does not penetrate into the pump body.

A method of maintaining an overall flow rate during a sequential delivery of at least two fluids to a patient's blood vessel includes delivering at least a first fluid into the patient's blood vessel at a first flow rate, delivering at least a second fluid into the patient's blood vessel at a second flow rate, and adjusting at least one of a first flow profile of the first flow rate and a second flow profile of the second flow rate to dampen a transient increase in the overall flow rate during a transition between delivering one of the first fluid and the second fluid to delivering the other of the first fluid and the second fluid.

Drug delivery systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a drug delivery system can be configured to deliver a drug to a patient in coordination with a physiological parameter of the patient (e.g., the patient’s natural cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation or the patient’s heart or respiration rate). In some embodiments, a drug delivery system can be configured to use a combination of infusion and aspiration to control delivery of a drug to a patient. Catheters, controllers, and other components for use in the above systems are also disclosed, as are various methods of using such systems.

A pressure jacket includes a barrel having a proximal end, a distal end, and a sidewall extending substantially circumferentially between the proximal end and the distal end along a longitudinal axis. The pressure jacket also includes at least one retaining member having at least one first lug protruding radially outward relative to an outer surface of the sidewall. The at least one first lug has at least one third surface tapered axially relative to the longitudinal axis of the barrel in a proximal direction. The at least one first lug is configured for engagement with a locking mechanism associated with a port on a fluid injector to releasably lock the pressure jacket with the fluid injector. At least a portion of the at least one third surface axially ejects the pressure jacket upon rotation of the pressure jacket about the longitudinal axis.