Login| Sign Up| Help| Contact|

Patent Searching and Data


Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING LIQUID PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/037613
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste. The method comprises arranging a pharmaceutical package to be emptied in an emptying member (3, 4a to 4d, 7), arranging a drain tube (11) through a cap (24) of the pharmaceutical package, generating an underpressure or an overpressure in the pharmaceutical package in order to empty the pharmaceutical package of a medicament, and conveying the medicament removed from the pharmaceutical package to a receptacle (6a, 6b).

Inventors:
KROEGER ILPO (FI)
Application Number:
PCT/FI2013/050845
Publication Date:
March 13, 2014
Filing Date:
September 03, 2013
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
IPI MEDICINE TECH OY (FI)
International Classes:
B65F1/10; B02C19/00; B67C9/00; B09B3/30
Domestic Patent References:
WO2004098801A12004-11-18
WO2004018295A22004-03-04
Foreign References:
US7896271B22011-03-01
US8257336B22012-09-04
CN201921126U2011-08-10
US5220947A1993-06-22
EP2100826A12009-09-16
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
KOLSTER OY AB (Helsinki, Helsinki, FI)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A method of recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste, the method comprising:

arranging a pharmaceutical package to be emptied in an emptying member (3, 4a to 4d, 7),

arranging a drain tube ( ) through a cap (24) of the pharmaceutical package,

generating an underpressure or an overpressure in the pharmaceutical package in order to empty the pharmaceutical package of a medicament, and

conveying the medicament removed from the pharmaceutical package to a receptacle (6a, 6b).

2. A method as claimed in claim ^ c h a r a c t e r i z e d by alternating the underpressure and the overpressure applied to the pharmaceutical package.

3. An apparatus for emptying liquid pharmaceutical waste from a pharmaceutical package, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises:

a pump (5) for generating an underpressure and/or an overpressure,

at least one emptying member (3, 4a to 4d, 7) arrangeable in connection with a pharmaceutical package to be emptied for generating an underpressure or an overpressure in the package, and

a receptacle (6a, 6b) connected to the emptying member (3, 4a to 4d, 7) for receiving pharmaceutical waste,

the emptying member (3, 4a to 4d, 7) comprising a cutting drain tube (11 ) arrangeable through a cap (24) of the pharmaceutical package.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the emptying member (3, 4a to 4d, 7) comprises a reception recess (21 ), the cutting drain tube (11 ) being arranged at a bottom thereof, and guiding means (22) for the pharmaceutical package, arranged around the reception recess (21 ).

Description:
Method and apparatus for recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste

Background

[0001] The invention relates to a method of recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste.

[0002] The invention further relates to an apparatus for emptying liquid pharmaceutical waste from a pharmaceutical package.

[0003] Pharmaceutical waste to be disposed of must be handled in a safe and reliable manner. A significant part of pharmaceutical waste is in liquid form. However, no devices or methods for recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste are currently known that would be suitable for use for emptying pharmaceutical packages with varying features.

Brief description

[0004] The method and apparatus according to the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the characterizing parts of the independent claims. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims.

[0005] According to an idea, the method is characterized by: arranging a pharmaceutical package to be emptied in an emptying member, arranging a drain tube through a cap of the pharmaceutical package, generating an underpressure or an overpressure in the pharmaceutical package in order to empty the pharmaceutical package of a medicament, and conveying the medicament removed from the pharmaceutical package to a receptacle.

[0006] According to an idea, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a pump for generating an underpressure and/or an overpressure, at least one emptying member arrangeable in connection with a pharmaceutical package to be emptied for generating an underpressure or an overpressure in the package, and a receptacle connected to the emptying member for receiving pharmaceutical waste, the emptying member comprising a cutting drain tube arrangeable through a cap of the pharmaceutical package.

[0007] An advantage is that liquid pharmaceutical waste can be removed from most pharmaceutical packages in a safe and effortless manner. Regardless of the material they are made of, whether it be plastic or glass, almost all medicine bottles, for instance, comprise a perforatable cap or lid. [0008] Inventive embodiments are also disclosed in the specification and drawings of this application. The inventive contents of the application may also be defined in ways other than those described in the following claims. The inventive contents may also consist of several separate inventions, particularly if the invention is examined in the light of expressed or implicit sub-tasks or in view of obtained benefits or benefit groups. In such a case, some of the definitions contained in the following claims may be unnecessary in view of the separate inventive ideas. Features of the different embodiments of the invention may be applied to other embodiments within the scope of the basic inventive idea.

[0009] In the following, features of some embodiments of the invention are listed in a random order.

[0010] The idea of an embodiment is that an underoverpressure is generated in the pharmaceutical package. The advantage is that risks of the medicament spilling into the environment during emptying are minimized. The idea of an embodiment is that the drain tube penetrating the cap is fixedly arranged in a reception recess of the apparatus.

[0011] The advantage is that the apparatus is safe to use because the user does not have to handle loose or otherwise exposed needles.

[0012] The idea of an embodiment is that the apparatus also comprises a Luer connector. The advantage is that the same apparatus may also be used for emptying packages provided with a Luer-Lok® or Luer-Slip® type mating connector, e.g. pain cartridges and pain syringes, into the same receptacle as those used for some other medicaments.

[0013] The idea of an embodiment is that the apparatus also comprises an emptying place for thin glass ampoules. The advantage is that the same apparatus may also be used for emptying thin glass ampoules.

[0014] The idea of an embodiment is that the apparatus also comprises an emptying place for syringes. The advantage is that the same apparatus may also be used for emptying syringes, such as contrast medium syringes.

Brief description of the figures

[0015] The matter will be described in greater detail in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a schematic, partially sectioned view showing a method and an apparatus for recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste,

Figure 2 schematically shows the apparatus according to Figure 1 from its user interface side, and

Figures 3A to 3C schematically show some details of the apparatus according to Figure 1.

[0016] For the sake of clarity, the figures show the matter in a simplified manner. In the figures, like reference numerals identify like elements.

Detailed description

[0017] Figure 1 schematically shows a method and an apparatus for recovering liquid pharmaceutical waste, and Figure 2 shows the apparatus from its user interface side.

[0018] Such liquid pharmaceutical waste may be e.g. a solution or a medicament in liquid suspension form or an infusion liquid.

[0019] In the method and apparatus shown in Figure 1 , packages of the following kind may be emptied:

- a glass bottle with a cap made of plastic or rubber,

- a bottle comprising a polymer material and provided with a cap made of plastic or rubber,

- a thin glass ampoule,

- a bag comprising a polymer material, e.g. a bag in a cartridge for a pain pump,

- a contrast medium syringe.

[0020] The apparatus 10 comprises six package emptying members enabling e.g. glass bottles with screw caps, glass bottles with a puncturable rubber cap, thin glass ampoules, plastic bottles with a puncturable rubber part, bags of a cartridge for a pain pump, and contrast medium syringes to be emptied.

[0021] The emptying members comprise a suction tip 3, four emptying places 4a to 4d, and a Luer connector 7. It is to be noted that the number and configuration of the emptying members may also be different. For instance, according to an idea, the apparatus 10 comprises no other emptying members but one emptying place 4a to 4d.

[0022] The apparatus 10 comprises a pump 5 for generating an underpressure or an overpressure in a package to be emptied. The pump 5 may thus be an underpressure pump or an overpressure pump or a pump enabling both an underpressure and an overpressure to be generated. In another embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises two pumps, a first one for generating an underpressure and a second one for generating an overpressure, enabling a user of the apparatus 10 to choose which pump to use at a given time.

[0023] The apparatus may comprise a pressure adjuster 16 for adjusting the magnitude of the underpressure or overpressure applied to the package to be emptied. Preferably, the pressure adjuster 16 may be controlled from a user interface arranged in an emptying unit 1.

[0024] The apparatus 10 may comprise a pressure accumulator 28 connected to the pump 5 which generates an overpressure in the pressure accumulator. The overpressure generated in the pressure accumulator 28 may be conveyed via an overpressure tube 29 to a selected package located in a particular emptying space 4a to 4d. The operations may be controlled by magnetic valves 32.

[0025] The apparatus 0 may further comprise a rinsing liquid reservoir 30. A rinsing liquid contained therein may be conveyed via a rinsing liquid tube 31 to the overpressure tube 29 and further to the package. The rinsing liquid may comprise water, for instance. The package may be rinsed with the rinsing liquid when it is empty. The package thus becomes cleaner and recyclable.

[0026] The apparatus 10 further comprises a necessary number of receptacles 6a to 6b - two in the shown embodiment - in which liquid removed from the packages is stored. According to an idea, the receptacles 6a, 6b together with their pharmaceutical waste are taken to be destroyed.

[0027] The apparatus 10 further comprises a channel system 9 connecting the pump 5 and the receptacles 6a, 6b to the package emptying members 3, 4a to 4d, 7.

[0028] When an underpressure suction is used, air flows via the receptacle 6a, 6b to the pump 5 and further out of the apparatus 10. Alternatively, air is supplied to the pressure accumulator 28. Prior to exiting from the apparatus, discharge air A is preferably filtered in a filter 17, e.g. a HEPA filter or an activated carbon filter, whereafter the discharge air A may be conveyed to a ventilating duct of a building, for instance. The filter 17 removes possible medicament residues from the discharge air. [0029] A desired emptying place 4a to 4d provided in the emptying unit 1 is selected to receive the package to be emptied.

[0030] The emptying place 4a to 4d is provided with a hollow drain tube 11 , e.g. a needle whose tip is shaped to be bevelled and cutting, a hollow blunt piercing tool whose end preferably comprises a cutting surface, or simply a tube with no cutting surfaces. The medicament contained in the package is removed through the drain tube 11 by using underpressure or overpressure.

[0031] Third and fourth emptying places 4c, 4d comprise a cutting needle or a piercing tool. When the method employs the third or the fourth emptying place 4c, 4d, the needle or the piercing tool penetrates the cap, lid or another closing cover of the package. It is to be noted that hereinafter in this description, unless otherwise stated, in addition to caps, the term "cap" also refers to lids and other closing covers for a package.

[0032] An advantage of the method is, inter alia, that a vast majority of packaging bottles for liquid medicaments in use comprises a cap made of plastic, rubber or another penetrable material.

[0033] Details of some emptying places 4a to 4d are discussed in connection with Figures 3A to 3C.

[0034] The package to be emptied may also be arranged in the suction tip 3 so as to enable packages for which no place is provided in the emptying unit 1 itself to be emptied. The drain tube of the suction tip may comprise a cutting or a non-cutting tip. Preferably, the suction tip 3 is designed to be held in the hand; preferably, it further comprises an operating switch enabling the suction in the suction tip 3 necessary for the emptying to be switched on and off.

[0035] According to an idea, the suction tip 3 may also be arranged and fitted in the Luer connector 7.

[0036] The suction tip 3 is connected to the emptying unit 1 by means of a flexible suction tube 12, enabling the position of the suction tip to be changed quite freely. The liquid suctioned by the suction tip 3 may be conveyed to a volume measurement container 2 and therefrom after measurement to the receptacle 6a, 6b by opening a cut-off valve 19. According to another idea, the liquid suctioned by the suction tip 3 is conveyed directly to the receptacle 6a, 6b. [0037] According to another idea, in addition to the suction tube 12, the suction tip 3 is further provided with an overpressure tube enabling an overpressure to be generated in the package to be emptied.

[0038] The package to be emptied may also be arranged in a Luer connector 7 provided with replaceable male or female fittings. In this description, the concept "Luer connector" refers to a connector having standard dimensions and being arrangeable in a standard mating connector. Preferably, the Luer connector 7 is compatible with at least either a Luer-Lok® or Luer- Slip® type mating connector.

[0039] The Luer connector 7 is suitable for emptying pain cartridges and pumps in particular. Via the Luer connector 7 the liquid may be conveyed to the volume measurement container 2 enabling the volume of the removed liquid to be measured prior to conveying it to the receptacle 6a, 6b.

[0040] The user interface of the apparatus is mainly arranged in the emptying unit 1.

[0041] In the figures, the user interface comprises push buttons I to V, but naturally the user interface may also be implemented in another manner. The user interface may comprise a foot-operated operating button placed on the floor, for instance.

[0042] The push buttons I to V are used for controlling the cut-off valve 19 and the magnetic valves 20. By opening a particular magnetic valve 20, the emptying place 4a to 4d connected thereto can be provided with a desired pressure effect, i.e. underpressure or overpressure.

[0043] The method and the apparatus 0 implementing it empty the package either by means of underpressure, overpressure or by alternating these two. For this purpose, the apparatus may be provided with an adjuster enabling the pressure applied to the package to be changed and adjusted to be overpressure or underpressure.

[0044] When emptying with underpressure, when necessary, the apparatus 10 cuts off the generation of the underpressure in the package and, via a valve, enters substitution air/pressure into ' the package, after which the apparatus 10 returns to sucking an underpressure in the package so that the package is completely emptied of pharmaceutical waste. These changes may be implemented automatically, controlled by a control unit 13 of the apparatus, or manually. According to an idea, a liquid, e.g. water and/or solvent, is fed into the package in order to remove a medicament from the package and/or in order to rinse the package so that no medicament residues remain in the emptied package.

[0045] The liquid to be removed from the package is conveyed through the channel system 9 to a selected receptacle 6a, 6b. On its way to the receptacle 6a, 6b, the liquid may pass through a liquid counter 8, which shows the amount of the liquid in a desired unit of measurement. In the embodiment of the method and the apparatus shown in the figures, a first emptying place 4a is connected to the receptacle 6a shown on the right in Figure 1 while other emptying places 4b to 4d, as also the suction tip 3 and the Luer connector 7, are correspondingly connected to the receptacle 6b on the left. These connections may naturally also be implemented in another manner, particularly because the number of receptacles may also be other than two.

[0046] Preferably, the receptacle 6a, 6b comprises pressure-proof caps or lids 14 provided with overfill detectors 15. The overfill detector 15 prevents overfill of the receptacle 6a, 6b by closing a filling channel leading to the receptacle 6a, 6b.

[0047] From a filled-up receptacle 6a, 6b, the pressure cap or lid 4 is removed and replaced by a tight cap or lid which preferably comprises locking means for preventing the receptacle from being opened afterwards. The pressure cap or lid 14 is placed on a new receptacle 6a, 6b, after which filling of the receptacle may begin.

[0048] The apparatus 10 may comprise a means 18 for opening a thin glass ampoule, enabling an unopened ampoule to be opened safely. The means 18 comprises a slot or an opening enabling the neck of an ampoule to be cut by sideways rotation.

[0049] While employing the method, a user places the package to be emptied in a selected emptying place for the package and starts the emptying by using the push button or the like of the emptying place in question. The contents of the package are sucked by underpressure for a determined period of time. Simultaneously, substitution air may be entered into the package for a certain period of time from the pressure accumulator 28 or the like, and/or rinsing liquid from the rinsing liquid reservoir 30. Next, by controlling the magnetic valves 32, an underpressure may be sucked into the package. Finally, the package may be rinsed with a rinsing liquid. For this purpose, the apparatus may be provided with a separate rinse button or the like. Alternatively, the rins- ing phase takes place automatically without using a separate button or the like. Finally, the rinsing liquid in the package is sucked by underpressure.

[0050] An alternative for implementing the above-described operations of the apparatus is to use time-controlled relays which control the magnetic valves.

[0051] Figures 3A to 3C schematically show some details of the apparatus according to Figure 1.

[0052] Figure 3A shows an alternative embodiment of the third and the fourth emptying places 4c, 4d. The structure of the emptying places 4c, 4d may be the same, except for the dimensioning: the third emptying place 4c is dimensioned for larger packaging bottles while the fourth emptying place 4d is for smaller packaging bottles.

[0053] The third and the fourth emptying places 4c, 4d comprise a drain tube 11, in this case a needle with a bevelled tip, and a filling tube 33 through which substitution air, overpressure and/or rinsing liquid may be fed into a packaging bottle 23. The substance to be fed is determined according to the emptying program being used, automatically or through the user's control operations. It is to be noted that the filling tube 33 is not necessary and that e.g. all the mentioned feeding operations may also be implemented through the drain tube 11. It is further to be noted that the dimensions of the drain tube 11 and the filling tube 33 may differ from those shown in the figure.

[0054] The drain tube 1 is arranged at a bottom of a reception recess 21 so that it extends at a distance from the bottom of the reception recess 21. The diameter of the reception recess 21 is dimensioned such that it enables a standard-sized packaging bottle 23 of a certain size to be arranged therein appropriately.

[0055] A mouth of the reception recess 21 may be provided with guiding means 22 which may form either an annular member around the reception recess 21 or, alternatively, with protrusions which are located separately and at a distance from one another around the reception recess 21.

[0056] The guiding means 22 guide the packaging bottle 23 in a correct position to the reception recess 21. Preferably, the guiding means 22 are made of polyamide or another appropriate plastic. The guiding means 22 may be dimensioned to be more constricted than the reception recess 21 , in which case they guide packaging bottles 23 that are smaller in diameter than the aforementioned standard-sized packaging bottle 23. The guiding means 22 may be removed from the mouth of the reception recess 21 e.g. when the packaging bottle 23 to be emptied is too large for the guiding means 22 in question.

[0057] The guiding means 22 are dimensioned so as to enable the packaging bottle 23, with the cap or lid 24 foremost, to be taken into the reception recess 21 in order for the drain tube 11 to penetrate the cap or lid 24. The reception recess 21 may also be provided with second guiding means 27 for preventing contact of an object wider than the cap 24 with the drain tube 1 .

[0058] Figure 3B shows an alternative embodiment of a second emptying place 4b. The second emptying place 4b is provided for emptying thin glass ampoules in particular. A thin glass ampoule may first be opened by an opening means 18, after which the opened end of the ampoule is taken into the reception recess 21 to enable the drain tube 1 to settle inside the ampoule. The opened end of the ampoule may be loose with respect to the drain tube 11. In such a case, a medicament may flow into the conical reception recess 21 , wherefrom it may be sucked into a receptacle 6 through holes 28. Thin glass ampoules may also be emptied using the suction tip 3, of course.

[0059] Figure 3C shows an alternative embodiment of the first emptying place 4a. This is primarily meant for emptying contrast medium syringes 26. The drain tube 11 is arranged at the bottom of the conically narrowing reception recess 21. An injection tip 26 of the contrast medium syringe 25 is arranged in the reception recess 21 , after which the contents of the syringe 25 are sucked into the receptacle 6.

[0060] In some cases, features disclosed in this application may be used as such, regardless of other features. On the other hand, when necessary, features disclosed in this application may be combined in order to provide various combinations.

[0061] The drawings and the related description are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above, in which the invention is described by means of some examples, but many modifications and different embodiments of the invention are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the following claims. Reference numerals

1 emptying unit

2 volume measurement container

3 suction tip

4a to 4d emptying place

5 pump

6a, 6b receptacle

7 Luer connector

8 liquid counter

9 channel system

10 apparatus

11 drain tube

12 suction tube

13 control unit

14 lid

15 overfill detector

16 pressure adjuster

17 filter

18 opening means for thin glass ampoule

19 cut-off valve

0 magnetic valve

1 reception recess

2 guiding means

3 packaging bottle

4 cap

5 contrast medium syringe

6 injection tip

7 second guiding means

8 pressure accumulator

9 overpressure tube

0 rinsing liquid reservoir

1 rinsing liquid tube

2 magnetic valve

3 filling tube