Technical Field

The present invention relates to a thermostatting device for containers of biomedical fluids for parenteral administration, particularly bags for medical fluids, blood or the like.

Background Art

It is known that people with health problems, affected by attacks, victims of accidents must undergo medical treatment which, sometimes, requires the parental administration of bio-medical fluids and/or liquids (medicinal, saline solutions, blood, etc.) at a preset temperature.

In some cases, e.g., the patients are in a state of shock characterised by hypovolemia (volumetric reduction of blood) and hypothermia (lowering of body temperature), and have to be transfused fluids at a temperature generally between 33 ⁰ C and 4O ⁰ C.

To treat tumoural illnesses on the other hand, the need often arises to administer chemotherapy products, the effectiveness of which varies according to temperature and which, therefore, have to be infused at a temperature generally above room temperature.

Similar considerations can be made regarding the means of contrast used in diagnostics, these too administered at the patient's body temperature.

The fluids to be injected are currently packaged in containers of the flexible bag type, plastic or glass bottles or vials, which have a dispensing mouth from which the fluid can be taken by means of a standard syringe or by means of an extraction and conveying duct, commonly called "infusate source", the outlet extremity of which is associated with an element of injection (catheter or needle) to the patient.

To condition the temperature of fluids, particular systems are usually used for heating the fluid containers and/or the fluid extraction and conveying duct.

The use is known, e.g., of devices essentially composed of a box inside which the containers are placed connected to the patient by means of the infusate sources and which, during the dispensing of the fluid, is heated by means of heat production means, e.g., of the type of heating elements; such box also has an electronic temperature control and adjustment circuit.

Other devices of known type heat the extraction and conveying duct during the administration and essentially consist in a metal element which is coupled to heating elements, supplied with current, and which is placed close to the section of the infusate source to be conditioned; in this case as well, an electronic circuit controls and regulates the reached temperature.

These heating devices for heating the container and/or the extraction and conveying duct do have a number of drawbacks among which should be recalled the fact that they have far from negligible weight and overall dimensions that make their transport and use particularly difficult and hard, they are structurally and constructively complex, they require the intervention of skilled operators and they have far from negligible costs.

Fluid container heating or cooling devices are also known which, in slang, are called of the so-called "chemical" type inasmuch as they exploit the heat produced by an exothermic or endothermic chemical reaction between two or more reagent substances.

These "chemical" type devices are essentially made up of a wrapping, of the type of a bag, split into two or more compartments which are separated the one from the other by a tearable membrane and of which one contains a first component and the other a second component suitable for reacting together with an exothermic or endothermic reaction depending on the type of use to which such devices are to be put.

At the time of use, an operator acts manually on the wrapping, applying on this such a pressure as to break the tearable membrane and allow the chemical mixing of the components, and then manually places the device in contact with the container of the fluid to be administered to thermally condition it.

These "chemical" type devices also have a number of drawbacks, such as, e.g., the fact that they have to be stored, transported and handled with care to prevent them accidentally suffering knocks such as to accidentally activate at inopportune times the reaction between the chemical components which they contain, with the risk of prematurely exhausting their capacity to develop calories/frigories and thus become unusable when they are actually needed. Another drawback of the "chemical" type devices consists in the fact that they contain air which, having low heat conductivity, acts as insulation and reduces the exchange of heat with the fluid containers to be conditioned.

As an alternative to the systems and the devices described above, the use is known of particular heating appliances composed of an electric oven inside which the containers are placed to keep the fluid at the required temperature and from which they are removed only an instant before being used.

The use of such appliances, though very simple and functional, nonetheless allows administering the fluid at the required temperature only for a limited period of time inasmuch as, once taken out of the ovens, the containers quickly start to exchange heat with the outside and quickly tend to reach room temperature.

To overcome the above drawbacks of the state of the art, devices are known usable to support and thermally condition bio-medical fluid containers such as bottles or vials.

Such devices comprise, in particular, a cup-shaped support, having a top opening and a bottom opening, inside which can be placed, upside down, a container of the type of a bottle or a vial.

The cup-shaped support has an outer surface in heat insulating material and an inner surface in contact with the container, which is made of heat conductive material.

Such devices further comprise heating means of the inner surface, composed, e.g., of one or more heating elements.

Such devices, nevertheless, have a limited range of uses inasmuch as they can only be used to maintain the temperature and heat bio-medical fluids contained in bottles or other similar rigid containers and of substantially cylindrical shape. Description of the Invention

The main object of the present invention is to provide a support device for containers of bio-medical fluids for parental administration, particularly bags for medical fluids, blood or the like, that favours the infusion to patients of fluids brought to a preset temperature without requiring, during administration, complicated and cumbersome heating systems or devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be used in conditions of utmost safety for the patient and with utmost efficiency of use. Another object of the present invention is to be structurally and constructively simple, to be of reduced weight and overall dimensions and to also be easy to transport and handle by fairly inexpert health workers.

The above objects are all achieved by the present thermostatting device for containers of bio-medical fluids for parenteral administration, particularly bags for medical fluids, blood or the like, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least a container having at least one compartment for housing at least one flexible bag containing a bio-medical fluid, at least one portion of heat conductive surface suitable for being placed in contact with said bag when this is arranged inside said compartment, heating means for heating said heat conductive surface to bring and/or keep to a preset temperature the fluid inside said bag and retention means for retaining said bag inside said compartment which are suitable for keeping said bag in contact with said heat conductive surface during the emptying of the bag itself.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of two preferred, but not sole, embodiments of a thermostatting device for containers of bio-medical fluids for parenteral administration, particularly bags for medical fluids, blood or the like, illustrated purely as an example but not limited to the annexed drawings in which:

figure 1 is an axonometric view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;

figure 2 is a side and section view of the device according to the invention of figure 1;

figure 3 is a side and section view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention;

figure 4 is an axonometric and partially exploded view of the first embodiment of the device according to the invention. Embodiments of the Invention

With reference to such figures, globally indicated by 1 is a thermostatting device for containers of bio-medical fluids for parenteral administration, which can be particularly used to support and heat flexible bags of the traditional type used for containing medical fluids, blood or similar substances.

The device 1 comprises:

- a container 2 having a housing compartment 3 of a flexible bag A containing a bio-medical fluid;

- a heat conductive surface 4 suitable for being placed in contact with the bag A when this is arranged inside the compartment 3 ;

- heating means 5 for heating the heat conductive surface 4 to bring and/or keep at a preset temperature the bio-medical fluid inside the bag, before or during administration to a patient;

- retention means for retaining the bag A inside the compartment 3 suitable for maintaining the bag in contact with the heat conductive surface 4 heated by means of the heating means 5, during the emptying of the bag itself.

More specifically, the retention means allow keeping a face of the bag A in direct contact with the heat conductive surface 4 heated during the administration of the bio-medical fluid to a patient. The outflow of the biomedical fluid in fact leads to a reduction in the overall dimensions of the bag A and, consequently, the presence of such retention means allows avoiding the detachment of the bag A from the heat conductive surface 4.

In particular, with reference to the embodiments of the device 1 shown in the illustrations, the container 2 is composed of a half-shell 6 having an access opening to the compartment 3 and a door 7 hinged on one side of the half-shell 6 and mobile for opening/closing the compartment 3.

Usefully, both the half-shell 6 and the door 7 have an outer surface made of insulating material, of the polymer material type or the like.

The half-shell 6, furthermore, comprises a bottom through hole 8 wherein is inserted and comes out the extremity of the bag A having the mouth B for fluid dispensing. Advantageously, the retention means of the bag A comprise a plate 9 arranged inside the compartment 3, fastened to the half-shell 6 and having a seat designed to accommodate the bag A.

The seat is provided with the above-mentioned heat conductive surface 4 and, in particular, coincides with such heat conductive surface 4 inasmuch as the entire plate 9 is made using a highly heat conductive material such as, e.g., aluminium or the like.

Furthermore, the seat 4 is shaped so as to reproduce the profile and the dimensions of the bag A and, in particular, it has two sloping shoulders 10 in the proximity of the through hole 8, that reproduce the shape of the lower portion of a bag A of conventional type and which are distanced to allow the transit of the extremity of the bag A having the mouth B towards the through hole 8.

Advantageously, the seat 4 defines a substantially sloped surface on which a face of the bag A can be positioned, resting. This makes it possible to keep the bag A in contact with the surface of the seat 4, heated by the heating means 5, during the emptying of the bag itself and by means of the force of gravity only, or under the suction effect of pumps and injectors of various types.

To further guarantee maintaining perfect adherence between the bag A and the surface of the seat 4 during the entire phase of administration of the fluid to a patient, the above retention means also comprise a securing element 11 associated with the door 7, positionable in contact with the face of the bag A substantially opposite the seat 4 and moving nearer to and away from the bag A, by means of the action and in contrast to elastic means 12 respectively.

In point of fact, once the door 7 is closed on the compartment 3, the securing element 11 is placed in contact with the face of the bag A opposite the seat 4 and, by means of the thrust action of the elastic means 12, keeps the bag A in contact with the heated surface of the seat 4 during emptying.

With reference to a first embodiment of the device 1 shown in the figures 1, 2 and 4, the securing element 11 is composed of a substantially plate-shaped body, associated moving with the door 7 by means of guide means and the interposition of the elastic means 12.

In particular, the guide means comprise three screws 13 that can be tightened in corresponding threaded holes 14 on the top and bottom edges of the securing element 11, through respective elongated slots 15 which extend on the bottom and top edges of the door 7.

The guide means also comprise three first tubular elements 16 overhanging from the face of the securing element 11 opposite the face positionable in contact with the bag A. Each of such first tubular elements 16 is fitted sliding and to measure inside corresponding second tubular elements 17 overhanging from the inner surface of the door 7.

The elastic means 12 are composed of three thrust springs housed inside the first and second tubular elements 16 and 17.

In point of fact, as shown in figure 2, the thrust springs 12 act between the door and the securing element 11, pushing the latter into contact with the bag A arranged inside the seat 4.

With reference to a second embodiment of the device 1 shown in the figure 3, the securing element 11 is composed of a base 11a that can be fastened to the container by means of one or more screws 13 and a mobile element l ib, made up of a sheet, which is associated moving with the base 1 Ia by means of guide means and by interposition of the elastic means 12.

In particular, the guide means comprise three first tubular elements 16 overhanging from the face of the sheet 1 Ib opposite the face positionable in contact with the bag A. Each of such first tubular elements 16 is fitted sliding and to measure inside corresponding second tubular elements 17 overhanging from the base 11a.

The elastic means 12 are composed of three thrust springs 12 housed inside the first and second tubular elements 16 and 17.

In point of fact, as shown in the figure 3, the thrust springs 12 act between the base 11a and the sheet l ib, pushing the latter into contact with the bag A arranged inside the seat 4.

Moreover, further embodiments of the device 1 cannot be ruled out wherein, e.g., it is the plate 9 which is associated moving with the half-shell 6, sliding towards and away from the securing element 11, due to the action of and in contrast to elastic means respectively. The element 11, being sliding in an axial direction, provides a further advantage. Besides keeping the bag constantly against the heating wall it allows housing at least three different types of bags: 500 ml, 250 ml and 100 ml, which are the most common capacities, in particular for contrast media.

This represents a major aspect because it prevents the operator from having to replace the element 11 when the bag is changed, a change that occurs very often during the course of the day.

Alternatively, it cannot be ruled out that the securing element 11, associated in a removable way with the door 7, have different dimensions and/or conformation according to the type of bag A.

By way of example, but without intending to be exhaustive, figure 4 shows the use of an adequate securing element 11, usable for bags A of small dimensions. The heating means 5 are composed of a substantially plate-shaped heating element, arranged in correspondence to the seat 4 in contact with the face of the plate 9 opposite the face designed to accommodate the bag A.

The heating element 5 can be made up, for example, of one or more heating elements.

Usefully, the device 1 can comprise sight inspection means of the fluid inside the bag A, not shown in the illustration, which can, e.g., be made up of one or more portions in transparent material obtained passing through a side panel of the half-shell 6 or the door 7. Alternatively, the entire door 7 can be made of transparent material.

Such sight inspection means can also comprise one or more LEDs 18, used to check the switch-on and/or the switch-off of the device and/or of the heating means 5 and to display the contents of the bag.

The device 1 also comprises electronic control means 19, made up e.g. of a printed electronic circuit, arranged inside the half-shell 6, behind the plate 9, and connected to the heating element 5 and, if necessary, to the LEDs 18.

The device 1 also comprises gripping means 20 which extend from an outer portion of the half-shell 6 and which are suitable for allowing the fastening to a vertical upright.

The gripping means 20, e.g., can be of the clamp gripping means type. It has been ascertained how the described invention achieves the proposed objects.

In particular, the fact is underlined that this invention favours the infusion to patients of fluids brought to a preset temperature without the need, during administering, for complicated and cumbersome heating systems or devices. The present invention, furthermore, can be used in conditions of total safety for the patient and utmost operating efficiency.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it is structurally and constructively simple, has limited weight and overall dimensions and is also easy to transport and handle by fairly inexpert health operators.