Apparatus and methods for cleaning and/or exchanging medical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12306204-B2
Application number	US-202117383981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2021
Priority date	Jan 25, 2019
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for cleaning or exchanging medical devices. Certain embodiments may include a cassette comprising a plurality of medical devices, where the orientation of the cassette can be changed while the cassette is coupled to a processing instrument.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising: a cassette comprising a plurality of sample acquisition probes; a sample processing instrument configured to receive a sample;
a first plurality of conduits; a first chamber comprising a solvent; and
a gas supply; wherein: the cassette is coupled to the sample processing instrument; a first sample acquisition probe is in fluid communication with the sample processing instrument when the cassette is in a first orientation;
a second sample acquisition probe is in fluid communication with the sample processing instrument when the cassette is in a second orientation; and the cassette can be is configured to be moved from the first orientation to the second orientation while the cassette is coupled to the sample processing instrument;
wherein: each sample acquisition probe is in fluid communication with an individual conduit of the first plurality of conduits; and each individual conduit of the first plurality of conduits is configured to place a single sample acquisition probe in fluid communication with the sample processing instrument when the cassette is oriented to align the individual conduit with the sample processing instrument; and
wherein each sample acquisition probe in the plurality of sample acquisition probes comprises a reservoir, a first conduit, a second conduit, a third conduit, and a funnel-shaped chamber, wherein: the first conduit is in fluid communication with the first chamber; the second conduit is in fluid communication with the gas supply; the third conduit is in fluid communication with the sample processing instrument; the first conduit, the second conduit, and the third conduit each comprises a respective terminus at the reservoir, such that each of the first conduit, the second conduit, and the third conduit are each in fluid in communication with the reservoir; and
the second conduit further comprising the funnel-shaped chamber, wherein the funnel-shaped chamber of the second conduit extending extends from a smaller end to a larger end, the larger end of the funnel-shaped chamber being proximal to the reservoir, and the smaller end of the funnel-shaped chamber being distal from the reservoir, such that the second conduit is in fluid communication with the reservoir via the funnel-shaped chamber of the second conduit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sample processing instrument is a mass spectrometer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cassette rotates from the first orientation to the second orientation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cassette moves linearly from the first orientation to the second orientation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas supply is the ambient air and the apparatus comprises a valve or conduit that is open to the ambient air.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas supply is a pressurized gas supply, and wherein the pressurized gas supply provides a gas to the probe at a pressure less than 100 psig.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises water, ethanol, or a combination thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises an aqueous mixture including from 1 to 25% ethanol.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second chamber comprising a cleaning fluid; and
a conduit in fluid communication with the second chamber and the plurality of sample acquisition probes.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sample acquisition probe is, or is comprised in, a cannula of a surgical instrument.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each conduit between each sample acquisition probe and the sample processing instrument comprises a valve configured to restrict flow through the conduit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each sample acquisition probe of the plurality of sample acquisition probes comprises a distal probe end, and the distal probe end comprises a shutter configured to be closed to prevent fluid communication outside of the sample acquisition probe.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each sample acquisition probe is configured to contact tissue and obtain the sample from the tissue.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each sample acquisition probe is configured to:
apply a fixed volume of the solvent to a tissue site; and
collect the applied solvent to obtain the sample.

Assignees

• Univ Texas
• Baylor College Medicine

Inventors

• Schiavinato Eberlin Livia
• Milner Thomas
• Zhang Jialing
• Giese Noah
• Lin John
• Kuhn Jeffrey R
• Suliburk James
• Katta Nitesh

Classifications

• H01J49/0413

  for automated handling · CPC title

• A61B2010/045

  Needles (pointed biopsy devices with vacuum aspiration A61B10/0283) · CPC title

• A61B10/04

  Endoscopic instruments, e.g. catheter-type instruments · CPC title

• A61B10/0283

  with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe (A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B10/0045

  Devices for taking samples of body liquids · CPC title