WEARABLE, NON-GRAVITY-DEPENDENT INFUSION DEVICE

THERE IS NEED FOR A MINIATURE, NON-GRAVITY-DEPENDENT INFUSION DEVICE THAT IS SUFFICIENTLY SMALL AND LIGHT TO BE USED AS A WEARABLE UNIT. ONE IMPORTANT APPLICATION FOR A WEARABLE INFUSION DEVICE IS FOR TOTAL PARENTERAL NUTRITION. THE AVAILABILITY OF A RELIABLE, WEARABLE INFUSION DEVICE COULD FREE PATIENTS FOR VARYING PERIODS OF TIME FROM ATTACHMENT TO EXISTING, BULKY INFUSION PUMPS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE. OTHER APPLICATIONS FOR A WEARABLE INFUSION DEVICE COULD BE FOR ENTERAL FEEDING, CONTINUOUS DRUG INFUSION, CHEMOTHERAPY FOR CANCER PATIENTS AND CONTINUOUS DELIVERY OF INSULIN TO DIABETICS. A SMALL NON-GRAVITY-DEPENDENT INFUSION DEVICE COULD ALSO BE VALUABLE FOR PATIENT TRANSPORT AND FOR ORDINARY INTRAVENOUS INFUSION PROCEDURES. THE PROPOSED APPROACH IS TWOFOLD, PROVIDING: A CONTAINER FOR THE IV FLUID IN WHICH THE FLUID CAN BE PRESSURIZED THROUGH A FLEXIBLE BARRIER, AND WHICH CAN BE ORIENTED IN ANY POSITION; AND MEANS TO PRESSURIZE THE IV FLUID WITHIN THE CONTAINER BY AIR TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT FLOW RATE OF IV FLUID. ADVANTAGES ARE THAT A STANDARD IV INFUSION SET IS USED; THE FLOW RATE IS INDEPENDENT OF THE CONTAINER POSITION; AND THE PUMPING DEVICE IS SMALL, LIGHT AND FEASIBLE FOR A WEARABLE UNIT.