LF Line Project

• Grant number: 00/13197-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: January 01, 2002
• End date: December 31, 2003
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: Vicente de Paula Barbosa
• Grantee: Vicente de Paula Barbosa
• Company: Lifemed Industrial de Equipamentos e Artigos Médicos e Hospitalares Ltda (LIFEMED)

Abstract

The vast majority of infusions are performed by gravitational means, an inadequate method in view of the need for constant readjustments in the flow as the level of the liquid to be infused decreases in the feeder bottles as the infusion progresses. With the introduction of new, more concentrated and powerful drugs, requiring stable and precise flow for the safety of the patient and the medical profession, socalled mechanized infusions have emerged. These use micro-processed electro-medical pieces of equipment which control in a precise and constant manner the amount of medication injected. During these sessions, the infusion line must be monitored for the presence of air to prevent patient embolism and also the occurrence of excessive pressures which could cause a break in the line or in access to the circulatory system. In addition to this, medical staff need to be alerted by the equipment via its alarm systems in case the medication runs out or the line in becomes obstructed. The proposal for this project is to develop items of equipment essential for the medical practice of life support. The equipment set brings together the following features: 1) a linear peristaltic pump – the first such equipment to be manufactured in Brazil using national technology; 2) an “air-in-line” detector using proportional ultrasound; 3) non-invasive infusion line detector; 4) activation of system peristaltic linear system by means of a micro-controlled stepper motor with variable torque; 5) anti-free-flow device which cuts off the flow; 6) infrared system for the detection of dripping and end of infusion; 7) patient alarm and protection systems; 8) interactive user communication and programming via LCD; and 9) micro-controlled automatic test routine for detectors and audible and visual equipment signals. (AU)