Apparatus for conveying a light source to an intravenous needle to kill blood pathogens

[0001] This application is a continuation in part from application Ser. No. 09/940,996, filed Aug. 28, 2001 now abandoned.

[0002] This invention relates to an apparatus emitting light rays to kill pathogenic organisms. More particularly, it refers to an apparatus for the conveying of alternating UV and visible light through a quartz fiber optic cable to a needle inserted into a patient's venous blood.

[0003] It is well known to use UV light to kill pathogens in water. Many systems exist to expose water to UV light with the object of destroying pathogens in the water. It also is well known to guide fiber optic instruments into arterial blood vessels. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,460 where the ultraviolet laser energy is used for the ablation of atherosclerotic plaque; U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,033 where an optical fiber delivers UV radiation to a blood vessel site following angioplasty to kill aortic smooth muscle cells at the site; U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,082 where a catheter body has a light-emitting section at a distal end for curing a stent delivered to a blood vessel site; U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,128 where laser energy coupled to an optical fiber and transported by a catheter to treat vascular thrombosis disorders in the brain; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,030 where a flexible fiber optic bundle connected to a light source is used for treatments of internal and external diseases.

[0004] In spite of the wide use of UV light by the medical profession no apparatus has been developed for cleansing blood of pathogens such as fungi, virus, bacteria and molds. Such an apparatus is in critical need.

[0005] This invention is the discovery of an apparatus for destroying pathogens in the venous blood of a patient. A rear portion of a needle is mounted in a butterfly housing with a tip extending outwardly. The tip of the needle in the apparatus is inserted into a large vein of a patient. A pharmaceutically acceptable solution stream flows through the needle arm of a Y-housing and through the needle to its tip. A first portion of a quartz optic fiber passes through another arm of the Y-housing and through the needle to a tip. A second end of the quartz optic fiber is connected to a first end of a fiber optic bundle which is connected at a second end to a source of both UV and visible light. The apparatus is used to expose venous blood to about thirty minutes of UV light wavelength of 200-450 nanometers and then for about thirty minutes to visible light.

[0015] Throughout the following detailed description the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.

[0016] Referring first to FIG. 1, the housing 10 is a plastic disposable device in a Y-configuration having a first arm 18 and a second arm 19 leading to a cylindrical body 16. A quartz optic fiber 14 is threaded through the arm 19 of the housing 10. Arm 18 is connected to a pharmaceutically acceptable solution delivery conduit 20 from a connector 22. The cylindrical body 10 has a cylindrical end portion 24 receiving a hub 26 integral with butterfly wings 28 and 30. The hub 26 retains an upper portion of needle 12 in place. The optic fiber 14 is threaded from arm 19, through body 16 and through the needle 12 positioned in hub 26. An end 32 of the optic fiber 14 is visible at the tip 34 of needle 12.

[0017] In FIG. 2 the arm 36 of a patient is shown with a vein 38 about to be penetrated by the point 34 of needle 12. After the needle 12 is inserted into vein 38 as shown in FIG. 3 the butterfly wings 28 and 30 are taped 40 to arm 36. In like manner the pharmaceutically acceptable solution delivery conduit 20 is taped 42 to the patients arm 36.

[0018] As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, a solution bag 44 containing normal saline, glucose or other pharmaceutically acceptable solution has a conduit 46 leading to a connector 22 which determines the drip rate 62 to needle 12. A continuous rate of one drop per second is sufficient to keep tip 34 and end 32 of the optic fiber 14 clear of blocking blood cells. The UV or visible light source emanates from a box 50 containing a bulb 52 which can have rotating filter, 58 and 60 around the bulb 52 to permit either UV or visible light to travel through a bundle of quartz optic fibers 54 to a connector 56 engaging to optic fiber 14. The bundle of optic fibers 54 is defined for purposes of this application as one or more optic fibers. If only one optic fiber constitutes the bundle, then it must exceed the diameter of the quartz optic fiber 14.

[0019] An alternate hollow tapered connector 64 as shown in FIGS. 6-8 can join the bundle of quartz optic fibers 54 and its connector 56 to the second arm 19 of housing 10. Tapered connector 64 has a wide mouth 66 with external threads 68 that threadably engage internal threads 70 on connector 56. The narrow pointed end 72 of tapered connector 64 is inserted into a top end 74 of second arm 19. A ball 76 movably mounted within tapered connector 64 has a central bore 78 through which optic fiber 14 is passed. When threads 70 of connector 56 are threaded to threads 68 in tapered connector 64, the ball is forced downwardly in tapered connector 64 and the optic fiber 14 is perfectly centered to insure that UV light passes directly to the needle tip 34.

[0020] The needle 12 is usually about 19 gauge for an adult and about 25 for a pediatric patient. The diameter of the quartz optic fiber 14 will be determined by the size of the needle.

[0021] The treatment usually lasts one hour with the first thirty minutes under UV light of 200-450 nanometer wavelength and then for thirty minutes at visible light of 450 to 1100 nanometer wavelength.

[0022] The butterfly wings 28 and 30 together with its hub is made from a typical medically acceptable plastic. The housing 10 and the conduits 20 and 46 also are made from a medically acceptable plastic.

[0023] Pathogens in the venous blood supply killed by the use of the apparatus include bacteria, virus, fungi, molds and other unclassified pathogens.

[0024] The above description has described the specific apparatus of this invention. However, it will be within the skill of one having ordinary skill in the medical field to make modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept of this apparatus.