Medical ice slurry production and delivery systems and methods
The present disclosure provides systems and method for medical ice slurry production. In particular, systems and methods are provided for medical ice slurry production that enable an end user to produce and deliver a sterile medical ice slurry at the point of care.
1 . A method for producing a sterile slurry composition, the method comprising:
receiving a rigid disposable cartridge comprising an access port, wherein a closed environment within the rigid disposable cartridge has been pre-filled with a non-frozen sterile slurry composition;
placing the rigid disposable cartridge within a housing, wherein the housing comprises a cooling device operable to cool the non-frozen sterile slurry composition to a temperature sufficient to form a sterile slurry composition containing a plurality of ice crystals;
cooling the rigid disposable cartridge to a temperature sufficient to form the sterile slurry composition containing the plurality of ice crystals; and
removing the rigid disposable cartridge from the housing;
wherein the non-frozen sterile slurry composition is self-contained within the closed environment during formation of the sterile slurry composition containing the plurality of ice crystals, and
wherein the access port is structured and arranged to allow the sterile slurry composition to be withdrawn or injected from the rigid disposable cartridge, while maintaining the sterility of the sterile slurry composition.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising agitating the sterile slurry composition containing the plurality of ice crystals held in the rigid disposable cartridge such that the plurality of ice crystals are reduced to a size sufficient to allow the sterile slurry composition to be delivered to a patient through an end of a needle operably connected to the rigid disposable cartridge.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sufficient to form the sterile slurry composition containing the plurality of ice crystals is between about −10° C. and about 4° C.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-frozen sterile slurry composition comprises an agent or a biocompatible surfactant.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the agent or biocompatible surfactant is configured to make the sterile slurry composition easier to inject.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an actuator.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rigid disposable cartridge includes one of a syringe or a canister.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of (i) a luer lock with a shut-off, (ii) a pressure valve, (iii) a quick disconnect, (iv) a one-way valve with luer lock, or (v) a sterile rubber stopper is operable with the access port to selectively allow the sterile slurry composition containing the plurality of ice crystals to be withdrawn from the rigid disposable cartridge through the access port.
9 . A method for producing a sterile slurry composition at a point of care, the method comprising:
receiving a rigid disposable cartridge at the point of care, the rigid disposable cartridge having been pre-filled with a non-frozen sterile slurry composition, wherein the non-frozen sterile slurry composition is self-contained within a closed environment of the rigid disposable cartridge;
cooling the non-frozen sterile slurry composition to a temperature sufficient to form a sterile slurry composition comprising a plurality of ice crystals; and
agitating the sterile slurry composition comprising the plurality of ice crystals such that the plurality of ice crystals are reduced to a size sufficient to allow the sterile slurry composition to be delivered to a patient through an end of a needle operably connected to the rigid disposable cartridge.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the temperature sufficient to form the sterile slurry composition comprising the plurality of ice crystals is between about −10° C. and about 4° C.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the non-frozen sterile slurry composition comprises an agent or a biocompatible surfactant.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the agent or biocompatible surfactant is configured to make the sterile slurry composition comprising the plurality of ice crystals easier to inject.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-frozen sterile slurry composition comprises a biocompatible surfactant, and wherein the biocompatible surfactant is glycerol.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the rigid disposable cartridge includes one of a syringe or a canister.
15 . A method for producing a sterile slurry composition, the method comprising:
receiving a rigid disposable cartridge having been pre-filled with a non-frozen sterile slurry composition at a point of care, wherein an access port is defined in the rigid disposable cartridge;
placing the rigid disposable cartridge in a housing, the housing comprising a cooling device operable to cool the non-frozen sterile slurry composition to a temperature sufficient to form a sterile slurry composition comprising a plurality of ice crystals;
cooling the non-frozen sterile slurry composition to the temperature sufficient to form the sterile slurry composition comprising the plurality of ice crystals;
agitating the sterile slurry composition in the rigid disposable cartridge; and
removing the rigid disposable cartridge from the housing.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the temperature sufficient to form the sterile slurry composition is between about −10° C. and about 4° C.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the non-frozen sterile slurry composition comprises an agent or a biocompatible surfactant.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the agent or biocompatible surfactant is configured to make the sterile slurry composition comprising the plurality of ice crystals easier to inject.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the rigid disposable cartridge includes one of a syringe or a canister.
20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the housing comprises an actuator.