IP Library Granted Patent US 12702813
Granted Patent B2
US 12702813 · App. 18/082,968 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

X-bar stopcock device for pulmonary artery catheterization

Inventors: Mark Miller (Ann Arbor, MI); Tracy Birchmeier (Ann Arbor, MI); Bree Susalla (Ann Arbor, MI); Yuru Chen (Ann Arbor, MI); Rayna Berris (Ann Arbor, MI); Cara Spencer (Ann Arbor, MI); Caroline Schmiedeler (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
A61M39/223A61B5/153A61M2039/229
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12702813
App. No.
18/082,968
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A unified X-bar stopcock, including a bidirectional stopcock having a first port, second port, third port, and fourth port; and a three-way stopcock having a fifth port, sixth port, and seventh port. The bidirectional stopcock is fluidly coupled to the three-way stopcock via the first port and the fifth port. A method of using the X-bar stopcock includes providing a Swan-Ganz catheter, an X-bar stopcock, a transducer, a monitor, and at least one bag of saline. The method includes connecting the X-bar stopcock to at least two lumens of the Swan-Ganz catheter. The method additionally includes connecting at least one port of the X-bar stopcock to the transducer connected to the monitor, connecting at least one port of the X-bar stopcock to the bag of saline, and connecting the transducer to the bag of saline. The unified X-bar stopcock may also include a protective case.

Claims (20)

1 . A stopcock, comprising:

a bidirectional stopcock having a first port, second port, third port, and fourth port;

a three-way stopcock directly engaging the bidirectional stopcock and having a fifth port, sixth port, and seventh port; and

a bidirectional handle element having a first position and a second position,

wherein the bidirectional stopcock is fluidly coupled to the three-way stopcock via the first port and the fifth port, and wherein in the first position of the bidirectional handle element the first port and the second port are in fluid communication and the third port and the fourth port are in fluid communication, and in the second position the first port and the fourth port are in fluid communication and the second port and the third port are in fluid communication.

2 . The stopcock of claim 1 , wherein the second port and the fourth port are color coded.

3 . The stopcock of claim 2 , wherein the second port is coded with a first color and the fourth port is color coded with a second color, the first color being different from the second color.

4 . The stopcock of claim 1 , further comprising a three-way handle element.

5 . The stopcock of claim 1 , wherein the bidirectional stopcock is secured to the three-way stopcock.

6 . The stopcock of claim 1 , further comprising a protective case.

7 . The stopcock of claim 6 , wherein the protective case is transparent.

8 . The stopcock of claim 6 , wherein the protective case is lightly tinted.

9 . The stopcock of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the bidirectional stopcock and three-way stopcock are secured to the protective case.

10 . The stopcock of claim 6 , wherein the protective case includes a first aperture corresponding to the bidirectional handle element when the bidirectional stopcock is disposed in the protective case and a second aperture corresponding to the three-way handle element when the three-way stopcock is disposed in the case.

11 . The stopcock of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh ports comprises a luer lock.

12 . A stopcock, comprising:

a bidirectional stopcock having a first port, second port, third port, and fourth port; and

a three-way stopcock having a fifth port, sixth port, and seventh port,

wherein, the bidirectional stopcock is fluidly coupled to the three-way stopcock via the first port and the fifth port, and

a protective case including at least five orifices corresponding, respectively, to the second port, third port, fourth port, sixth port, and seventh port.