Method for monitoring infusion of intravenous fluid into a patient

Claim 1

A method for monitoring the intravenous flow of fluid into a patient from a fluid containing receptacle, comprising the steps of: a. taking a set of time spaced weight data readings of the weight of the receptacle; b. repeating substep a if said set of time spaced weight data readings is the first such set taken; c. determining the difference in weight of said receptacle between the most recent set of time spaced data readings, and the immediately preceding set of said time space weight data readings; d. determining if the weight difference calculated in step c represents a predetermined acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; e. converting the weight difference calculated in step c to the value of the incremental volume of fluid transferred to said patient between the taking of the most recent set of weight data readings and the taking of the immediately preceding set of weight data readings, if said weight difference represents a predetermined acceptable change in the weight of the receptacle; f. repeating substeps a through d if the weight difference calculated in substep c was not acceptable and was the first such weight difference calculated; g. determining the weight difference of said receptacle between the most recent set of weight data readings and a set of weight data readings at least two prior to said most recent set of weight data readings if the weight difference calculated in substep c did not reflect an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptable; h. determining if the weight difference calculated in step g represents an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; i. converting the weight difference calculated in step g to the value of the incremental volume of fluid transferred to said patient between the taking of the most recent set of weight data readings and the taking of the set of weight data readings at least two prior to the most recent set that was used to determine the weight difference in step g, if the weight difference determined in step g represents an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; j. determining the total volume of fluid transferred to said patient by summing the respective incremental volumes determined in steps e and i; k. repeating steps a thru i until said total volume of fluid reaches a desired level.

Claim 2

A method for monitoring the intravenous flow of fluid into a patient from a fluid containing receptacle, comprising the steps of: a. taking a set of time spaced weight data readings of the weight of the receptacle; b. repeating substep a if said set of time spaced weight data readings is the first such set taken; c. determining the difference in weight of said receptacle between the most recent set of time spaced data readings, and the immediately preceding set of said time space weight data readings; d. determining if the weight difference calculated in step c represents a predetermined acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; e. converting the weight difference calculated in step c to the value of the incremental volume of fluid transferred to said patient between the taking of the most recent set of weight data readings and the taking of the immediately preceding set of weight data readings, if said weight difference represents a predetermined acceptable change in the weight of the receptacle; f. repeating substeps a through d if the weight difference calculated in substep c was not acceptable and was the first such weight difference calculated; g. determining the weight difference of said receptacle between the most recent set of weight data readings and a set of weight data readings at least two prior to said most recent set of weight data readings if the weight difference calculated in substep c did not reflect an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptable; h. determining if the weight difference calculated in step g represents an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; i. converting the weight difference calculated in step g to the value of the incremental volume of fluid transferred to said patient between the taking of the most recent set of weight data readings and the taking of the set of weight data readings at least two prior to the most recent set that was used to determine the weight difference in step g, if the weight difference determined in step g represents an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; j. determining the total volume of fluid transferred to said patient by summing the respective incremental volumes determined in steps e and i; k. repeating steps a thru i until said total volume of fluid reaches a desired level.

Claim 9

A method for monitoring the infusion of intravenous fluid into a patient from a fluid containing receptacle, comprising the steps of: a. taking a set of time spaced weight data readings of the weight of the receptacle; b. repeating substep a if said set of weight data readings is the first such set taken; c. determining if there has been a calculation of the receptacle weight difference between two or more sets of weight data readings; d. determining, if there has been a calculation of the receptacle weight difference between sets of weight data readings, if the last of said calculations of said receptacle weight difference was acceptable; e. determining a receptacle weight difference from the most recent set of weight data readings and the set immediately preceding said most recent set of weight data readings; f. determining whether the receptacle weight difference calculated in substep e is acceptable; g. determining a receptacle weight difference from the most recent set of weight data readings and the set of weight data readings at least two sets prior to said most recent set of weight data readings if the receptacle weight difference calculated in substep e was not acceptable and there has been a previous calculation of the receptacle weight difference between sets of weight data readings and if the most recent of said previous calculations of the receptacle weight difference was not acceptable; h. determining whether, if the receptacle weight difference was calculated in substep g, said weight difference is acceptable; i. converting the weight difference calculated in substep e into the value of the volume of fluid represented by said weight difference if said weight difference is acceptable; j. Converting the weight difference calculated in substep g into the value of the volume of fluid represented by said weight difference if the weight difference calculated in substep e was not acceptable and the weight difference calculated in substep g was acceptable; k. adding said fluid volume value to the sum of all previous fluid volume values calculated if the weight difference calculated in substeps e or g was acceptable; l. subtracting a value equal to the most recent of said fluid volume values added to said sum of fluid volume values from said sum of fluid volume values if the weight difference calculated in substep g was acceptable; m. adding a fluid volume value to said sum of all previous fluid volume values that is equal to the next most previous fluid volume value that reflected an acceptable change in the weight of said fluid receptacle if the weight difference calculated in substeps e or g did not reflect an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; n. repeating substeps a through l if there has not been a previous calculation of the receptacle weight difference between sets of weight data readings that was acceptable; o. repeating substeps a through m until said sum of fluid volume values reaches a desired level.

Claim 10

A method for monitoring the infusion of intravenous fluid into a patient from a fluid containing receptacle, comprising the steps of: a. taking a set of time spaced weight data readings of the weight of the receptacle; b. repeating substep a if said set of weight data readings is the first such set taken; c. determining if there has been a calculation of the receptacle weight difference between two or more sets of weight data readings; d. determining, if there has been a calculation of the receptacle weight difference between sets of weight data readings, if the last of said calculations of said receptacle weight difference was acceptable; e. determining a receptacle weight difference from the most recent set of weight data readings and the set immediately preceding said most recent set of weight data readings; f. determining whether the receptacle weight difference calculated in substep e is acceptable; g. determining a receptacle weight difference from the most recent set of weight data readings and the set of weight data readings at least two sets prior to said most recent set of weight data readings if the receptacle weight difference calculated in substep e was not acceptable and there has been a previous calculation of the receptacle weight difference between sets of weight data readings and if the most recent of said previous calculations of the receptacle weight difference was not acceptable; h. determining whether, if the receptacle weight difference was calculated in substep g, said weight difference is acceptable; i. converting the weight difference calculated in substep e into the value of the volume of fluid represented by said weight difference if said weight difference is acceptable; j. Converting the weight difference calculated in substep g into the value of the volume of fluid represented by said weight difference if the weight difference calculated in substep e was not acceptable and the weight difference calculated in substep g was acceptable; k. adding said fluid volume value to the sum of all previous fluid volume values calculated if the weight difference calculated in substeps e or g was acceptable; l. subtracting a value equal to the most recent of said fluid volume values added to said sum of fluid volume values from said sum of fluid volume values if the weight difference calculated in substep g was acceptable; m. adding a fluid volume value to said sum of all previous fluid volume values that is equal to the next most previous fluid volume value that reflected an acceptable change in the weight of said fluid receptacle if the weight difference calculated in substeps e or g did not reflect an acceptable weight decrease for said fluid receptacle; n. repeating substeps a through l if there has not been a previous calculation of the receptacle weight difference between sets of weight data readings that was acceptable; o. repeating substeps a through m until said sum of fluid volume values reaches a desired level.