Infusion methods for extracoporeal systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11420037-B2
Application number	US-201715669287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2017
Priority date	Aug 4, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

A method of operating an extracorporeal blood treatment system to infuse blood into a patient at an end of an extracorporeal blood treatment includes clamping an access line of an arterial line set. The method further includes, after clamping the access line, initiating an operation to generate negative pressure in the arterial line set. The method further includes, after generating the negative pressure in the arterial line set, unclamping the access line to draw fluid in the access line further into the arterial line set in a direction away from an end of the access line that is connectable to an arterial access of the patient. The method further includes initiating an operation of a fluid pump engaged with the arterial line set such that the fluid in the arterial line set is infused into the patient through a venous line set.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
clamping an access line of an arterial line set, the arterial line set comprising an arterial line connected to the access line, and the access line being connectable to an arterial access of a patient such that the access line is between a fluid pump and the arterial access;
after clamping the access line, initiating an operation to generate negative pressure, using the fluid pump, in a portion of the arterial line set between the fluid pump and the access line;
after generating the negative pressure in the portion of the arterial line set, unclamping the access line such that the negative pressure generated in the portion of the arterial line set before unclamping the access line draws fluid in the access line further into the arterial line set in a direction away from an end of the access line that is connectable to the arterial access of the patient; and
initiating an operation of the fluid pump engaged with the arterial line set such that the fluid in the arterial line set is infused into the patient through a venous line set.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after an end of an extracorporeal blood treatment and before clamping the access line, initiating an operation to deactivate an ultrafiltration pump and to deactivate the fluid pump.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising clamping a port of the arterial line set, the port being connectable to a fluid source.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the operation to generate the negative pressure is initiated while the port and the access line of the arterial line set are clamped.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disconnecting a port of the arterial line set from a fluid source; and
connecting the access line to the fluid source.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising clamping a fluid line connecting the fluid source to the port of the arterial line set before disconnecting the port.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing an arterial needle, connected to the access line, from the arterial access, wherein the operation to generate the negative pressure is initiated while the arterial needle is removed.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising disconnecting the arterial needle from the access line after unclamping the access line.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation to generate the negative pressure in the portion of the arterial line set is initiated to draw the fluid in the arterial line set into a drip chamber of the arterial line set.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting the access line to a fluid source, wherein the access line is unclamped before the fluid pump is operated to infuse the fluid and after the access line is connected to the fluid source, thereby causing another fluid from the fluid source to be drawn toward the fluid pump by the negative pressure.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the fluid pump is initiated such that the fluid is drawn from the arterial line set, through a dialyzer, through the venous line set, and into the patient.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluid in the arterial line set includes a first fluid, and
the operation of the fluid pump is initiated while the access line is connected to a fluid source such that a second fluid is pumped from the fluid source through the arterial line set and the venous line set to convey the first fluid through the arterial line set and the venous line set into the patient.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first fluid includes blood.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second fluid includes saline.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid pump is driven in a direction in which the fluid pump is driven to perform an extracorporeal blood treatment on the patient.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the operation to generate the negative pressure comprises activating the fluid pump.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the operation to generate the negative pressure in the portion of the arterial line set comprises initiating the operation to generate the negative pressure in the portion of the arterial line set such that a signal generated by a sensor arranged to measure a value of pressure in the arterial line set is indicative of a negative value of pressure.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the operation to generate the negative pressure in the portion of the arterial line set comprises initiating the operation to generate the negative pressure in the portion of the arterial line set while a port of the arterial line set connectable to a fluid source is clamped.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access line comprises a first end connected to the arterial line set and a second end connectable to the arterial access, wherein clamping the access line comprises clamping a portion of the access line proximate the second end of the access line.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the fluid comprises blood, and clamping the access line of the arterial line set comprises clamping the access line of the arterial line set to prevent the blood from flowing out of the access line through the second end of the access line.

21. An extracorporeal blood treatment system comprising:
a fluid pump configured to engage an arterial line set to convey fluid from a patient through the arterial line set, through a dialyzer, through a venous line set, and back to the patient during an extracorporeal blood treatment; and
a controller configured to operate the fluid pump to
generate, while an access line of the arterial line set is clamped, negative pressure in a portion of the arterial line set between the fluid pump and the access line of the arterial line set such that the negative pressure generated in the portion of the arterial line while the access line of the arterial line set is clamped draws the fluid toward the fluid pump engaged to the arterial line set when the access line of the arterial line set is unclamped, and
infuse the fluid in the arterial line set into the patient through the venous line set while the access line of the arterial line set is unclamped.

22. The extracorporeal blood treatment system of claim 21 , further comprising a pressure sensor to detect a value of pressure within the arterial line set, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the fluid pump when the value of pressure exceeds a predefined value.

23. The extracorporeal blood treatment system of claim 21 , further comprising an optical sensor to detect flow of blood through the venous line set, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the fluid pump when the optical sensor detects an absence of the flow of blood through the venous line set.

24. The extracorporeal blood treatment system of claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the fluid pump for a duration of time between 5 and 15 seconds, while the access line of the arterial line set is clamped, to generate the negative pressure.

25. The extracorporeal blood treatment system of claim 21 , further comprising an ultrafiltration pump, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the ultrafiltration pump and the fluid pump at an end of the extracorporeal blood treatment.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc
• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Crnkovich Martin Joseph
• Yuds David
• Schlaeper Christian

Classifications

• A61M2205/505

  Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches · CPC title

• A61M2205/3334

  Measuring or controlling the flow rate · CPC title

• A61M2205/3306

  Optical measuring means · CPC title

• A61M1/3646 Primary

  Expelling the residual body fluid after use, e.g. back to the body · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title