Method of flushing an extracorporeal blood circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017224902-A1
Application number	US-201515501552-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2015
Priority date	Aug 5, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of flushing an extracorporeal blood circuit, preferably an extracorporeal blood circuit of a dialysis machine, with a flushing liquid, wherein the flushing liquid contains an anticoagulant agent, preferably heparin. The invention further relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment unit, preferably to a dialysis machine, having an extracorporeal blood circuit and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out a flushing method in accordance with one of the preceding claims before the start of the treatment and/or intermittently during the treatment.

First claim

1 . A method of flushing an extracorporeal blood circuit, preferably an extracorporeal blood circuit of a dialysis machine, with a flushing liquid,
characterized in that the flushing liquid contains an anticoagulant agent, preferably heparin.

2 . A method in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the extracorporeal circuit is completely filled with the flushing liquid; and/or in that the flushing liquid remains stationary in the circuit for a certain dwell time and is optionally moved or is circulated in a short-circuited circuit.

3 . A method in accordance with claim 2 , characterized in that the dwell time amounts to between 4 and 15 minutes, preferably to between 8 and 12 minutes.

4 . A method in accordance with claim 2 , characterized in that the flushing liquid is displaced from the circuit at the end of the dwell time.

5 . A method in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that the displacement takes place using a flushing liquid which likewise contains an anticoagulant agent, preferably heparin; or in that the displacement takes place using a flushing liquid which is free of the anticoagulant agent.

6 . A method in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that the process of the remaining of the flushing liquid in the circuit and the subsequent displacement is repeated at least twice and optionally several times.

7 . A method in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that at least some of the flushing liquid leaves the extracorporeal circuit through an outflow which differs from the venous port.

8 . A method in accordance with claim 7 , characterized in that the extracorporeal blood circuit comprises a dialyzer and the outflow corresponds to the dialyzer; or in that the outflow is arranged in the venous line.

9 . A method in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the extracorporeal blood circuit has a venous clamp and that the latter is closed at least at times during the process.

10 . A method in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the flushing liquid is admixed with the anticoagulant agent before or after its entry into the extracorporeal blood circuit.

11 . A method in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the method is carried out within the framework of the priming process.

12 . An extracorporeal blood treatment unit, preferably a dialysis machine, having an extracorporeal blood circuit and a control unit,
characterized in that the control unit is configured to carry out a flushing method in accordance with one of the preceding claims before the start of the treatment and/or intermittently during the treatment.

13 . An extracorporeal blood treatment unit in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that the control unit is configured so that it automatically interrupts the treatment before carrying out the intermittent flushing method; and/or in that it automatically continues the treatment after carrying out the intermittent flushing method.

14 . An extracorporeal blood treatment unit in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that the control unit is configured so that it activates the intermittent flushing method at periodic time intervals during the treatment, with the time intervals preferably lying between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

15 . An extracorporeal blood treatment unit in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that the control unit is configured so that it takes account of the quantity of flushing liquid supplied by the method and/or of the blood drained off by the method in the determination of treatment-specific parameters, in particular in the determination of the ultrafiltration volume.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Wojke Ralf
• Wieneke Paul

Classifications

• A61M1/3673 Primary

  Anticoagulant coating, e.g. Heparin coating · CPC title

• A61M2202/0478

  Heparin · CPC title

• A61M39/28

  Clamping means for squeezing flexible tubes, e.g. roller clamps {(tube strippers A61M1/83)} · CPC title

• A61M1/3643 Primary

  Priming, rinsing before or after use · CPC title

• A61M1/3644

  Mode of operation · CPC title