Medical treatment system and methods using a plurality of fluid lines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9366781-B2
Application number	US-201414262275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Jul 7, 2010
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A medical treatment system, such as peritoneal dialysis system, may include control and other features to enhance patient comfort and ease of use. For example, a peritoneal dialysis system may include patient line state detector for detecting whether a patient line is primed before it is to be connected to the patient. The patient line state detector can also the ability to detect whether a patient line has been properly mounted for priming. Both patient line presence/absence and fill state can be determined using an optical system, e.g., one that employs a single optical sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A peritoneal dialysis system, comprising:
at least one pump arranged to pump dialysate for delivery to a peritoneal cavity of a patient;
a patient line fluidly coupled to the at least one pump such that dialysate delivered from the pump is directed to the patient line, the patient line having a distal end arranged for connection to a patient; and
a patient line state detector arranged to be associated with the patient line and to detect both a presence of the patient line and a priming condition of the patient line, wherein the patient line state detector includes:
a first light emitter having a first optical axis directed toward a space in which a portion of the patient line is to be positioned, the first light emitter positioned next to a side of the space at a predetermined point longitudinally along the space;
a second light emitter having a second optical axis directed toward the space, the second light emitter being next to the first light emitter, and located at approximately the same point longitudinally along the space as the first light emitter;
a third light emitter having a third optical axis that is arranged at an oblique angle relative to the sensor optical axis; and
an optical sensor positioned on a side of the space opposite the first and second light emitters and arranged to receive light emitted by the first and second light emitters to determine a presence or absence of the patient line in the space, wherein the optical sensor has a sensor optical axis, and
wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing no liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is over a threshold level, and such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is less than the threshold level.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second optical axis is approximately parallel to but spaced apart from the first optical axis.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor detects a higher or lower light level from the first light emitter when a portion of the patient line is in the space.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the optical sensor detects a lower light level from the second light emitter when a portion of the patient line is in the space.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein with a portion of the patient line in the space, a detected light level for both the first and second light emitters differs by more than about 15-20% from a calibration light level for the first and second light emitters that is detected when a tubing segment is known to be absent from the space.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein with a portion of the patient line not in the space, a detected light level for the second light emitter is within about 15-20% of the calibration light level for the second light emitter.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor has an optical axis that is approximately collinear with the first optical axis.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first optical axis passes approximately through a center of a portion of the patient line with the portion of the patient line positioned in the space.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second optical axis is offset from a center of a portion of the patient line with the portion of the patient line positioned in the space.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the oblique angle is about 110-120 degrees.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold level is about 125-150% of a light level detected by the optical sensor with no a portion of the patient line in the space.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the patient line is a distal end of the patient line.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more light emitters are light emitting diodes.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the patient line associated with the patient line state detector has a cylindrical outer surface and the patient line state detector is arranged to receive and hold the patient line without substantially deforming the patient line.

15. A peritoneal dialysis system, comprising:
at least one pump arranged to pump dialysate for delivery to a peritoneal cavity of a patient;
a patient line fluidly coupled to the at least one pump such that dialysate delivered from the pump is directed to the patient line, the patient line having a distal end arranged for connection to a patient; and
a patient line state detector arranged to be associated with the patient line and to detect both a presence of the patient line and a priming condition of the patient line, wherein the patient line state detector includes:
a first light emitter having a first optical axis directed toward a space in which a portion of the patient line is to be positioned, the first light emitter positioned next to a side of the space at a predetermined point longitudinally along the space;
a second light emitter having a second optical axis directed toward the space, the second light emitter being next to the first light emitter, and located at approximately the same point longitudinally along the space as the first light emitter;
a third light emitter having a third optical axis that is arranged at an oblique angle relative to the sensor optical axis; and
an optical sensor positioned on a side of the space opposite the first and second light emitters and arranged to receive light emitted by the first and second light emitters to determine a presence or absence of the patient line in the space, wherein the optical sensor has a sensor optical axis, and
wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing no liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is over about 150% of a calibration light level detected with no portion of the patient line in the space, and such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is less than about 125% of the calibration light level.

16. A peritoneal dialysis system, comprising:
at least one pump arranged to pump dialysate for delivery to a peritoneal cavity of a patient;
a patient line fluidly coupled to the at least one pump such that dialysate delivered from the pump is directed to the patient line, the patient line having a distal end arranged for connection to a patient; and
a patient line state detector for detecting the presence or absence of a segment of the patient line, comprising:
a first light emitter having a first optical axis directed toward a space in which a patient line segment is to be positioned;
a second light emitter having a second optical axis directed toward the space, the second light emitter being adjacent the first light emitter;
a third light emitter having a third optical axis directed toward the space; and
an optical sensor having a sensor optical axis positioned on a side of the space opposite the first and second light emitters and arranged to receive light emitted by the first and second light emitters to determine a presence or absence of a patient line segment in the space, the third optical axis being arranged at an oblique angle relative to the sensor optical axis, wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a patient line segment in the space and the patient lin

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Scarpaci Jacob W
• Helmore Simon C
• Vanwyk Eric J
• Finch Matthew J

Classifications

• A61M2205/581

  by audible feedback · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title

• A61M2205/702

  automatically during use · CPC title

• A61M2205/14

  Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus · CPC title

• A61M2205/583

  by visual feedback · CPC title