Dialysis pressure monitoring with clot suppression
First Claim
1. The method of sensing pressure in blood flow tubing, which comprises:
- placing an aqueous, physiological, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing that connects in branching relation with said blood flow tubing at one end, said branch connection tubing having a sealed, flexible-walled chamber connected thereto, and flowing positively or negatively pressurized blood through said blood flow tubing, whereby the pressure of said blood is communicated through said aqueous solution to the chamber, causing said chamber to flex to a shape that indicates the particular pressure that is present.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Pressure is sensed in blood flow tubing by placing an aqueous, preferably isotonic, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing (branch tube) that connects in branching relation with the blood flow tubing at one end. The branch connection tubing may also connect in use with a pressure transducer unit at its other end, or pressure may be mechanically indicated. An air volume is maintained, occupying a portion of the branch connection tubing which is adjacent to the other end. One flows positively or negatively pressurized blood through the blood flow tubing, with the result that the pressure of the blood is communicated through the aqueous solution and the air volume in the branch connection tubing to the pressure transducer unit, with the blood being spaced from the air volume. Preferably, substantially all of the branch connection tubing containing the aqueous solution and air volume has an inner diameter of substantially no more than 5 mm. This facilitates the continued separation of blood and solution when pressurized blood enters the branch connection tubing through the one end.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. The method of sensing pressure in blood flow tubing, which comprises:
- placing an aqueous, physiological, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing that connects in branching relation with said blood flow tubing at one end, said branch connection tubing having a sealed, flexible-walled chamber connected thereto, and flowing positively or negatively pressurized blood through said blood flow tubing, whereby the pressure of said blood is communicated through said aqueous solution to the chamber, causing said chamber to flex to a shape that indicates the particular pressure that is present.
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2. The method of sensing pressure in blood flow tubing, which comprises:
- placing an aqueous, physiological, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing that connects in branching relation with said blood flow tubing at one end, while maintaining a sealed air volume occupying a portion of said branch connection tubing spaced from said blood flow tubing by said solution; and
flowing positively or negatively pressurized blood through said blood flow tubing, whereby the pressure of said blood is communicated through said aqueous solution to the air volume and the air volume transmits pressure to a pressure indicator. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- placing an aqueous, physiological, substantially cell-free solution into branch connection tubing that connects in branching relation with said blood flow tubing at one end, while maintaining a sealed air volume occupying a portion of said branch connection tubing spaced from said blood flow tubing by said solution; and
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10. A tubular set and system for conveying blood and for permitting sensing of the pressure of said blood, which comprises:
a length of main blood flow tubing;
a branch tube which connects in branching relation with said blood flow tubing at one end of said branch tube, and which carries a connector at an other end of said branch tube to connect with a source of priming solution, said branch tube defining an in-line chamber which is transversely enlarged relative to other portions of said branch connection tube, and a flow control clamp positioned on said branch tube between said in-line chamber and said connector, whereby said in-line chamber may be used as a drip chamber to monitor the flow of physiological, aqueous solution through said branch tube when the flow control clamp is open, and said in-line chamber can serve as apparatus for measuring pressure in the blood flow tubing when the flow control clamp closes said branch tube.- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Specification