Extracorporeal blood handling system with automatic flow control and methods of use

• US 20040184953A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARG Medical Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Imaging Tek Corporation
• Inventors: Brian, Ben F. III, Afzal, Thomas A., Farhangnia, Mehrdad, Stringer, Steven K., Litzie, A. Kenneth, Tyebjee, Muslim
• Granted Patent: US 7,022,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3603 in the same direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3629 degassing by changing pump speed, e.g. during priming
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2027/004 with at least a part of the circuit outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3303 Using a biosensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/113 in other functional devices, e.g. dialysers or heart-lung machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/38 Blood oxygenation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/538 Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/554 of blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/03 Heart-lung

Abstract

Apparatus for processing blood in an extracorporeal circuit with automatic flow control is provided in which error conditions are sensed and system operation is modulated responsive to the error conditions. The apparatus comprises an extracorporeal blood processing system, at least one sensor to sense the presence of gas or to monitor venous pressure, and a controller operably coupled to the blood processing system to selectively reduce pump speed or reconfigure flow paths the blood processing system responsive to the sensor output.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing blood in an extracorporeal circuit, comprising:

a venous line;

an arterial line;

a blood processing system having a pump, a filter and an oxygenator, the blood processing system having an inlet to receive blood from a patient via the venous line and an outlet for reperfusing blood to the patient via the arterial line;

a sensor that detects the presence of air in the venous line or the blood processing system and generates an output; and

a controller programmed to modulate operation of the blood processing system responsive to the output while retaining some forward flow through the arterial line to the patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed in a gas collection plenum of the blood processing system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is programmed to reduce a speed of the pump responsive to the output.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a valve coupled to a vacuum source, wherein the valve is configured to be selectively actuated by the controller responsive to the output of the sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller further is responsive to duration of actuation of the valve.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed on the venous line.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor is a bubble detector.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor monitors pressure in the venous line.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the speed pump is reduced to a predetermined limit value or by a predetermined percentage.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the speed of the pump is reduced in predetermined absolute or percentage increments.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a valve operably coupled to the arterial line, and the controller modulates operation of the blood processing system by changing a configuration of the valve.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller further modulates operation of the blood processing system by reducing a speed of the pump.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a recirculation line disposed between the inlet and the outlet and a valve operable coupled to the recirculation line, and the controller modulates operation of the blood processing system by changing a configuration of the valve.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller further modulates operation of the blood processing system by reducing a speed of the pump.

15. An apparatus for processing blood in an extracorporeal circuit, comprising:

a venous line;

an arterial line;

a blood processing component enclosing a pump, a filter having an air collection plenum and an oxygenator, the blood processing component having an inlet to receive blood from a patient via the venous line and an outlet for reperfusing blood to the patient via the arterial line;

a sensor operably coupled to the blood processing component to generate an output; and

a controller programmed to modulate operation of the blood processing component responsive to the output while retaining some forward flow through the arterial line to the patient.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor is operably coupled to gas collection plenum to detect the presence of air.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controlled is programmed to reduce a speed of the pump responsive to the output.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a valve coupled to a vacuum source, wherein the valve is configured to be selectively actuated by the controller responsive to the output of the sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller further is responsive to duration of actuation of the valve.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor is disposed on the venous line.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensor is a bubble detector.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sensor monitors pressure in the venous line.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the speed pump is reduced to a predetermined limit value or by a predetermined percentage.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the speed of the pump is reduced in predetermined absolute or percentage increments.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a valve operable coupled to the arterial line, and the controller modulates operation of the blood processing system by changing a configuration of the valve.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the controller further modulates operation of the blood processing system by reducing a speed of the pump.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a recirculation line disposed between the inlet and the outlet and a valve operable coupled to the recirculation line, and the controller modulates operation of the blood processing system by changing a configuration of the valve.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the controller further modulates operation of the blood processing system by reducing a speed of the pump.

29. A method of handling trigger conditions in an extracorporeal circuit for processing blood, comprising:

providing a blood processing system having a pump, a filter, an oxygenator, a sensor and a controller, the blood processing system having an inlet to receive blood from a patient via a venous line and an outlet for reperfusing blood to the patient via an arterial line;

detecting the presence of air in the venous line or the blood processing system with the sensor and generating an output; and

evaluating the output of the sensor using the controller; and

modulating operation of the blood processing system responsive to the output while retaining some forward flow through the arterial line to the patient.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein modulating the operation of the blood processing system comprises reducing a speed of the pump responsive to the output.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a valve coupled to a vacuum source, the valve is configured to be selectively actuated by the controller responsive to the output of the sensor, and modulating the operation of the blood processing system further comprises monitoring actuation of the valve.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein monitoring actuation of the valve comprises monitoring duration of actuation of the valve.

33. The method claim 29, wherein the sensor is disposed on the venous line, the method further comprising monitoring pressure in the venous line.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein reducing the speed of the pump comprises reducing the speed of the pump to a predetermined limit value or by a predetermined percentage.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein reducing the speed of the pump comprises reducing the speed of the pump in predetermined absolute or percentage increments.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a valve operably coupled to the arterial line, and modulating operation of the blood processing system comprises changing a configuration of the valve.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein modulating operation of the blood processing system further comprises reducing a speed of the pump.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a recirculation line disposed between the inlet and the outlet and a valve operable coupled to the recirculation line, and modulating operation of the blood processing system further comprises changing a configuration of the valve.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the blood processing system further comprises a recirculation line disposed between the inlet and the outlet and a valve operable coupled to the recirculation line, and modulating operation of the blood processing system comprises changing a configuration of the valve.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein modulating operation of the blood processing system further comprises reducing a speed of the pump.