Medical fluid therapy flow balancing and synchronization method and apparatus

• US 20060184084A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Ware, Lee C., Boehnlein, Arnold F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/5.10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3434 with pre-dilution and post-dilution
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3437 downstream of the filter, e.g. post-dilution with filtrate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3441 Substitution rate control as a function of the ultrafiltration rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3451 the difference in weight between both ultra-filtrate and substitution reservoir being used as control signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical fluid therapy method includes: (a) establishing a communication link between a kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine and at least one remote pump controller; (b) using the link to synchronize operation of at least one pump housed integrally with the machine with at least one pump located remotely from the machine; (c) enabling an operator to enter a net fluid transfer amount; and (d) controlling the pumps to at least substantially achieve the entered amount.

Claims

1. A medical fluid therapy method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a communication link between a kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine and at least one remote pump controller;

(b) using the link to synchronize operation of at least one pump housed integrally with the machine with at least one pump located remotely from the machine;

(c) enabling an operator to enter a net fluid transfer amount; and

(d) controlling the pumps to at least substantially achieve the entered amount.

2. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication link includes configuring the machine and remoter pump controller for wired/wireless communication.

3. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication link includes establishing separate individual links between the machine and a plurality of the remote pump controllers.

4. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein synchronization of the operation of the integral and remote pumps includes the step of running one of the pumps depending upon whether the other pump is/is not running.

5. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein synchronization of the operation of the integral and remote pumps includes the step of sensing a performance of one of the pumps and adapting control of the other pump based on the sensed performance.

6. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 5, which includes sensing the performance of the one pump intermittently or at least substantially continuously to adapt the control of the other pump.

7. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein controlling the pumps includes the step of accounting for at least one fluid that is inputted into a patient, at least one fluid that is removed from the patient and at least one fluid that is recirculated from and to the patient.

8. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, which includes enabling the operator to enter at least one different net fluid transfer amount during the therapy and modifying the controlling of the pumps accordingly.

9. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein controlling the pumps includes at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

(i) automatically controlling the external pump based on the entered net fluid transfer amount; and

(ii) calculating and displaying a flow value that the operator inputs into the remote pump controller.

10. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein controlling the pumps includes the step of monitoring the communication link for error conditions.

11. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 10, wherein the error conditions include communication loss, framing errors, invalid packet format, data errors or any combination thereof.

12. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, which includes checking the entered net fluid transfer amount to determine if it is within a safe range.

13. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein controlling the pumps includes sending an instruction to at least one of the pumps, the instruction selected from the group consisting of:

power on, power off, start, stop, new rate, volume to be infused, clear rate infused, name of drug, concentration of drug and any combination thereof.

14. The medical fluid therapy method of claim 1, wherein controlling the pumps includes receiving a message from at least one of the pumps, the message selected from the group consisting of:

channel identifier, channel status, rate dose, volume remaining, infusion label, flow check, primary volume infused, piggyback volume infused, volume history last cleared and any combination thereof.

15. A medical fluid therapy method comprising the steps of:

configuring a kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine to perform the equation;

filtrate pump rate=total input rate−

total output rate+prescribed net loss rate,

wherein at least one of the total input rate and the total output rate includes a flowrate output of a pump located external to the machine; and

controlling a filtrate pump according to the calculated filtrate pump rate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining at least one of the total input rate and the total output rate includes receiving at least one input/output flowrate that has been sensed by a sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining at least one of the total input rate and the total output rate includes receiving at least one input/output flowrate that has been inputted manually.

18. A kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine configured and arranged to perform the steps according to claim 15.

19. A medical fluid therapy method comprising the steps of:

configuring a kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine to perform the equation;

filtrate pump rate=total input rate−

total output rate+prescribed net loss rate,

wherein at least one of the total input rate and the total output rate includes a flowrate output of a pump located external to the machine; and

controlling a substitution pump according to the calculated pump rate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining at least one of the total input rate and the total output rate includes receiving at least one input/output flowrate that has been sensed by a sensor.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein determining at least one of the total input rate and the total output rate includes receiving at least one input/output flowrate that has been inputted manually.

22. A kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine configured and arranged to perform the steps according to claim 19.

23. A renal failure therapy method comprising the steps of:

pumping blood through a blood circuit of a kidney dialysis/blood treatment machine;

infusing citrate as an anticoagulant; and

controlling the citrate flowrate based on the blood flowrate automatically so that the flowrates are synchronized.

24. The method of claim 23, which includes infusing citrate into the blood circuit or directly to the patient.

25. The method of claim 23, which includes additionally controlling citrate flowrate to deliver a prescribed amount of citrate.

26. The method of claim 23, which is performed during a treatment selected from the group consisting of:

continuous renal replacement therapy, dialysis, hemofiltration and any combination thereof.