On demand and post-treatment delivery of saline to a dialysis patient

• US 20070161941A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renal Solutions, Inc. (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Renal Solutions, Inc. (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Carr, David, Ash, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/6.90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/342 Adding solutions to the blood, e.g. substitution solutions for preventing coagulation A61M1/3672
• 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 1/3458 having electrolytes not present in the dialysate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3643 Priming, rinsing before or after use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3646 Expelling the residual body fluid after use, e.g. back to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus for use in a dialysis system are disclosed including an apparatus for delivering saline during dialysis treatment, an apparatus for delivering saline to a patient after dialysis treatment has ended, and an apparatus for alerting a patient that dialysis treatment is about to end. In the apparatus for delivering saline during dialysis treatment, a controller is configured to automatically deliver saline in response to a request. In the apparatus for delivering saline to a patient after dialysis treatment has ended, a controller is configured to automatically deliver saline after dialysis treatment has concluded, but before the patient is disconnected in response to a request. In the apparatus for alerting a patient that dialysis treatment is about to end, a controller is configured to monitor a dialysis treatment and activate an alarm when treatment is about to end.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a dialyzer;

a blood inlet conduit connected to the dialyzer;

a blood flow regulator operative to control fluid flow along the blood inlet conduit;

a saline reservoir;

a saline conduit connecting the saline reservoir to the blood inlet conduit between the blood flow regulator and the dialyzer;

a saline flow regulator operative to control fluid flow through the saline conduit; and

a controller operatively interconnected with the blood flow regulator and the saline flow regulator to automatically close the blood flow regulator and open the saline flow regulator in response to a signal calling for delivery of saline into the blood inlet conduit.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller is further operative to automatically close the saline flow regulator and open the blood flow regulator thereby halting saline delivery into the blood flow conduit.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller has a user interface.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the signal is initiated by an operator.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the operator is a patient.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the saline flow regulator is automatically closed after a predetermined volume of fluid is delivered.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the volume of fluid is about 100 mL of saline.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the volume of fluid is about 200 mL of saline.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the volume of fluid is about 300 mL of saline.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein a flow monitor is used to measure the volume of fluid delivered.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the total volume of saline delivered over the course of a dialysis treatment is monitored.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a dialyzer;

a blood inlet conduit connected to the dialyzer;

a saline reservoir;

a saline conduit connecting the saline reservoir to the blood inlet conduit; and

a controller configured to automatically deliver saline to the blood inlet conduit from the saline reservoir after a dialysis treatment has concluded but before the patient is disconnected from the dialysis system in response to a signal calling for the delivery of saline into the blood inlet conduit.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically halt saline delivery into the blood flow conduit.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the controller has a user interface.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the signal is initiated by an operator.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the operator is a patient.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein a fluid flow regulator is opened to deliver the saline.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein a flow monitor is used to measure the volume of saline delivered.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the total volume of saline delivered after the dialysis treatment has concluded is monitored.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the saline is delivered for up to one hour.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for providing an alarm; and

a controller operative to monitor a dialysis treatment and activate the alarm means at a predetermined amount of time from the end of a dialysis treatment.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the alarm means is activated five minutes prior to the end of treatment.