OPTICAL ACCESS DISCONNECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080195060A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• 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: Childers, Robert W., Roger, Rodolfo G., Tejedor, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 8,376,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/30 Single needle dialysis ; Reciprocating systems, alternately withdrawing blood from and returning it to the patient, e.g. single-lumen-needle dialysis or single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3653 Interfaces between patient blood circulation and extra-corporal blood circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3656 Monitoring patency or flow at connection sites; Detecting disconnections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3661 for haemodialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/17 with redundant control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3313 used specific wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity

Abstract

An access disconnection system includes: a material capable of absorbing blood from a patient upon an arterial or venous line disconnection; a light emitter positioned to emit light onto the material; a light receiver positioned to receive light reflected off of the material; and electronic circuitry operably coupled to at least one of the light emitter and receiver, the circuitry configured to provide an output (i) when light received by the receiver reaches a particular level or (ii) indicative of an amount of light received by the light receiver.

Claims

1. An access disconnection system comprising:

a material capable of absorbing blood from a patient upon an arterial or venous line disconnection;

a light emitter positioned to emit light onto the material;

a light receiver positioned to receive light reflected off of the material; and

electronic circuitry operably coupled to at least one of the light emitter and receiver, the circuitry configured to provide an output (i) when light received by the receiver reaches a particular level or (ii) indicative of an amount of light received by the light receiver.

2. The access disconnection system of claim 1, which includes an attachment mechanism operable to attach the material to an arm of the patient.

3. The access disconnection system of claim 1, wherein the light emitter emits light having a wavelength causing the light to be absorbed by blood.

4. The access disconnection system of claim 1, which includes at least one of:

(i) the material being gauze;

(ii) the light emitter being a light emitting diode; and

(iii) the light receiver being a photocell or phototransistor.

5. The access disconnection system of claim 1, which includes a film positioned between the material and the light emitter/receiver, the material selected to allow light to pass through the material.

6. The access disconnection system of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to provide the output when light received by the receiver falls to the particular level.

7. The access disconnection system of claim 1, wherein the particular level is an at least substantially no-light received level.

8. The access disconnection system of claim 1, wherein a location onto which the light is emitted is positioned far enough away from arterial or venous line connection to allow for a normal amount of blood seepage.

9. The access disconnection system of claim 1, wherein the output is of a type selected from the group consisting of:

an electrical output and a radio frequency output.

10. The access disconnection system of claim 1, which includes a blood treatment unit, the output sent to the blood treatment unit.

11. The access disconnection system of claim 10, wherein the blood treatment unit performs at least one of:

(i) determines if the amount of light received warrants an access disconnection condition;

(ii) alarms the patient upon receiving the output; and

(iii) shuts down at least one of a blood pump and a dialysate pump upon receiving the output.

12. The access disconnection system of claim 1, which includes at least one of:

(i) a plurality of light emitters;

(ii) a plurality of light receivers; and

(iii) a battery supply to at least one of the light emitter(s) and light receiver(s).

13. The access disconnection system of claim 1, which is a redundant system that combines one of:

(i) an electrical impedance access disconnection detector, (ii) an ultrasound access disconnection detector, (iii) an acoustic access disconnection detector and (iv) a bioimpedance access disconnection detector with the light emitter, light receiver and electronic circuitry.

14. An access disconnection system comprising:

a material capable of absorbing blood from a patient upon an arterial or venous line disconnection;

a plurality of light emitters positioned to emit light onto the material;

a plurality of light receivers positioned to receive light reflected off of the material; and

electronic circuitry operably coupled to at least one of the plurality light emitters and light receivers, the circuitry configured to provide an output (i) when light received by at least one of the receivers reaches a particular level or (ii) indicative of an amount of light received by at least one of the receivers.

15. The access disconnection system of claim 14, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to provide the access disconnection output when light received by the at least one receiver falls to the particular level.

16. The access disconnection system of claim 14, wherein a plurality of locations onto which the light is emitted are positioned far enough away from the arterial or venous line connection to allow for a normal amount of blood seepage.

17. The access disconnection system of claim 14, which includes a blood treatment unit, the output sent to the blood treatment unit.

18. The access disconnection system of claim 17, wherein the blood treatment unit performs at least one of:

(i) determines if the amount of light received warrants an access disconnection condition;

(ii) alarms the patient upon receiving the output; and

(iii) shuts down at least one of a blood pump and a dialysate pump upon receiving the output.

19. The access disconnection system of claim 17, which is a redundant system that combines one of:

(i) an electrical impedance access disconnection detector, (ii) an ultrasound access disconnection detector, (iii) an acoustic access disconnection detector and (iv) a bioimpedance access disconnection detector with the plurality of light emitters, plurality of light receivers and electronic circuitry.

20. An access disconnection system comprising:

a material capable of absorbing blood from a patient upon an arterial or venous line disconnection;

a light emitter positioned to emit light onto the material;

a light receiver positioned to receive light reflected off of the material;

a dialysate unit configured to request data from electronic circuitry coupled to at least one of the light emitter and the light receiver, the electronic circuitry upon receiving the request configured to send an output indicative of an amount of light received by the receiver to the dialysate unit, the dialysate unit upon receiving the output configured to determine if the amount of light received by the receiver warrants an access disconnection condition.

21. The access disconnection system of claim 20, wherein the access disconnection condition causes the dialysate unit to perform at least one of:

(i) alarm the patient;

(ii) shut down the blood pump; and

(iii) activate a venous line clamp.

22. The access disconnection system of claim 20, wherein the light receiver includes a plurality of light receivers.

23. The access disconnection system of claim 20, wherein the emitter and receiver are at least one of (i) maintained in a power-save mode until the electronics receives the request;

and (ii) battery powered.

24. The access disconnection system of claim 20, which is a redundant system that combines one of:

(i) an electrical impedance access disconnection detector, (ii) an ultrasound access disconnection detector, (iii) an acoustic access disconnection detector and (iv) a bioimpedance access disconnection detector with the light emitter, light receiver and electronic circuitry.