DEVICE, METHOD, AND SYSTEM FOR CALIBRATION OF A FLOW METER USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE

• US 20090192749A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ReliantHeart Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroMed Technology, Inc (MicroMed Cardiovascular, Inc.)
• Inventors: BENKOWSKI, Robert, LYNCH, Bryan, MORELLO, Gino
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/100
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3663 Flow rate transducers; Flow integrators
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/523 using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/546 of blood flow, e.g. by adapting rotor speed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/88 Percutaneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters

Abstract

A blood flow calibration system 500 comprising a computer 400 operable to determine and store calibration data for a flow meter 124, a test system 530 operable to simulate blood flow for the flow meter 124, thereby allowing the computer 400 to determine the calibration data, and a programmer 300 operable to transfer the calibration data from the computer 400 to the flow meter 124. The flow meter 124 preferably includes a power management circuit 348a,b operable to detect whether the flow meter 124 is powered. In the event that the flow meter 124 is unpowered, the power management circuit 348a,b is preferably able to supply power to a portion of the flow meter 124 in order to transfer the calibration data thereto.

Claims

1. A blood flow calibration system comprising:

a flow meter having a memory;

a computer operable to determine and store calibration data for the flow meter;

a flow system operable to simulate blood flow for the flow meter, thereby allowing the computer to determine the calibration data; and

a programmer operable to transfer the calibration data from the computer to the memory of the flow meter.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the programmer includes a first communications port operable to communicate the calibration data with the computer and a second communications port operable to communicate the calibration data with the flow meter.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including a power management circuit operable to detect whether the memory is powered.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the power management circuit is further operable to supply power to the memory when the flow meter is unpowered.

5. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the power management circuit is further operable to isolate power from the flow meter when the memory is powered externally from the flow meter.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the programmer is operable to transfer the calibration data to the memory without an external power source.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the programmer is operable to store the calibration data.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the programmer is operable to write the calibration data to the flow meter and verify the calibration data within the flow meter.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the programmer is further operable to read the calibration data from the flow meter.

10. A blood flow meter programming system comprising:

a flow meter including

a flow meter memory operable to store flow calibration data; and

a programmer including

a programmer memory operable to store the calibration data;

a user interface operable to permit a user to manipulate the calibration data and control to programmer;

a communications port operable to communicate the calibration data; and

a power source operable to selectively power the flow meter memory.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10, further including a power management circuit operable to detect whether the flow meter memory is powered.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the power management circuit is further operable to supply power received from the programmer to flow meter memory when the flow meter is unpowered.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the power management circuit is further operable to isolate power from the power source when the flow meter is powered.

14. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communications port is operable to communicate the calibration data with an external computer.

15. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communications port is operable to communicate the calibration data with the flow meter.

16. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the programmer further includes a first communications port operable to communicate the calibration data with an external computer and a second communications port operable to communicate the calibration data with the flow meter.

17. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the power source is internal to the programmer such that the programmer is operable to transfer the calibration data to the flow meter without an external power source.

18. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communications port is operable to write the calibration data to the flow meter and read the calibration data from the flow meter.

19. The system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the programmer further includes a display operable to display the calibration data read from the flow meter.

20. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the programmer further includes a display operable to display the calibration data stored in the programmer memory.