Method for removing fluid from a blood filter at the end of a blood treatment session and treatment apparatus for executing the method

• US 20130025697A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Noack, Joachim, Blasek, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 10,376,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/15.05
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1682 both machine and membrane module, i.e. also the module blood side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3465 using dialysate as substitution fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36224 with sensing means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362262 Details of incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362264 the filter being a blood filter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362265 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3643 Priming, rinsing before or after use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3644 Mode of operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3646 Expelling the residual body fluid after use, e.g. back to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3649 using dialysate as priming or rinsing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3652 using gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0419 Fluid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 Liquid cleaning or flushing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for removing fluid from a blood filter which is used for the blood treatment of a patient and/or for removing blood from an extracorporeal blood circuit at the end of a blood treatment session. It further relates to a medical treatment apparatus with a control and/or regulating device which executes the method according to the present invention. It further relates to a digital storage medium, a computer program product as well as a computer program for executing the method according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for removing fluid from a blood filter or blood circuit used for a blood treatment of a patient after the end of a blood treatment session, the blood filter comprising a blood chamber and a dialysate chamber between which a membrane is arranged, the blood chamber connected with an arterial blood line which leads to the blood chamber and with a venous blood line which leads away from the blood chamber as well as with a dialysate inlet line which leads to the dialysate chamber and with a dialysate outlet line which leads away from the dialysate chamber, the method comprising the step of displacing the fluid from the dialysate chamber by actively or passively introducing air or a liquid into the dialysate inlet line.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of regulating or controlling the introduction of air while considering pressure measurements from at least one pressure sensor provided in or on the dialysate inlet line or in or on the dialysate outlet line.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of sealing the arterial blood line and/or the venous blood line against the atmosphere or ensuring such sealing.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of closing at least one patient tube clamp for stopping a flow of blood within the arterial blood line and/or within the venous blood line.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a connection between the arterial blood line and the venous blood line established for the purpose of emptying the blood filter or the dialysate chamber remains undone.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of setting or prompting a pressure present in the blood chamber to a pressure value which is above a dialysate pressure present in the dialysate chamber.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out without also emptying the blood chamber from fluid.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein emptying the dialysate chamber is carried out before or at the same time of emptying the blood chamber or the blood circuit.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein blood is removed from the blood chamber of the blood filter and/or from an extracorporeal blood circuit which is connected with the blood filter and which comprises a line having interior portion(s), said blood being removed using at least one blood pump of the treatment apparatus for conveying blood within the line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit, and at least one second conveying device configured to introduce at least one substituate liquid into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit of the extracorporeal blood circuit and/or convey a line content within line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit, said method further comprising the steps of:

introducing air into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit of the extracorporeal blood circuit by operating the blood pump; and

introducing substituate liquid into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit by operating the second conveying device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the treatment apparatus comprises at least one detection device which is arranged in a section of the extracorporeal blood circuit, the method further comprising the step of recording a qualitative change of line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit using the detection device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracorporeal blood circuit comprises at least one access device which is connectable with a section of the patient'"'"'s vascular system, method further comprising the step of disconnecting the extracorporeal blood circuit from the patient'"'"'s vascular system.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the blood pump conveys a defined volume of air.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein an air-blood content in the line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit is conveyed until an air-blood boundary reaches an addition point of the extracorporeal blood circuit for substituate liquid into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuite, and wherein substituate liquid is introduced into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit via the addition point when the addition point is reached.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a predetermined amount of substituate liquid is introduced into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit by operating a conveying device.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the substituate liquid which was supplied by generating an air-substituate liquid-blood content is conveyed in the direction which leads away from a disconnected end of the extracorporeal blood circuit by operating the conveying device until the detection device detects substituate liquid in line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the air-substituate liquid-blood content is conveyed along line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit by operating the blood pump and/or by operating the conveying device.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the conveying device introduces the substituate liquid into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit at a first point of time and the conveying device introduces air into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit at a second point of time which differs from the first point of time.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the detection device is arranged with a predetermined distance to a second access device, and wherein the method further comprises the step of conveying the content of line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit across the predetermined distance to the access device after air was identified at the detection device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein blood contained in line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit is introduced into the patient'"'"'s vascular system via the second access device.

20. A system for removing fluid from a blood filter or blood circuit used for a blood treatment of a patient after the end of a blood treatment session, said system comprising a control and/or regulating device configured to control or regulate the execution of a method according to claim 1.

21. The system according to claim 20, further comprising:

at least one extracorporeal blood circuit with a line having interior portion(s);

at least one blood pump which is arranged at or in the extracorporeal blood circuit for conveying blood within line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit; and

at least one device for introducing air into a dialysate inlet line for supplying dialysate to the dialysate chamber.

22. The system according to claim 21, further comprising at least one conveying device for introducing at least one substituate liquid into line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit and/or conveying a line content within line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit.

23. The system according to claim 21, further comprising at least one detection device arranged in or at a section of the extracorporeal blood circuit for detecting at least one change of the content or of a property of the content of line interior portions of the extracorporeal blood circuit.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program is configured to instruct a programmable computer system to execute the method according to claim 1.