Blood-loss measurement apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for continuously accumulating the volume of a first fluid having a known density and being part of a mixture flowing intermittently through a conduit, the remaining part of the mixture being substantially comprised of a variable quantity of a second fluid having a known but different density than the density of the first fluid, which comprises:
- means for drawing the mixture of the first and second fluids through said conduit;
means for measuring the volume of repetitive samplings of the mixture intermittently held within a predetermined section of the conduit;
means for measuring the weight of said samplings;
means, responsive to both of said means for measuring, for calculating the corresponding volume of the first fluid in each said sampling from the respective known densities of the first and second fluids in said mixture.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for continuously monitoring the loss of blood suffered by a patient in the course of a surgical operation. The apparatus provides a means for sucking the combination of blood and irrigating solution gathered about the incision, and for sequentially measuring the volumes and densities of small samplings of the solution-and-blood mixture being drawn through the conduit leading from the incision area to the suction device. The apparatus relies on the difference between the respective densities of the blood and of the irrigating solution in order to calculate the exact volume of blood contained in each sampling. The blood loss is continuously accumulated and displayed on a visual read-out, so that a corresponding amount of blood can be transfused to the patient in order to maintain his blood pressure throughout the operation.
The apparatus can be operated in a calibration mode, under which blood, then solution, are measured separately to determine their respective densities which will be used in the quantitative analysis of the mixture.
A scale is also provided to weigh sponges, linen etc. which have absorbed blood or some of the blood-and-solution mixture during the surgery. The corresponding calculated volume of blood which they carry is automatically added to the cumulative figure of lost blood.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for continuously accumulating the volume of a first fluid having a known density and being part of a mixture flowing intermittently through a conduit, the remaining part of the mixture being substantially comprised of a variable quantity of a second fluid having a known but different density than the density of the first fluid, which comprises:
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means for drawing the mixture of the first and second fluids through said conduit; means for measuring the volume of repetitive samplings of the mixture intermittently held within a predetermined section of the conduit; means for measuring the weight of said samplings; means, responsive to both of said means for measuring, for calculating the corresponding volume of the first fluid in each said sampling from the respective known densities of the first and second fluids in said mixture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification