Methods and apparatus for autologous blood recovery
First Claim
1. A system for collecting shed blood from a patient and for subsequently reintroducing that blood to the patient, comprising:
- means for introducing a controlled stream of fluid to a wound site containing blood;
means for removing the resulting mixture of blood and fluid from the would site such that substantially only the mixture is removed and such that significant amounts of air are not removed with said mixture, said removal means comprising a suction tube in communication with means for causing suction within said suction tube, and an air detector for detecting air in the mixture of blood and fluid removed, said air detector being in communication with said suction means such that suction can be varied based upon the presence or absence of air in the mixture;
means for removing particulate impurities from the mixture;
means for removing excess fluid from the mixture such that substantially only blood remains; and
means for reinfusing the blood to the patient.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved methods and apparatus for the collection, purification and reinfusion of blood from a wound site. The present invention provides a source of anticoagulated washing fluid in proportion to the bleeding rate which can be directed to the suction tip in such a way that the wound or surgical site is washed.
The present invention minimizes blood damage and maximizes blood recovery by (i) automatically regulating the suction in proportion to the bleeding rate, (ii) minimizing the air suction or blood frothing, (iii) washing the wound site with the anticoagulated washing fluid, and (iv) reducing the number of blood pumps, preferably to one.
The present invention also provides a system to operate automatically by including automatic venting of entrapped air, continuous determination of irrigation fluid added into the wound site and its removal, continuous monitoring of hematocrit, continuous neutralization of anticoagulant, and reinfusion of purified blood to patient on realtime basis irrespective of bleeding rate.
82 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A system for collecting shed blood from a patient and for subsequently reintroducing that blood to the patient, comprising:
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means for introducing a controlled stream of fluid to a wound site containing blood; means for removing the resulting mixture of blood and fluid from the would site such that substantially only the mixture is removed and such that significant amounts of air are not removed with said mixture, said removal means comprising a suction tube in communication with means for causing suction within said suction tube, and an air detector for detecting air in the mixture of blood and fluid removed, said air detector being in communication with said suction means such that suction can be varied based upon the presence or absence of air in the mixture; means for removing particulate impurities from the mixture; means for removing excess fluid from the mixture such that substantially only blood remains; and means for reinfusing the blood to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An autotransfusion circuit comprising:
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means for introducing a controlled stream of fluid to a wound site containing blood, said means comprising a fluid source and a fluid supply line configured such that fluid can be transported from the fluid source to the wound site; means comprising a suction line and a source of suction in communication with said suction line, for removing the resulting mixture of blood and fluid from the wound site, said means further comprising means for detecting air in the suction line and means for reducing suction in response to detected air in the suction line such that substantially only the mixture is removed and such that significant amounts of air are note removed with said mixture; means for removing particulate impurities from the mixture; means for removing excess fluid from the mixture such that substantially only blood remains; means for reinfusing the blood to the patient; and means for controlling the flow of blood and fluid into, through and out of the autotransfusion circuit, said means being configured such that the volume of fluid flow to the wound site is varied in response to the bleeding rate at the wound site. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A continuous flow autologous blood circuit for preserving blood shed by a patient comprising:
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means for introducing a controlled stream of fluid to a wound site containing blood; means for removing the resulting mixture of blood and fluid from the wound site, said means comprising a suction tube in communication with means for causing suction within the suction tube, and air detection means for detecting air in the mixture of blood and fluid, said air detection means being in communication with said suction means such that the level of suction can be varied based upon the presence or absence of air in the mixture, said removal means being configured to operate such that substantially only the mixture is removed and that significant amounts of air are not removed with said mixture; plasma separation means for separating the blood cells from the remainder of the mixture, leaving substantially only plasma and fluid in the mixture; means for removing fluid from the mixture of plasma and fluid such that substantially only plasma remains; and means for reintroducing said blood cells to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for recovering and reinfusing blood lost by a patient at a wound site, comprising the steps of:
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(a) introducing a controlled stream of fluid to the wound site containing blood such that a mixture of blood and fluid forms; (b) removing the resulting mixture using a submersible suction tip such that substantially only the mixture is removed and significant amounts of air are not contained within the mixture; (c) monitoring the recovered mixture for the presence of air in the mixture; (d) filtering the mixture such that substantially all particulate debris is removed from said mixture; (e) removing the excess fluid and activated coagulation factors from the mixture; and (f) reinjecting the blood into the patient. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification