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Apparatus and method for setting the level of a liquid in a chamber of an extracorporeal blood circuit

  • US 5,382,227 A
  • Filed: 02/05/1992
  • Issued: 01/17/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A device for treating blood including an extracorporeal blood circuit, the device comprising:

  • an arterial portion of the circuit for conveying liquid from a source to a treatment device in fluid communication with the arterial portion;

    a venous portion of the circuit for conveying treated liquid away from the treatment device, the venous portion being in fluid communication with the treatment device;

    at least one circulation pump in operative communication with the circuit;

    an arterial chamber in fluid communication with the arterial portion of the circuit for containing liquid in a lower portion thereof, and for containing gas in an upper portion thereof;

    a venous chamber in fluid communication with the venous portion of the circuit for containing liquid in a lower portion thereof, and for containing gas in an upper portion thereof;

    a chamber pump operatively connected to at least one of the arterial and venous chambers for varying a quantity of gas inside at least one of the arterial and venous chambers;

    means associated with at least one of the arterial and venous chambers for detecting a liquid level within at least one of the arterial and venous chambers and for outputting a corresponding signal;

    means, communicating with the chamber pump and with the level detecting means, for controlling the chamber pump in response to the signal from the level detecting means in order to obtain a predetermined liquid level within at least one of the arterial and venous chambers, the controlling means including means for ensuring that predetermined high liquid levels are simultaneously reached in both the arterial and venous chambers, and means for ensuring that predetermined low liquid levels are simultaneously reached in both the arterial and venous chambers.

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