Apparatus and method for setting the level of a liquid in a chamber of an extracorporeal blood circuit
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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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for setting the level of a liquid in a chamber of an extracorporeal blood circuit. The chamber contains liquid in its lower portion and air in its upper portion. It is connected to a pump for causing the quantity of air to vary in the chamber. According to the invention, the chamber is provided with a level detector that transmits data to a control unit. The control unit actuates an air pump to vary the amount of air in the chamber and thereby ensures that the liquid level in the chamber is equal to a desired level.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A device for treating blood including an extracorporeal blood circuit, the device comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device for treating blood including an extracorporeal blood circuit, the device comprising:
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an arterial section of the circuit for conveying liquid from a source to a treatment device in fluid communication with the arterial section; a venous section of the circuit for conveying treated liquid away from the treatment device, the venous section being in fluid communication with the treatment device; a circulating pump in operative communication with the circuit; an arterial chamber in fluid communication with the arterial section of the circuit for containing liquid in a lower portion of the arterial chamber, and for containing gas in an upper portion of the arterial chamber; a venous chamber in fluid communication with the venous section 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 both the arterial and venous chambers for varying a quantity of gas inside the arterial and venous chambers; a first liquid level detector associated with the arterial chamber for detecting a liquid level within the arterial chamber and for outputting a signal corresponding to the liquid level detected; a second liquid level detector associated with the venous chamber for detecting a liquid level within the venous chamber and for outputting a signal corresponding to the liquid level detected; and a control unit, communicating with the chamber pump and the first and second liquid level detectors, for controlling the chamber pump in response to the signals from the first and second liquid level detectors to ensure that predetermined high liquid levels are simultaneously reached in both the arterial and venous chambers, and to ensure that predetermined low liquid levels are simultaneously reached in both the arterial and venous chambers.
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Specification