Method and system for correcting a biological fluid

• US 5,980,479 A
• Filed: 07/02/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Idializa, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Idializa, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kutushov, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOGGLE, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US08/887,326
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 604/4-6, 604/8-10, 435/174, 436/806
• US Class Current: 604/5.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/34 Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36 Other treatment of blood in a by-pass of the natural circulatory system, e.g. temperature adaptation, irradiation ; Extra-corporeal blood circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3618 Magnetic separation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3679 by absorption A61M1/3675 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 1/01 by addition of magnetic adjuvants
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 1/0332 using permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 1/288 disposed at the outer circumference of a recipient
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/18 Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/26 for use in medical or biological applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/806 Electrical property or magnetic property

Abstract

A method and a system for correction a patient'"'"'s biological fluid containing various low-, medium- and high-molecular toxins. The biological fluid substantially continuously flows through an extracorporeal flow line interconnected between an outlet and an inlet means attached to first and second locations, respectively, on a patient'"'"'s body. A substantially small amount of the biological fluid containing various xenobiotics occupies the flow line at any given time as compared to a whole amount of the biological fluid contained in the patient'"'"'s body. The biological fluid containing the various toxins is mixed with a predetermined amount of magneto-conductive particles capable of adsorbing the various toxins. An obtained mixture of the biological fluid with the particles passes through a magnetic field effect region and substantially all of the magneto-conductive particles are retained therein. Particle-free biological fluid is then returned into the patient'"'"'s body through the inlet means.

Claims

1. A system for correcting a patient'"'"'s biological fluid containing various low-, medium- and high-molecular toxins, the system comprising:

(i) outlet means for attaching to a first location on a patient'"'"'s body for substantially continuously withdrawing therefrom the biological fluid containing the various toxins;

(ii) an extracorporeal flow line coupled to said outlet means for passing therethrough, in a substantially continuous flow, a predetermined substantially small amount of the biological fluid as compared to a whole amount of the biological fluid contained in the patient'"'"'s body, so as to be mixed with a plurality of magneto-conductive particles capable of adsorbing said toxins for obtaining a mixture of the biological fluid with said particles;

(iii) magnetic means comprising a magnetic field source for providing a magnetic field region within a flow of said mixture for retaining said magneto-conductive particles in said region from a flow of particle-free biological fluid, the magnetic field induction being within a range of 30-100 mTl, said magnetic means comprising a magnetic filler located inside the flow line within said magnetic field region, thereby increasing gradient and magnetic flux density of the magnetic field within said region;

(iv) inlet means for attaching to a second location on the patient'"'"'s body for returning the particle-free biological fluid back into the patient'"'"'s body; and

(v) control means coupled to the flow line and to the magnetic means for control thereof.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said flow line is in the form of a flexible tube.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said magneto-conductive particles are contained in a vessel coupled to the flow line through a pipe.

4. The system according to claim 3, and also comprising a feeding means for substantially continuously feeding the particles into and through the flow line.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said feeding means comprises a pump coupled to the vessel for supplying air thereto so as to provide an excessive pressure within the vessel.

6. The system according to claim 1, and also comprising a feeding means for substantially continuously feeding the biological fluid containing various toxins into and through the flow line.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein said feeding means comprises a peristaltic pump.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the magneto-conductive particles are located inside the flow line in a flow path of the biological fluid containing the various toxins.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the flow line comprises first and second flexible tubes and a sealed vessel, the magneto-conductive particles being accommodated within the bottom region of the vessel, the first tube being connected between the outlet means and the particles, the second tube being connected between the inlet means and a top region of the vessel.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the particles are contained in a suspension thereof.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the suspension is formed of a blood substitute composition.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the suspension is formed of physiological solution or the like allowed for intravenous injection.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the biological fluid containing the various toxins is blood.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said first and second locations are associated with the patient'"'"'s artery and vein, respectively.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said first and second locations are associated with the patient'"'"'s vein.

16. The system according to claim 18, wherein said first and second locations are associated with a large pectoral lymph duct the patient'"'"'s vein.

17. The system according to claim 19, wherein said first and second locations are associated with a spinal cord channel.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the biological fluid containing the various toxins is lymph.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the biological fluid containing various the various toxins is spinal cord fluid.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein said substantially small amount of the withdrawn biological fluid at any given time is within the range 15-50 ml.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the magneto-conductive particles are formed of paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material.

22. The system according to claim 1, wherein the magneto-conductive particles are formed of hydrophilic material.

23. The system according to claim 1, wherein the magneto-conductive particles are formed of hydrophobic material.

24. The system according to claim 1, and also comprising a mixing means located in the flow path of the biological fluid containing the various toxins.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the mixing means comprises a multi-threaded worm mechanism.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the mixing means comprises a magnetic mechanism having displaceable opposite magnetic poles.

27. The system according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic filler serves as

adhering means for adhering thereon the magneto-conductive particles.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the magnetic filler a paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the filler is in the form of a loosely laid wire.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said loosely laid wire is in the form of a barbed wire.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the wire has a varying diameter thereof and a varying laying density within the magnetic field region.

32. The system according to claim 27, wherein the magnetic field source and the adhering means are constituted by at least one permanent magnet accommodated inside the flow line.

33. The system according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field source includes at least one permanent magnet mounted outside the flow line and proximate thereto.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said at least one permanent magnet is in the form of a substantially flat plate.

35. The system according to claim 33, wherein said at least one permanent magnet is ring-shaped for surrounding the flow line.

36. The system according to claim 33, wherein opposite poles of each magnet are connected by a cover plate formed of a magnetic soft material.

37. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes:

a plurality of clamps accommodated along the flow line for regulating the flow of the biological fluid; and

a monitoring means for checking velocities of the flow of the biological fluid containing the various toxins, the mixture and the particle-free biological fluid.

38. The system according to claim 37, and also comprising a filtering means for removing water from blood.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein the filtering means includes at least one semipermeable membrane.

40. The system according to claim 38, wherein the filtering means includes adsorbent material formed of hydrolyzed starch polymer.

41. The system according to claim 38, wherein said filtering means is accommodated in the flow path of the biological fluid containing the various toxins.

42. The system according to claim 38, wherein said filtering means is accommodated in the flow path of the particle-free biological fluid.

43. The system according to claim 1, wherein the magneto-conductive particles are formed with activated porous surfaces.

44. The system according to claim 43, wherein said particles are formed of iron.

45. The system according to claim 43, wherein said particles are formed of iron oxide.

46. The system according to claim 43, wherein said particles are formed of carbon coated iron.

47. The system according to claim 43, wherein said particles are formed of silicone coated iron.

48. The system according to claim 43, wherein said particles are formed of aluminum coated iron.

49. The system according to claim 43, wherein said particles are formed of dextran coated iron.

50. The system according to claim 43, wherein said magneto-conductive particles are coated with a protective layer formed of protein or the patient'"'"'s blood.

51. A method of correcting a patient'"'"'s biological fluid containing various low-, medium-, and high-molecular toxins, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) substantially continuously withdrawing the biological fluid containing various toxins from a patient'"'"'s body into an extracorporeal flow line capable of passing therethrough a predetermined substantially small amount of the biological fluid as compared to a whole amount of the biological fluid contained in the patient'"'"'s body;

(ii) mixing said predetermined substantially small amount of the biological fluid with a plurality of magneto-conductive particles capable of absorbing said toxins for obtaining a mixture of the biological fluid with said particles;

(iii) providing a magnetic field in a region within a flow path of the obtained mixture for retaining said magneto-conductive particles in said region from a flow of particle-free biological fluid, the magnetic field induction being within a range of 30-100 mTl; and

(iv) providing a magnetic filler within the magnetic field region for increasing gradient and magnetic flux density of the magnetic field within said region;

(v) returning the particle-free biological fluid back into the patient'"'"'s body.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein said step (ii) comprises:

substantially continuously feeding the magneto-conductive particles from a vessel containing the same into the flow line.

53. The method according to claim 51, and also comprising filtration of the blood containing various toxins by removing water therefrom.

54. The method according to claim 51, and also comprising filtration of the particle-free blood by removing water therefrom.

55. A system for correcting a patient'"'"'s biological fluid containing various low-, medium- and high-molecular toxins, the system comprising:

outlet means for attaching to a first location on a patient'"'"'s body for substantially continuously withdrawing therefrom the biological fluid containing the various toxins;

an extracorporeal flow line coupled to said outlet means for passing therethrough, in a substantially continuous flow, a predetermined substantially small amount of the biological fluid as compared to a whole amount of the biological fluid contained in the patient'"'"'s body, so as to be mixed with a plurality of magneto-conductive particles capable of adsorbing said toxins for obtaining a mixture of the biological fluid with said particles;

magnetic means comprising a magnetic field source for providing a magnetic field region within a flow of said mixture for retaining said magneto-conductive particles in said region from a flow of particle-free biological fluid, the magnetic field induction being within a range of 30-100 mTl, said magnetic means comprising a magnetic filler located inside the flow line within said magnetic field region, thereby increasing gradient and magnetic flux density of the magnetic field within said region;

inlet means for attaching to a second location on the patient'"'"'s body for returning the particle-free biological fluid back into the patient'"'"'s body;

control means coupled to the flow line and to the magnetic means for control thereof; and

a filtering means for removing water from blood.

56. The system according to claim 55, wherein the filtering means includes at least one semipermeable membrane.

57. The system according to claim 55, wherein the filtering means includes adsorbent material formed of hydrolyzed starch polymer.

58. The system according to claim 55, wherein said filtering means is accommodated in the flow path of the biological fluid containing the various toxins.

59. The system according to claim 55, wherein said filtering means is accommodated in the flow path of the particle-free biological fluid.