Disinfecting system for hemodialysis apparatus

• US 6,027,469 A
• Filed: 12/03/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lee D. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Lee D. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Lee D.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUSEMAN, CHERYL L
• Application Number:
  US09/205,156
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 604/4-6, 604/500, 422/44, 210/645, 210/646
• US Class Current: 604/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1682 both machine and membrane module, i.e. also the module blood side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/169 using chemical substances

Abstract

A colloidal silver solution is introduced as a disinfectant to the blood and dialysate sides of a hemodialysis system at the conclusion of a dialysis session and is not flushed from the system until another dialysis is to be performed.

Claims

1. A method for disinfecting those components of a hemodialysis system through which blood is circulated during dialysis of a patient during a first dialysis session and which are to be reused during the next dialysis session, said method comprising:

filling said components after said first session with a colloidal silver solution having a colloidal silver concentration about 3 ppm, and maintaining such filled condition until the start of said next dialysis session.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which said colloidal silver solution present in said components at the start of said next dialysis session is purged from said components by circulating blood therethrough from the patient undergoing said next session.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which said colloidal silver solution present in said components at the start of said next dialysis session is purged from said components by circulating pure water through said components followed by circulating blood therethrough from the patient undergoing said next session.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which components of said system through which dialysate is circulated during such dialysis of a patient, are flushed with a colloidal silver solution after said first dialysis session.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which components of said system through which dialysate is circulated during such dialysis of a patient, are also filled after said first session with a colloidal silver solution and are maintained in such filled condition until the start of said next dialysis session.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which said colloidal silver solution is produced by passing a high voltage alternating current between two silver electrodes suspended in pure water.

7. A method for disinfecting blood contaminated components in a hemodialysis system following a dialysis session in which a patient'"'"'s blood was circulated through said components, said method comprising:

flushing the blood contaminated components with a disinfecting solution containing colloidal silver;

then keeping said components filled with said solution during an inactive period before another dialysis session; and

removing said solution from said components at the start of the next dialysis session.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which said components include blood tubing and the blood side of a dialyzer.

9. A method according to claim 7 in which said disinfecting solution consists of colloidal silver suspended in pure water, the concentration of colloidal silver being between 2.7 and about 5 ppm.

10. A method for disinfecting blood contaminated components in a hemodialysis system following a dialysis session in which a patient'"'"'s blood was circulated through said components, said method comprising:

flushing blood of said patient in said components from said components back to said patient at the close of said dialysis session by circulating a disinfecting solution through said components, said solution consisting of colloidal silver suspended in pure water;

keeping said components filled with said solution during an inactive period between said close of the dialysis session and the start of the next dialysis session; and

purging said solution from said components at the start of said next session with blood circulating from the patient undergoing said next session.

11. A method according to claim 10 in which the concentration of colloidal silver in said disinfecting solution is about 3 ppm.

12. A method for disinfecting a hemodialysis system following a dialysis session including as components a blood tubing set, a dialysate tubing set, and a dialyzer having a dialysate side in communication with said dialysate tubing set and having a blood side in communication with said blood tubing set, said system normally operating during dialysis by blood being circulated from a patient through the blood side of the dialyzer to be dialyzed and back to the patient via the blood tubing set, and by dialysate being supplied to the dialysate side of the dialyzer and discharged therefrom via the dialysate tubing set, said method including flushing said dialysate tubing set and said dialysate side with a disinfectant, flushing said blood tubing set and said blood side with a disinfecting solution containing a disinfecting concentration of colloidal silver in sterile water, then keeping said blood tubing set and said blood side filled with said solution during an inactive storage period in which said solution is not circulating, and, at the conclusion of said storage period, purging disinfectant from, and circulating dialysate through, said dialysate tubing set and dialysate side of the dialyzer, and purging said solution from, and circulating blood from a patient through, said blood tubing set and blood side of the dialyzer in a manner dumping said solution and returning the circulating blood to the patient.

13. A method according to claim 12 in which said disinfecting concentration of colloidal silver is about 3 ppm.

14. A method according to claim 12 in which the colloidal silver solution is produced by passing high voltage alternating current between two silver electrodes suspended in sterile water.

15. A method according to claim 12 in which said disinfectant in said dialysate tubing set and the dialysate side of the dialyzer also comprises a disinfecting concentration of colloidal silver in sterile water.

16. A method according to claim 12 in which said disinfecting solution is purged from said blood tubing set and blood side of the dialyzer by said circulating blood from the patient.

17. A method according to claim 15 in which said disinfectant in said dialysate tubing set and dialysate side of the dialyzer is purged therefrom by said circulating dialysate.

18. A method according to claim 12 in which said disinfecting concentration of colloidal silver is between 2.7 and about 5 ppm.