Cleaning and priming method for dialysis system

• US 6,551,513 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nipro Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nipro Corporation
• Inventors: Nikaido, Taku, Ueda, Mitsutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Application Number:
  US09/886,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 210/645, 210/646, 210/805, 210/321.69, 210/791, 210/321.71
• US Class Current: 210/646
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1639 linked by membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1657 with centralised supply of dialysate or constituent thereof for more than one dialysis unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3427 back through the membrane, e.g. by inverted trans-membrane pressure [TMP]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3434 with pre-dilution and post-dilution
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3437 downstream of the filter, e.g. post-dilution with filtrate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3458 having electrolytes not present in the dialysate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3465 using dialysate as substitution fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3635 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3643 Priming, rinsing before or after use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3644 Mode of operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3646 Expelling the residual body fluid after use, e.g. back to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/365 through membranes, e.g. by inverted trans-membrane pressure [TMP]

Abstract

A dialysis system which does not need to use a physiological saline in replenishing a solution or cleaning and priming the dialysis system, does not need a troublesome setting operation and can easily and accurately set a flow rate of a replenisher solution. The dialysis system includes a closed type water-removal control apparatus 1, a dialyzer 2, a fresh dialysate line 3 as well as a used dialysate line 4, a dialysate pressurizing line 5, a dialysate pressurizing pump 51 provided in the dialysate pressurizing line 5, an artery side blood line 6, a blood pump 61 provided in the artery side blood line 6 and a vein side blood line 7. According to the dialysis system, by pressurizing a dialysate into a communication line of the dialysate, the dialysate is made to flow from a dialysate flow path 21 into a blood flow path 22 through a dialysis membrane 23 of the dialyzer 2 and the inside of a blood circulation path can be cleaned and primed.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning and priming a dialysis system where the dialysis system comprises

a dialyzer having a dialysate flow path and a blood flow path partitioned by a dialysis membrane;

a closed-type water-removal control apparatus for controlling a difference between volumes of a fresh dialysate flowing into the dialyzer and a used dialysate flowing out of the dialyzer by removing a volume of water, said closed-type water-removal control apparatus including a fresh dialysate chamber and a used dialysate chamber;

a fresh dialysate supply line extending from a source of fresh dialysate to the fresh dialysate chamber;

a dialysate line connecting the closed-type water-removal control apparatus and the dialysate flow path of the dialyzer, said dialysate line including an inlet line to the dialyzer connected to the fresh dialysate chamber and an outlet line from the dialyzer connected to the used dialysate chamber;

a dialysate pressurizing line connected to said fresh dialysate supply line at a junction with said fresh dialysate supply line and connected to said inlet line to the dialyzer at a junction with said inlet line to the dialyzer;

a dialysate pressurizing pump provided in the dialysate pressurizing line between said junctions;

an artery side blood line connected to a blood inlet of the dialyzer;

a blood pump provided in the artery side blood line; and

a vein side blood line connected to a blood outlet of the dialyzer;

said method comprising pressuring the dialysate from the fresh dialysate source into said dialysate line via said dialysate pressurizing line to cause the dialysate to flow through the dialysis membrane of the dialyzer into the blood flow path.

2. The cleaning and priming method of a dialysis system according to claim 1:

wherein the dialysis system is a dialysis system for a central dealysate supply.