Systems and methods for handling air and/or flushing fluids in a fluid circuit

• US 7,790,043 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nxstage Medical Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Nxstage Medical Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Brugger, James M., Treu, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; John
• Application Number:
  US12/508,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 210/194, 210/195.1, 210/232, 210/252, 210/257.1, 210/258, 210/436, 210/472, 210/645, 210/646, 210/650, 210/767, 210/800, 210/805, 604/4.01, 604/5.01, 604/6.01, 604/6.09, 604/7, 604/9, 604/403, 604/408, 604/411, 604/412
• US Class Current: 210/767
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/288 Priming priming in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3643
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3462 Circuits for the preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3468 using treated filtrate as substitution fluid
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods handle air and rinsing fluid during fluid processing. The systems and methods eliminate air from a fluid processing system prior to, during, and after use. The systems and methods provide a connector assembly for establishing fluid flow from a fluid source. The connector assembly has discrete first and second passages that prevent communication between the fluid in first passage and the fluid in the second passage. Prior to system use, the connector assembly may be utilized in a priming function to remove residual air from a fluid circuit prior to use. The connector assembly may also be utilized after use to perform a rinse-back function.

Claims

1. A method for priming a fluid circuit comprising:

coupling a connector assembly to a fluid reservoir, the connector assembly comprising a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage;

circulating fluid in the fluid circuit and the fluid reservoir such that fluid from the fluid reservoir is conveyed from the fluid reservoir to an inlet of the fluid circuit via the second fluid passage, through the fluid circuit from the inlet of the fluid circuit to an outlet of the fluid circuit, and from the outlet of the fluid circuit back into the fluid reservoir via the first fluid passage, the fluid being conveyed back into the fluid reservoir at a higher gravity height than fluid is conveyed from the fluid reservoir; and

during the circulating, accumulating air residing in the fluid circuit in the fluid reservoir, thereby removing air from the fluid circuit.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including:

coupling the first fluid passage to the outlet of the fluid circuit; and

coupling the second fluid passage to the inlet of the fluid circuit.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including:

releasably coupling the first fluid passage to the outlet of the fluid circuit; and

releasably coupling the second fluid passage to the inlet of the fluid circuit.

4. A method according to claim 1, further including, after the accumulating,

disconnecting the first and second passages from the fluid circuit outlet and the fluid circuit inlet, respectively;

and

coupling the first and second passages to each other.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connector assembly comprises a single connector body that includes both the first and second fluid passages.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connector assembly includes a first connector body that includes the first fluid passage and a second connector body that includes the second fluid passage.

7. A method according to claim 1, further including enclosing the connector assembly prior to the coupling.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid circuit includes a blood processing element.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid circuit includes a filter.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the filter comprises a hemofilter that, in use, removes toxins from blood.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid circuit comprises at least a portion of a dialysis system, a hemofiltration system, a hemodialysis system, a hemodiafiltration system, or a peritoneal dialysis system.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the coupling includes inserting the connector assembly through a port tube membrane on the fluid reservoir.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connector assembly comprises a tubular body.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the tubular body includes a distal end having a taper to form a spike.

15. A method according to claim 1, further including, after the accumulating,

disconnecting the second passage from the inlet of the fluid circuit;

and

coupling the inlet of the fluid circuit to a blood access site.

16. A method according to claim 1, further including, after the accumulating,

disconnecting the first passage from the outlet of the fluid circuit;

and

coupling the outlet of the fluid circuit to a blood access site.

17. A method for priming and flushing a fluid circuit, the method comprising:

providing a connector assembly comprising a first fluid passage releasably coupled to an outlet of the fluid circuit and a second fluid passage releasably coupled to an inlet of the fluid circuit;

coupling the connector assembly to a fluid reservoir;

priming the fluid circuit through the fluid reservoir by conveying fluid into the inlet of the fluid circuit from the reservoir through the second fluid passage while conveying fluid from the outlet of the fluid circuit into the reservoir through the first fluid passage;

after said priming, releasing the coupling between the connector assembly and the inlet and outlet of the fluid circuit while keeping the connector assembly coupled to the fluid reservoir;

processing a selected fluid using the fluid circuit;

after said processing, coupling the inlet of the fluid circuit to the second fluid passage; and

rinsing residue of the selected fluid from the fluid circuit by conveying fluid into the inlet of the fluid circuit from the reservoir through the second fluid passage, while conveying the selected fluid residue from the outlet of the fluid circuit in a path that bypasses the reservoir.

18. A method according to claim 17, further including accumulating air residing in the fluid circuit in the fluid reservoir during the priming, thereby removing air from the fluid circuit.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein, during the processing, the first and second fluid passages are coupled together in a loop.