Active air removal from an extracorporeal blood circuit
First Claim
1. An active air removal (AAR) system for purging air from an integrated extracorporeal blood circuit providing extracorporeal oxygenation of a patient'"'"'s blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery adapted to be performed on a patient in the presence of a perfusionist, the AAR system comprising:
- an air removal device incorporated in the extracorporeal blood circuit, the air removal device comprising;
an air removal device housing enclosing a chamber;
an air removal device purge port through the housing to the chamber; and
an air sensor supported by the air removal device housing in relation to the chamber adapted to provide an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of fluid or air in the air removal device housing;
an air removal device purge line coupled to the air removal device purge port and extending to a purge line connector adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source to apply suction to the air removal device purge port to draw air therefrom; and
an AAR controller having a purge valve adapted to receive a portion of the purge line and AAR controller circuitry to open or close the purge line, the AAR controller circuitry further comprising;
purge valve operating means for opening the purge valve in response to an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of air in the air removal device housing to allow air sensed in the air removal device to be purged through the purge line by the suction of the vacuum source;
error state determining means for monitoring operations and conditions of the AAR system and determining an error state of the AAR system; and
altering means for altering the perfusionist of the error state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable, integrated extracorporeal blood circuit employed during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery performs gas exchange, heat transfer, and microemboli filtering functions in a way as to conserve volume, to reduce setup and change out times, to eliminate a venous blood reservoir, and to substantially reduce blood-air interface. Blood from the patient or prime solution is routed through an air removal device that is equipped with air sensors for detection of air. An active air removal controller removes detected air from blood in the air removal device. A disposable circuit support module is used to mount the components of the disposable, integrated extracorporeal blood circuit in close proximity and in a desirable spatial relationship to optimize priming and use of the disposable, integrated extracorporeal blood circuit. A reusable circuit holder supports the disposable circuit support module in relation to a prime solution source, the active air removal controller and other components.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An active air removal (AAR) system for purging air from an integrated extracorporeal blood circuit providing extracorporeal oxygenation of a patient'"'"'s blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery adapted to be performed on a patient in the presence of a perfusionist, the AAR system comprising:
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an air removal device incorporated in the extracorporeal blood circuit, the air removal device comprising; an air removal device housing enclosing a chamber; an air removal device purge port through the housing to the chamber; and an air sensor supported by the air removal device housing in relation to the chamber adapted to provide an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of fluid or air in the air removal device housing; an air removal device purge line coupled to the air removal device purge port and extending to a purge line connector adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source to apply suction to the air removal device purge port to draw air therefrom; and an AAR controller having a purge valve adapted to receive a portion of the purge line and AAR controller circuitry to open or close the purge line, the AAR controller circuitry further comprising; purge valve operating means for opening the purge valve in response to an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of air in the air removal device housing to allow air sensed in the air removal device to be purged through the purge line by the suction of the vacuum source; error state determining means for monitoring operations and conditions of the AAR system and determining an error state of the AAR system; and altering means for altering the perfusionist of the error state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of operating an active air removal (AAR) system to purge air from an integrated extracorporeal blood circuit providing extracorporeal oxygenation of a patient'"'"'s blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery adapted to be performed in the presence of a perfusionist on a patient in an operating room, the method comprising:
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providing an air removal device incorporated in the extracorporeal blood circuit, the air removal device comprising; an air removal device housing enclosing a chamber; an air removal device purge port through the housing to the chamber; an air sensor supported by the air removal device housing; and an air removal device purge line coupled to the air removal device purge port extending to a purge line connector adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source to apply suction to the air removal device purge port to draw air therefrom; locating a portion of the air removal purge line extending through a purge valve of an AAR controller, the purge valve movable between a purge valve open position and a purge valve closed position; applying operating power to the air sensor to generate an air sensor signal indicative of the absence or presence of air in the air removal device housing; opening the purge valve in response to an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of air in the air removal device housing to allow air sensed in the air removal device to be purged through the purge line by the suction of the vacuum source; monitoring operations or conditions of the AAR system; determining an error state of the monitored operations or conditions of the AAR system; and issuing an alert to alert the perfusionist of the error state. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating an active air removal (AAR) system to purge air from an integrated extracorporeal blood circuit providing extracorporeal oxygenation of a patient'"'"'s blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery adapted to be performed in the presence of a perfusionist on a patient in an operating room, the operating method comprising:
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providing an air removal device incorporated in the extracorporeal blood circuit, the air removal device comprising; an air removal device housing enclosing a chamber; an air removal device purge port through the housing to the chamber; an air sensor supported by the air removal device housing adapted to provide an air sensor signal indicative of air in the air removal device housing; an air removal device purge line coupled to the air removal device purge port and extending to a purge line connector adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source to apply suction to the air removal device purge port to draw air therefrom; providing an active air removal AAR controller operating under the control of an AAR operating algorithm; locating a portion of the air removal purge line extending through a purge valve of the AAR controller, the purge valve movable between a purge valve open position and a purge valve closed position; coupling the air sensor with the AAR controller; monitoring operations or conditions of the AAR system; determining an error state of the monitored operations or conditions of the AAR system; and automatically moving of the purge valve from the closed position to the open position in an absence of a determined error state and when the air sensor signal is indicative of air in the air removal device housing to allow air sensed in the air removal device to be purged through the purge line by the suction of the vacuum source. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification