Methods for cleaning a drain line of a dialysis machine

• US 8,449,686 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Schlaeper, Christian, Crnkovich, Martin Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, RYAN L
• Application Number:
  US12/767,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20110259371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/22.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/168 Sterilisation or cleaning before or after use
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/027 Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages

Abstract

A method for cleaning a drain line of a dialysis machine downstream of a filtration unit. The method includes closing inlet and outlet valves of the filtration unit, and closing a bypass valve along a bypass line that connects a source line to a drain line. The method also includes configuring the balancing chamber such that flow is permitted only via the drain line, flowing an amount of a cleaning agent into the drain line through a cleaning agent valve, and rinsing the cleaning agent from the drain line with a rinse fluid.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a dialysate circuit downstream of a filtration unit in a dialysis machine, wherein the dialysate circuit includes a balancing chamber through which (a) unused dialysate fluid passes to an inlet valve of a filtration unit via a source line, and (b) spent dialysate fluid passes from an outlet valve of the filtration unit via a drain line, and a bypass line connecting through a bypass valve between the source line and the drain line, the method comprising:

closing the inlet valve, the outlet valve, and the bypass valve;

configuring the balancing chamber such that flow is permitted only via the drain line;

flowing an amount of a cleaning agent into the drain line through a cleaning agent valve; and

rinsing the cleaning agent from the drain line with a rinse fluid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein flowing the cleaning agent includes drawing the cleaning agent into the drain line with a pump positioned in the drain line between the balancing chamber and the cleaning agent valve.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein flowing the cleaning agent includes filling the balancing chamber with the cleaning agent.

4. The method of claim of claim 1, wherein flowing the cleaning agent includes flowing a measured amount of cleaning agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein flowing the cleaning agent includes flowing the cleaning agent for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rinsing includes rinsing with dialysate fluid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein rinsing includes rinsing with water.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein rinsing includes a first and second rinse.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning agent is a chlorine bleach.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the chlorine bleach is a sodium hypochlorite solution.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning fluid includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

bleaches, detergents, bactericides, enzymes, and surfactants.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein rinsing includes opening the bypass valve.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein rinsing includes opening the inlet valve and the outlet valve so the rinse fluid passes through the filtration unit prior to rinsing the drain line.