Medical treatment system and methods using a plurality of fluid lines

• US 9,366,781 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Scarpaci, Jacob W., Helmore, Simon C., VanWyk, Eric J., Finch, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SANG H
• Application Number:
  US14/262,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 356213-218, 356432-444, 356/246, 356 39- 41, 604/67, 604132-133, 604/27, 604/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/152 Details related to the interface between cassette and machine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/155 with treatment-fluid pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1561 at least one cassette surface or portion thereof being flexible, e.g. the cassette having a rigid base portion with preformed channels and being covered with a foil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1565 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/159 specially adapted for peritoneal dialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/28 Peritoneal dialysis ; Other peritoneal treatment, e.g. oxygenation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/288 Priming priming in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3643
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3656 Monitoring patency or flow at connection sites; Detecting disconnections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/20 : using multiple transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A medical treatment system, such as peritoneal dialysis system, may include control and other features to enhance patient comfort and ease of use. For example, a peritoneal dialysis system may include patient line state detector for detecting whether a patient line is primed before it is to be connected to the patient. The patient line state detector can also the ability to detect whether a patient line has been properly mounted for priming. Both patient line presence/absence and fill state can be determined using an optical system, e.g., one that employs a single optical sensor.

Claims

1. A peritoneal dialysis system, comprising:

at least one pump arranged to pump dialysate for delivery to a peritoneal cavity of a patient;

a patient line fluidly coupled to the at least one pump such that dialysate delivered from the pump is directed to the patient line, the patient line having a distal end arranged for connection to a patient; and

a patient line state detector arranged to be associated with the patient line and to detect both a presence of the patient line and a priming condition of the patient line, wherein the patient line state detector includes;

a first light emitter having a first optical axis directed toward a space in which a portion of the patient line is to be positioned, the first light emitter positioned next to a side of the space at a predetermined point longitudinally along the space;

a second light emitter having a second optical axis directed toward the space, the second light emitter being next to the first light emitter, and located at approximately the same point longitudinally along the space as the first light emitter;

a third light emitter having a third optical axis that is arranged at an oblique angle relative to the sensor optical axis; and

an optical sensor positioned on a side of the space opposite the first and second light emitters and arranged to receive light emitted by the first and second light emitters to determine a presence or absence of the patient line in the space, wherein the optical sensor has a sensor optical axis, and

wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing no liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is over a threshold level, and such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is less than the threshold level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second optical axis is approximately parallel to but spaced apart from the first optical axis.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor detects a higher or lower light level from the first light emitter when a portion of the patient line is in the space.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the optical sensor detects a lower light level from the second light emitter when a portion of the patient line is in the space.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein with a portion of the patient line in the space, a detected light level for both the first and second light emitters differs by more than about 15-20% from a calibration light level for the first and second light emitters that is detected when a tubing segment is known to be absent from the space.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein with a portion of the patient line not in the space, a detected light level for the second light emitter is within about 15-20% of the calibration light level for the second light emitter.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor has an optical axis that is approximately collinear with the first optical axis.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical axis passes approximately through a center of a portion of the patient line with the portion of the patient line positioned in the space.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second optical axis is offset from a center of a portion of the patient line with the portion of the patient line positioned in the space.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the oblique angle is about 110-120 degrees.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is about 125-150% of a light level detected by the optical sensor with no a portion of the patient line in the space.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the patient line is a distal end of the patient line.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more light emitters are light emitting diodes.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the patient line associated with the patient line state detector has a cylindrical outer surface and the patient line state detector is arranged to receive and hold the patient line without substantially deforming the patient line.

15. A peritoneal dialysis system, comprising:

at least one pump arranged to pump dialysate for delivery to a peritoneal cavity of a patient;

a patient line fluidly coupled to the at least one pump such that dialysate delivered from the pump is directed to the patient line, the patient line having a distal end arranged for connection to a patient; and

a patient line state detector arranged to be associated with the patient line and to detect both a presence of the patient line and a priming condition of the patient line, wherein the patient line state detector includes;

a first light emitter having a first optical axis directed toward a space in which a portion of the patient line is to be positioned, the first light emitter positioned next to a side of the space at a predetermined point longitudinally along the space;

a second light emitter having a second optical axis directed toward the space, the second light emitter being next to the first light emitter, and located at approximately the same point longitudinally along the space as the first light emitter;

a third light emitter having a third optical axis that is arranged at an oblique angle relative to the sensor optical axis; and

an optical sensor positioned on a side of the space opposite the first and second light emitters and arranged to receive light emitted by the first and second light emitters to determine a presence or absence of the patient line in the space, wherein the optical sensor has a sensor optical axis, and

wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing no liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is over about 150% of a calibration light level detected with no portion of the patient line in the space, and such that with a portion of the patient line in the space and the portion of the patient line containing liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is less than about 125% of the calibration light level.

16. A peritoneal dialysis system, comprising:

at least one pump arranged to pump dialysate for delivery to a peritoneal cavity of a patient;

a patient line fluidly coupled to the at least one pump such that dialysate delivered from the pump is directed to the patient line, the patient line having a distal end arranged for connection to a patient; and

a patient line state detector for detecting the presence or absence of a segment of the patient line, comprising;

a first light emitter having a first optical axis directed toward a space in which a patient line segment is to be positioned;

a second light emitter having a second optical axis directed toward the space, the second light emitter being adjacent the first light emitter;

a third light emitter having a third optical axis directed toward the space; and

an optical sensor having a sensor optical axis positioned on a side of the space opposite the first and second light emitters and arranged to receive light emitted by the first and second light emitters to determine a presence or absence of a patient line segment in the space, the third optical axis being arranged at an oblique angle relative to the sensor optical axis, wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a patient line segment in the space and the patient line segment containing no liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is over a threshold level, and such that with a patient line segment in the space and the patient line segment containing liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is less than the threshold level.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second optical axis is approximately parallel to the first optical axis.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the optical sensor detects a higher or lower light level from the first light emitter when a patient line segment is in the space.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the optical sensor detects a lower light level from the second light emitter when a patient line segment is in the space.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein with a patient line segment in the space, a detected light level for both the first and second light emitters differs by more than about 15-20% from a calibration light level for the first and second light emitters that is detected when a patient line segment is known to be absent from the space.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein with a patient line segment not in the space, a detected light level for the second light emitter is within about 15-20% of the calibration light level for the second light emitter.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the optical sensor has an optical axis that is approximately collinear with the first optical axis.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the first optical axis passes approximately through a center of a patient line segment with the patient line segment positioned in the space.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the second optical axis is offset from a center of a patient line segment with the patient line segment positioned in the space.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the oblique angle is about 110-120 degrees.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the optical sensor and third light emitter are arranged such that with a patient line segment in the space and the patient line segment containing no liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is over about 150% of a calibration light level detected with no patient line segment in the space, and such that with a patient line segment in the space and the patient line segment containing liquid, a light level detected by the optical sensor is less than about 125% of the calibration light level.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the threshold level is about 125-150% of a light level detected by the optical sensor with no patient line segment in the space.