Dual flow sorbent cartridge

• US 9,707,330 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mozarc Medical US LLC
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kelly, Thomas D., Lyu, SuPing
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Application Number:
  US14/240,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20140326671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1696 with dialysate regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3609 Physical characteristics of the blood, e.g. haematocrit, urea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3313 used specific wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/75 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/082 Mounting brackets, arm supports for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/00 Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents using liquid sorbents B01D11/00; ion exchange processes or materials, sorbent materials in general B01J, e.g. sorbents for chromatography B01J20/281; for investigating or analysing materials G01N30/00; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/02 with moving adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/44 Cartridge types
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0211 Compounds of Ti, Zr, Hf
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0292 Phosphates of compounds other than those provided for in B01J20/048
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/24 Naturally occurring macromolecular compounds, e.g. humic acids or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/62 In a cartridge

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for the performance of kidney replacement therapy having or using a dialyzer, control components, a sorbent cartridge with at least two separate flow paths, and fluid reservoirs configured to be of a weight and size suitable to be worn or carried by an individual requiring treatment. The system for performing kidney replacement therapy has a controlled compliance dialysis circuit, where a control pump controls the bi-directional movement of fluid across a dialysis membrane. The dialysis circuit and an extracorporeal circuit for circulating blood are in fluid communication through the dialysis membrane. The flux of fluid moving between the extracorporeal circuit and the dialysis circuit is modified by the rate at which the control pump is operating such that a rate of ultrafiltration and convective clearance can be controlled. The system provides for the monitoring of an inlet and outlet conductivity of the sorbent cartridge to provide a facility to quantify or monitor the removal of urea by the sorbent cartridge.

Claims

1. A sorbent cartridge, comprising:

at least one cartridge body having a first inlet port and a second inlet port,

a common conduit;

one or more valves to direct dialysate to travel from the common conduit to either the first inlet port that defines a first flow path or the second inlet port that defines a second flow path through the sorbent cartridge to an outlet port; and

the first flow path flowing through at least a urease containing material and a zirconium phosphate material in the cartridge that is not in fluid communication with the second flow path, the second flow path flowing through at least a mixed anion and cation de-ionization resin in the sorbent cartridge not in fluid communication with the first flow path;

wherein the sorbent cartridge is capable of removing at least one impurity or waste species from a fluid.

2. The sorbent cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first flow path can further pass a fluid through any one of a zirconium oxide material and an activated carbon material and combinations thereof, and the second flow path can further pass a fluid through an activated carbon material.

3. The sorbent cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sorbent cartridge further comprises a second cartridge body, wherein the first inlet port allows a fluid to enter one cartridge body and the second inlet port allows a fluid to enter the second cartridge body.

4. The sorbent cartridge of claim 3, wherein the second cartridge body has an outlet port attached to a conduit for passing fluid to a side port of another cartridge body.

5. The sorbent cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sorbent cartridge comprises:

one cartridge body having a top portion and top portion sidewall and a bottom portion and bottom portion sidewall, the bottom portion having a larger mean diameter than the top portion, wherein a downstream opening and an upstream opening of the cartridge body are substantially parallel.

6. The sorbent cartridge of claim 5, further comprising one or more molded housings present within the cartridge body, wherein a first interior space is formed between a downstream opening of one of the molded housings and the downstream opening of the cartridge body with the proviso that the first interior space is not interior to the one or more molded housings.

7. The sorbent cartridge of claim 6, wherein the one or more molded housings include at least one selected from a first molded housing having a second interior space formed from one or more sidewalls and the one or more sidewalls forming a downstream opening and an upstream opening to the first molded housing;

and a second molded housing having a third interior space formed from one or more sidewalls and the one or more sidewalls forming a downstream opening and an upstream opening to the second molded housing.

8. The sorbent cartridge of claim 7, wherein the first molded housing has a plurality of standoffs projecting from the first molded housing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the downstream opening of the cartridge body.

9. The sorbent cartridge of claim 7, wherein a first flow channel space is formed between the one or more sidewalls of the first molded housing and the sidewall of the cartridge body.

10. The sorbent cartridge of claim 6, wherein the second molded housing has an annular peripheral portion having a plurality of openings formed therein.

11. The sorbent cartridge of claim 6, where the downstream opening and upstream opening of the second molded housing are parallel to the downstream opening and upstream opening of the cartridge body, and a fourth interior space is formed between the one or more sidewalls of the second molded housing and the one or more sidewalls of the cartridge body.

12. The sorbent cartridge of claim 6, wherein the one or more molded housings include a first molded housing having a second interior space formed from one or more sidewalls and the one or more sidewalls forming a downstream opening and an upstream opening to the first molded housing, and

wherein the one or more molded housings include a second molded housing having a third interior space formed from one or more sidewalls and the one or more sidewalls forming a downstream opening and an upstream opening to the second molded housing and a fourth interior space is formed between the one or more sidewalls of the second molded housing and the one or more sidewalls of the cartridge body.

13. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, wherein a first flow channel space is formed between the one or more sidewalls of the first molded housing and the sidewall of the cartridge body, wherein the fourth interior space is in fluid communication with the first flow channel space.

14. The sorbent cartridge of claim 13, wherein the first molded housing has a plurality of standoffs projecting from the first molded housing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the downstream opening of the cartridge body and a second flow channel space is formed between a base of the plurality of standoffs and a sorbent material in the first interior space.

15. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, wherein the second molded housing has an annular peripheral portion having a plurality of openings formed therein and the annular peripheral portion contacts the one or more sidewalls of the cartridge body.

16. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, wherein a fluid introduced to the first inlet port passes through the third interior space but does not pass through the fourth interior space.

17. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, wherein a fluid introduced to the second inlet port passes through the fourth interior space but does not pass through the third interior space and/or the second interior space and/or the first interior space.

18. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, further comprising a bottom piece attached to the one cartridge body, wherein the first inlet port and the second inlet port are formed in the bottom piece.

19. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, wherein the first flow path comprises the first interior space, the second interior space and the third interior space.

20. The sorbent cartridge of claim 12, wherein the second flow path comprises the fourth interior space, the first interior space and the first flow channel space.

21. The sorbent cartridge of claim 5, wherein the one cartridge body can have any one of a tapered, cylindrical, conical, or mesa shape.

22. The sorbent cartridge of claim 1, wherein the sorbent cartridge is docked in a cartridge holder, the cartridge holder comprising:

a central shaft;

a first arm attached to the central shaft having first and second access terminals;

a second arm attached to the central shaft having an access terminal, the second arm movable between at least a first position and a second position,

wherein the first access terminal of the first arm is engaged with the first inlet port, the second inlet access terminal of the first arm is engaged with the second inlet port and the access port of the second arm is engaged with the outlet port.

23. A method comprising:

measuring the conductivity of a fluid prior to entering a sorbent cartridge;

wherein the sorbent cartridge comprises at least one cartridge body;

a common conduit;

one or more valves to direct dialysate to travel from the common conduit to either a first inlet port that defines a first flow path or a second inlet port that defines a second flow path through the sorbent cartridge to an outlet port;

dividing the fluid between the first inlet port and the second inlet port of the sorbent cartridge based upon the conductivity of the fluid;

removing one or more waste species from the fluid and adjusting the sodium ion concentration of the fluid; and

recovering the fluid from the outlet port of the sorbent cartridge wherein the first flow path connected to the first inlet port includes a urease material and a zirconium phosphate material that is not in fluid communication with the second flow path; and

wherein the second flow path is connected to the second inlet port including a mixed anion and cation de-ionization resin in the sorbent cartridge not in fluid communication with the first flow path.

24. A system for performing kidney replacement treatment, comprising:

a hemodialysis system having a controlled compliance dialysis circuit, a dialyzer with a high permeability dialysis membrane, a blood inlet end for receiving blood, a blood outlet end for allowing blood out of the dialyzer, a dialysate inlet end for receiving dialysate and a dialysate outlet end for allowing dialysate out of the dialyzer, wherein the blood and the dialysate contact different sides of the dialysis membrane;

an extracorporeal circuit having a conduit for receiving blood from a subject and a conduit for returning blood to the subject and a blood pump for conveying blood from the subject, to the dialyzer and back to the subject; and

a dialysis circuit having a sorbent cartridge for removing impurities and waste species from the dialysate, one or more conduits for conveying dialysate between the sorbent cartridge and the dialyzer, and a dialysate pump for conveying dialysate from the sorbent cartridge, to the dialyzer and back to the sorbent cartridge, the sorbent cartridge having a dialysate inlet end and a dialysate outlet end;

wherein the sorbent cartridge comprises;

at least one cartridge body having a first inlet port and a second inlet port;

a common conduit;

one or more valves to direct dialysate to travel from the common conduit to either a first inlet port that defines a first flow path or a second inlet port that defines a second flow path through the sorbent cartridge to an outlet port; and

the first flow path flowing through at least a urease containing material and a zirconium phosphate material in the cartridge body that is not in fluid communication with the second flow path, the second flow path flowing through at least a mixed anion and cation de-ionization resin in the sorbent cartridge not in fluid communication with the first flow path;

wherein the sorbent cartridge is capable of removing at least one impurity or waste species from a fluid.