Method and apparatus for treating renal disease with hemodialysis utilizing pulsatile pump

• US 20110098624A1
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: East Carolina University
• Original Assignee: East Carolina University
• Inventors: Bolin, Paul, McCotter, Craig
• Application Number:
  US10/467,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098624A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/5.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1649 with pulsatile dialysis fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0498 Urea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/75 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/113 in other functional devices, e.g. dialysers or heart-lung machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/279 Peristaltic pumps, e.g. roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/37 Haemodialysis, haemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/562 for making blood flow pulsatile in blood pumps that do not intrinsically create pulsatile flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/2066 Pulsated flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/08 Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation

Abstract

A method of removing toxins from blood from a patient in need of such toxin removal includes: providing a countercurrent dialysis filter (20) having a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment separated from the blood compartment by a semi-permeable membrane; conveying blood from the patient through the blood compartment of a countercurrent filter (20) an back to the patient; and drawing dialysate from a reservoir (32) through the dialysate compartment of the countercurrent filter (20). At least one of the blood or dialysate experiences pulsatile flow. The steps are carried out such that blood toxins are drawn from the blood compartment through the semi-permeable membrane into the dialysate compartment.

Claims

10. An apparatus for performing hemodialysis on a subject in need of such treatment, comprising:

a dialysis filter having a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment separated from said blood compartment by a semi-permeable membrane;

a first pump fluidly connected with the blood compartment that conveys blood from the patient through a blood compartment of the filter and back to the subject; and

a second pump fluidly connected to the dialysate compartment;

wherein at least one of said first and second pumps is configured to induce pulsatile flow.

1. A method of removing toxins from blood from a patient in need of such toxin removal, comprising:

providing a countercurrent dialysis filter having a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment separated from said blood compartment by a semi-permeable membrane;

conveying blood from the patient through the blood compartment of a filter an back to the patient; and

drawing dialysate from a reservoir through the dialysate compartment of the filter such that blood toxins are drawn from said blood compartment through the semi-permeable membrane into the dialysate compartment;

wherein at least one of the conveying and drawing steps is carried out with pulsatile flow.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said drawing step comprises drawing the dialysate through the dialysate compartment with a pulsatile pump.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said drawing step comprises drawing the dialysate through the dialysate compartment at a pulsatile pressure of greater than about 10 mm Hg.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said drawing step comprises drawing the dialysate through the dialysate compartment at between 30 and 100 pulses per minute.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said drawing step further comprises drawing the dialysate through the dialysate compartment with a roller head pump.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying step comprises conveying blood from the patient through the blood compartment with a constant flow pump.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said providing step comprises providing a dialysis filter with a dialysate compartment comprising a dialysate casing and a blood compartment comprising a plurality of tubules that reside within the dialysate casing.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying step comprises conveying blood with a pulsatile pump.

9. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying step comprises conveying the blood with a pulse pressure of greater than about 30 mm Hg.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said second pump comprises a pulsatile pump.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11, wherein said second pump is configured to induce a pulsatile pressure of greater than about 10 mm Hg in dialysate in the dialysate compartment.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said dialysate compartment comprises a dialysate casing and said blood compartment comprises a plurality of blood tubules residing within said dialysate casing.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 10, further comprising a third constant flow pump fluidly connected to said second pump.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said second pump is configured to provide pulsatile flow at a rate of between about 30 and 100 cycles per minute.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said first pump and said second pump are pulsatile pumps.

15-1. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the pulsatile pressure induced by said first or second pump is at least 30 mm Hg.

16-2. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the pulsatile pressure induced by said first pump is at least 30 mm Hg.