MEDICAL TUBING INSTALLATION DETECTION

• US 20160030655A1
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• 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: Wright, Nigel, Magargi, Samuel Ernest III, Harbaugh, Jeremy Thomas, Zang, Michael John, Beri, Joseph Stephen, Zatezalo, Douglas Mark, Monahan, Tom, Fox, Ronald Robert, Winniewicz, Regis Joseph Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,585,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/26 Iron; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/1816 Erythropoietin [EPO]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/152 Details related to the interface between cassette and machine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/154 with sensing means or components thereof
• 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 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/342 Adding solutions to the blood, e.g. substitution solutions for preventing coagulation A61M1/3672
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3424 Substitution fluid path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3431 upstream of the filter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3462 Circuits for the preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• 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 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 : by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/022 : Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/024 : Mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/048 : Transmission, i.e. analysed material between transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/102 : one emitter, one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2698 : Other discrete objects, e.g. bricks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/02 : Analysing fluids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 ; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/04 : Analysing solids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 : with stored values, e.g. threshold values

Abstract

This disclosure relates to detecting fluid in medical tubing. In certain aspects, a method is performed by a data processing apparatus. The method includes controlling repetitive activation of the ultrasonic transmitter. The method also includes receiving a signal from the ultrasonic receiver during an activation of the ultrasonic transmitter. The method also includes determining that fluid is absent or present in a portion of the medical fluid tube based on a comparison between the signal and a threshold value.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A dialysis medical system comprising:

a dialysis medical machine;

a control unit;

a portable computing device that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the control unit;

a medical fluid tube connected to the dialysis medical machine;

an ultrasonic transmitter positioned adjacent to the medical fluid tube;

an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent to the medical fluid tube configured to receive one or more signals in response to the activation of the ultrasonic transmitter; and

a computer storage medium encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by the dialysis medical system, cause the control unit to perform operations comprising;

controlling repetitive activation of the ultrasonic transmitter, wherein controlling repetitive activation of the ultrasonic transmitter comprises, for each repetition;

activating the ultrasonic transmitter for a first period; and

deactivating the ultrasonic transmitter for a second period;

wherein at least one of the following is provided;

(i) the first period and the second period are chosen to minimize cavitation in fluid carried in the medical fluid tube, or

(ii) based on comparison of a threshold value and a signal received from the ultrasonic receiver during an activation of the ultrasonic transmitter for the first period, presence or absence of fluid in a portion of the medical fluid tube is determined.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first period is 5 milliseconds and the second period is 995 milliseconds.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the medical fluid tube has an outer diameter of less than 0.128 inch.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the medical fluid tube has an inner diameter of less than 0.031 inch.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the portable computing device is configured to transmit and receive information related to one or more treatment parameters of a patient who is receiving or is to receive a treatment from the dialysis medical system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the information related to one or more treatment parameters includes one or more of a drug selection, a drug dosage, a drug delivery rate, an amount of a drug delivered, a status of a drug delivered, a time during which a drug has been delivered, a completion percentage for a drug delivery, and a time remaining for a drug delivery.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the fluid carried in the medical fluid tube includes a drug.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the portable computing device is configured to transmit information related to a dosage of the drug prescribed to the patient.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the drug includes one or both of iron sucrose and a drug for stimulating production of red blood cells.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the portable computing device is configured to receive information related to a dosage of the drug delivered to the patient during a treatment received from the dialysis medical system.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the portable computing device is configured to receive an indication that a source of the drug is empty.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the portable computing device is configured to provide instructions for controlling the control unit.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein controlling the control unit includes causing the control unit to disable or enable a pump for delivering a drug to a patient who is receiving or is to receive a treatment from the dialysis medical system.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the portable computing device is configured to receive an alert indicating an occurrence of an alert condition.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the alert condition comprises no fluid being detected in the medical fluid tube at a time at which fluid is expected to be present in the medical fluid tube.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the alert condition comprises fluid being detected in the medical fluid tube at a time at which fluid is not expected to be present in the medical fluid tube.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the alert condition comprises one or both of a drug type and a drug dosage to be provided to a patient who is receiving or is to receive a treatment from the dialysis medical system not matching an expected drug type and drug dosage.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the alert comprises one or more of a visual alert, an auditory alert, and a tactile alert.

38. The system of claim 20, wherein the portable computing device is configured to display information related to one or more treatment parameters of a patient who is receiving or is to receive a treatment from the dialysis medical system.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the portable computing device is configured to display information that is displayed on a user interface of the dialysis medical machine.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the portable computing device is configured to display an interface for providing instructions for controlling the control unit.

41. The system of claim 20, comprising a database that is configured to transmit and receive information, over a network, related to one or more treatment parameters of a patient who is receiving or is to receive a treatment from the dialysis medical system.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the information related to one or more treatment parameters includes one or more of a drug selection, a drug dosage, a drug delivery rate, an amount of a drug delivered, a status of a drug delivered, a time during which a drug has been delivered, a completion percentage for a drug delivery, and a time remaining for a drug delivery.