Gravity flow fluid balance system
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring and controlling the infusion and removal of fluids travelling by gravity to a human body comprising:
- an infusate reservoir for storing a supply of infusate;
means for transporting infusate from said infusate reservoir to the human body;
an ultrafiltrate reservoir for storing a supply of ultrafiltrate;
means for transporting a fluid from the human body to said ultrafiltrate reservoir, said means for transporting fluid including a means for filtering said fluid to obtain an ultrafiltrate;
means for monitoring said infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir and the fluid transported to said ultrafiltrate reservoir by determining weight changes of said infusate reservoir and said ultrafiltrate reservoir;
means for controlling the infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir based on a rate of weight change over time, said rate of weight change being equal to a rate of change over time in the weight of said infusate reservoir minus a rate of change over time in the weight of said ultrafiltrate reservoir.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a gravity flow fluid balancing system that includes an infusion line to transport an infusate from an infusate supply to a patient'"'"'s body and an ultrafiltrate line for transporting ultrafiltrate from the body to an ultrafiltrate reservoir. The infusate and ultrafiltrate reservoirs are each connected to a load cell. The load cells are, in turn, connected to a control unit which compares the readings received from the load cells. A clamp, which is controlled by the control unit, controls the flow out of the infusate reservoir into the patient'"'"'s body. Control of the clamp and fluid flow through the system can be regulated on a weight change basis (infusate - ultrafiltrate) or on an infusion basis.
226 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring and controlling the infusion and removal of fluids travelling by gravity to a human body comprising:
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an infusate reservoir for storing a supply of infusate; means for transporting infusate from said infusate reservoir to the human body; an ultrafiltrate reservoir for storing a supply of ultrafiltrate; means for transporting a fluid from the human body to said ultrafiltrate reservoir, said means for transporting fluid including a means for filtering said fluid to obtain an ultrafiltrate; means for monitoring said infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir and the fluid transported to said ultrafiltrate reservoir by determining weight changes of said infusate reservoir and said ultrafiltrate reservoir; means for controlling the infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir based on a rate of weight change over time, said rate of weight change being equal to a rate of change over time in the weight of said infusate reservoir minus a rate of change over time in the weight of said ultrafiltrate reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for monitoring and controlling the infusion and removal of fluids travelling by gravity to a human body comprising:
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an infusate reservoir for storing a supply of infusate; means for transporting infusate from said infusate reservoir to the human body; an ultrafiltrate reservoir for storing a supply of ultrafiltrate; means for transporting a fluid from the human body to said ultrafiltrate reservoir, and means for transporting fluid including a means for filtering said fluid to obtain an ultrafiltrate; means for monitoring said infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir and the fluid transported to said ultrafiltrate reservoir by determining weight changes of said infusate reservoir and said ultrafiltrate reservoir; means for controlling the infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir based on a rate of weight change over time, said rate of weight change being equal to a rate of change over time in the weight of said infusate reservoir minus a rate of change over time in the weight of said ultrafiltrate reservoir; means for controlling infusate transported out of said infusate reservoir based on a rate of flow of infusate over time from said infusate reservoir; means for enabling either said means for controlling transported infusate based on said rate of weight change or said means for controlling transported infusate based on said rate of flow of infusate.
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Specification