Method of monitoring dislodgement of venous needles in dialysis patients

• US 8,348,850 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henry Ford Health System
• Original Assignee: Henry Ford Health System
• Inventors: Frinak, Stanley, Yee, Jerry, Besarab, Anatole, Zasuwa, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Mallari, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): JANG, CHRISTIAN YONGKYUN
• Application Number:
  US12/569,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 600/485, 600/371, 606 401- 606, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 600/485
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3639 Blood pressure control, pressure transducers specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3653 Interfaces between patient blood circulation and extra-corporal blood circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3655 Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3656 Monitoring patency or flow at connection sites; Detecting disconnections

Abstract

A method of detecting a dislodged needle in a hemodialysis procedure includes measuring venous drip pressure of the dialysis machine of a patient undergoing hemodialysis, analyzing the venous drip pressure and deriving intravascular blood pressure at a location of venous needle insertion into the patient, comparing the derived intravascular blood pressure to a standard, repeating the measuring, analyzing and deriving, and comparing steps and, if the intravascular blood pressure is within a specified range of the standard, determining that a needle has been dislodged in the hemodialysis procedure. A method of alerting the patient and medical personnel of a dislodged needle in a hemodialysis procedure includes detecting a drop in intravascular pressure derived from measured venous drip pressure, determining that a needle is dislodged, and alerting medical personnel of the dislodged needle.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a dislodged needle in a hemodialysis procedure, comprising the steps of:

measuring venous drip pressure for a patient undergoing dialysis;

with a computer-driven analyzer, analyzing the venous drip pressure and deriving intravascular blood pressure at a location of venous needle insertion into the patient;

using the analyzer, comparing the derived intravascular blood pressure to a standard;

repeating said measuring, analyzing and deriving steps to determine a plurality of intravascular blood pressures, and repeating said comparing step; and

if one of the plurality of intravascular blood pressures is within a specified range of the standard, determining with the analyzer that a needle has been dislodged in the hemodialysis procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of turning off a blood pump of hemodialysis machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of activating an alarm that notifies medical personnel of the dislodged needle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm is chosen from the group consisting of wireless and hardwired.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm is wireless and sends a signal to a handheld device of a medical personnel.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm is audible.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm vibrates and is connected to an alarm device located on the patient.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intravascular blood pressure comprises a venous access pressure (VAP).

9. A method of detecting a dislodged needle in a hemodialysis procedure, comprising the steps of:

measuring venous drip pressure for a patient undergoing dialysis;

with a computer-driven analyzer, analyzing the venous drip pressure (VDP) and deriving venous access pressure (VAP) in proximity of a location of needle insertion into a patient'"'"'s body;

using the analyzer, comparing the derived VAP to a standard;

repeating said measuring, analyzing and deriving steps to determine a plurality of VAP values over multiple time periods, and repeating said comparing step; and

if one of the plurality of VAP values is within a specified range of the standard, determining with the analyzer that a needle has been dislodged in the hemodialysis procedure.

10. The method of claim 9, further including the step of turning off a blood pump of hemodialysis machine.

11. The method of claim 9, further including the step of activating an alarm that notifies medical personnel of the dislodged needle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the alarm is chosen from the group consisting of wireless and hardwired.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the alarm is wireless and sends a signal to a handheld device of a medical personnel.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the alarm is audible.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the alarm vibrates and is connected to an alarm device located on the patient.