System and method for dialyzer evaluation
AssigneeFresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
InventorsLouis LeeGrande Barrett, Chih-Hu Ho, Eric Stroup
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for evaluating dialyzers used in different medical applications (e.g., hemodialysis). Red blood cell volume lost in a dialyzer is monitored by obtaining blood flowrate measurements and hematocrit measurements at input ports and output ports of the dialyzer. The flowrate and hematocrit measurements are used to determine an accumulation of red cell blood volume in the dialyzer. The measurements may be obtained in a lab environment with an in-vitro blood source or may be obtained in a clinical setting with an in-vivo blood source from a patient.
Claims22
A system, comprising:
- a first sensor connected to a first portion of a blood flow path disposed on an input side of a dialyzer, wherein the first sensor is configured to obtain measurements relating to a characteristic of blood in the first portion of the blood flow path;
- a second sensor connected to a second portion of the blood flow path disposed on an output side of the dialyzer, wherein the second sensor is configured to obtain measurements relating to a characteristic of blood in the second portion of the blood flow path;
- and
- a controller configured to determine a red blood cell volume loss corresponding to an amount of red blood cells remaining in the dialyzer based on the measurements from the first and second sensors.
A system, comprising:
- a first port disposed in a first portion of a blood flow path disposed on an input side of a dialyzer, wherein the first port is configured to permit blood to be drawn from the first portion of the blood flow path;
- a second port disposed in a second portion of the blood flow path disposed on an output side of the dialyzer, wherein the second port is configured to permit blood to be drawn from the second portion of the blood flow path;
- and
- a controller configured to determine a red blood cell volume loss corresponding to an amount of red blood cells remaining in the dialyzer based on measurements relating to a characteristic of blood in the first portion of the blood flow path and measurements relating to a characteristic of blood in the second portion of the blood flow path, wherein the measurements relating to the characteristic of the blood in the first portion of the blood flow path correspond to blood drawn from the first portion of the blood flow path, and wherein the measurements relating to the characteristic of the blood in the second portion of the blood flow path correspond to blood drawn from the second portion of the blood flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.