# US 11,896,752 B2 · Dialysis machine and method

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- Number: US 11,896,752 B2
- Document ID: US11896752B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/757,961
- Filed: 2018-10-25
- Published: 2020-10-29
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-27
- Assignees: Gambro Lundia AB
- Applicants: Gambro Lundia AB
- Inventors: Sture Hobro; Roger Nilsson; Olof Jansson; Björn Ericson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896752B2

## CPC

- A61M 1/3646: {Expelling the residual body fluid after use, e.g. back to the body}
- A61M 1/3627: {Degassing devices; Buffer reservoirs; Drip chambers; Blood filters}
- A61M 1/365: {through membranes, e.g. by inverted trans-membrane pressure [TMP]}
- A61M 1/3652: {using gas, e.g. air}
- A61M 60/279: Peristaltic pumps, e.g. roller pumps
- A61M 1/3649: {using dialysate as priming or rinsing liquid}
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

A dialysis machine configured to carry out a method and a method for draining an extracorporeal fluid circuit utilizing a dialysis machine, wherein the dialysis machine is connected to a dialyzer and said extracorporeal fluid circuit, said extracorporeal fluid circuit comprising an arterial line connectable to a patient, for drawing blood from the patient and a venous line connectable to the patient for returning blood to the patient, the method comprising: after treatment termination from said extracorporeal fluid circuit draining remaining fluid from said extracorporeal fluid circuit through the dialyzer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for draining an extracorporeal fluid circuit utilizing a dialysis machine, wherein the dialysis machine is connected to a dialyzer and the extracorporeal fluid circuit, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit includes an arterial line connectable to a patient for drawing blood from the patient and a venous line connectable to the patient for returning blood to the patient, the method comprising:
after treatment termination from said extracorporeal fluid circuit, draining remaining fluid from said extracorporeal fluid circuit through the dialyzer, wherein the dialyzer is connected to the dialysis machine via a dialyzer fluid circuit for distribution of dialysis fluid to and from the dialyzer, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit is drained through the dialyzer by applying a negative pressure on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit,
wherein the negative pressure is applied on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit by introducing air into the extracorporeal fluid circuit by pumping the air through an inlet that is fluidly connected to a venous drip chamber with an air pump that is connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the inlet and the venous drip chamber, the air pump being fluidly connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the drip chamber and the inlet during and after the treatment,
wherein the arterial line includes a first port connectable to the patient, and the venous line includes a second port connectable to the patient, and
wherein the venous drip chamber is positioned between the dialyzer and the second port;
connecting the first port to the second port prior to introducing the air into the extracorporeal fluid circuit; and
activating a peristaltic blood pump to generate a flow of the air.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises introducing a rinse-back fluid into the extracorporeal fluid circuit prior to the draining for filling the extracorporeal fluid circuit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the dialyzer is connected to a pump arrangement for distribution of the dialysis fluid to and from the dialyzer, the method further comprising controlling said pump arrangement to achieve a net removal of remaining fluid from the dialyzer and the extracorporeal fluid circuit during the applying of negative pressure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the dialysis machine is connected to the peristaltic blood pump, which is connected to the arterial line, the method further comprising activating said peristaltic blood pump to generate a flow of the rinse-back fluid in the direction of the dialyzer; and
generating a pushback flow of blood in the direction of the arterial line such that the arterial line is emptied of blood prior to the generating of the flow of the rinse-back fluid in the direction of the dialyzer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the dialysis machine is connected to a dialysis fluid pump that is connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit, wherein introducing of the rinse-back fluid into the extracorporeal fluid circuit to fill said extracorporeal fluid circuit is performed by activating the dialysis fluid pump to generate a flow of the rinse-back fluid in the direction of the venous line through the dialyzer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A dialysis machine connected to an extracorporeal fluid circuit and a dialyzer,
wherein said extracorporeal fluid circuit includes an arterial line connectable to a patient for drawing blood from the patient and a venous line connectable to the patient for returning blood to the patient,
the dialysis machine comprising a peristaltic blood pump connected to said extracorporeal fluid circuit,
wherein said extracorporeal fluid circuit further comprises an air pump and a venous drip chamber, wherein the air pump is connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via said venous drip chamber, and wherein the venous drip chamber is located between the dialyzer and a port of the venous line, and
wherein the dialysis machine is configured to perform the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein said peristaltic blood pump is activated to generate a flow of air in the direction of the dialyzer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the peristaltic blood pump is connected to the arterial line.

### Claim 9

A method for draining an extracorporeal fluid circuit utilizing a dialysis machine, wherein the dialysis machine includes a dialysis fluid pump that is fluidly coupled to a dialyzer, which is fluidly coupled to the extracorporeal fluid circuit, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit comprises an arterial line connectable to a patient for drawing blood from the patient and a venous line connectable to the patient for returning blood to the patient, the method comprising:
after treatment termination from said extracorporeal fluid circuit when said arterial line is filled with blood, generating a pushback flow of the blood in the direction of the arterial line for emptying of said arterial line and introducing a rinse-back fluid into the extracorporeal fluid circuit for filling the extracorporeal fluid circuit prior to the draining of remaining fluid by activating the dialysis fluid pump so as to generate a flow of the rinse-back fluid in the direction of the venous line through the dialyzer, wherein since the pushback flow in the direction of the arterial line is generated, said arterial line is filled with rinse-back fluid;
draining the remaining fluid from said extracorporeal fluid circuit through the dialyzer, wherein the dialyzer is connected to the dialysis machine via a dialyzer fluid circuit for distribution of dialysis fluid to and from the dialyzer, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit is drained through the dialyzer by applying a negative pressure on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit,
wherein the negative pressure is applied on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit by introducing air into the extracorporeal fluid circuit by pumping the air through an inlet that is fluidly connected to a venous drip chamber with an air pump that is connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the venous drip chamber after a first port of the arterial line is connected to a second port of the venous line, the air pump being fluidly connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the drip chamber and the inlet during and after the treatment, and
wherein the venous drip chamber is situated between the dialyzer and the second port; and
activating a peristaltic blood pump to generate a flow of air causing the remaining fluid to be pushed towards the dialyzer for draining through the dialysis machine.

### Claim 10

A method for draining an extracorporeal fluid circuit utilizing a dialysis machine, wherein the dialysis machine is fluidly coupled to a dialyzer, which is fluidly coupled to the extracorporeal fluid circuit, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit comprises an arterial line connectable to a patient for drawing blood from the patient and a venous line connectable to the patient for returning blood to the patient, and wherein the arterial line comprises a first port connectable to the patient and the venous line comprises a second port connectable to the patient the method comprising:
after treatment termination from said extracorporeal fluid circuit:
enabling the arterial line to be disconnected from the patient through disconnection of the first port,
enabling the arterial line to be connected to a rinse-back fluid container prior to rinse-back fluid being introduced into the extracorporeal fluid circuit, the rinse-back container being a supply of saline or substitution fluid,
causing the second port to be maintained in connection with the patient,
activating a peristaltic blood pump to generate an introduction of the rinse-back fluid, the rinse-back fluid flowing from the rinse-back container through the dialyzer towards the venous line thereby filling the extracorporeal fluid circuit with the rinse-back fluid until only small residuals of blood are left in the extracorporeal fluid circuit, and
after filling the extracorporeal fluid circuit with the rinse-back fluid, draining remaining fluid from said extracorporeal fluid circuit through the dialyzer, wherein the dialyzer is connected to the dialysis machine via a dialyzer fluid circuit for distribution of dialysis fluid to and from the dialyzer,
wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit is drained through the dialyzer by applying a negative pressure on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit, where the negative pressure is applied on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit by introducing air into the extracorporeal fluid circuit by pumping the air through an inlet that is fluidly connected to a venous drip chamber with an air pump that is connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the venous drip chamber after the first port is connected to the second port, the air pump being fluidly connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the drip chamber and the inlet during and after the treatment, and
wherein the venous drip chamber is situated between the dialyzer and the second port; and
activating a peristaltic blood pump to generate a flow of air, causing the remaining fluid to be pushed towards the dialyzer for draining through the dialysis machine.