System for enriching a bodily fluid with a gas having automated priming capabilities

A gas-enrichment system having an extracorporeal circuit for enriching a bodily fluid of a patient with a gas-enriched fluid, comprising

• an enclosure configured for receiving a gas-enrichment device, wherein said gas-enrichment device comprises a gas-enrichment chamber for enriching a physiologic fluid with the gas and a mixing chamber for mixing the gas-enriched physiologic fluid with the bodily fluid of the patient;
• a pumping assembly comprising a pump for controlling fluid flow through the extracorporeal circuit;
• a controller for automatic control of gas-enrichment and extracorporeal circuit operations;
• one or more load cells configured to monitor the pressure within the extracorporeal circuit;
• and
• a memory device for storing pump, oxygen and cartridge operating parameters,
• wherein said system and said gas-enrichment device, when loaded into the system, provide a fluid path for the bodily fluid to circulate from the patient to the mixing chamber and back to the patient.

A method for priming an extracorporeal gas-enrichment system useful for enriching a bodily fluid of a patient with a gas-enriched fluid, wherein said system comprises an enclosure configured for receiving a gas-enrichment device, and wherein said gas-enrichment device comprises a physiologic fluid chamber, a gas-enrichment chamber, and a fluid mixing chamber, the fluid mixing chamber having:

• a first inlet operatively connected to a draw tube for receiving the bodily fluid from a patient;
• a second inlet for receiving a gas-enriched fluid;
• a first outlet for releasing gas from the chamber;
• a second outlet operatively connected to a return tube for allowing the gas-enriched bodily fluid to exit the chamber, wherein said return tube is coupled to a return clamp capable of stopping fluid flow in the return tube when closed;
• one or more level sensors for monitoring fluid levels in the chambers;
• and one or more pressure transducer for monitoring the pressure in the extracorporeal circuit,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• loading the gas-enrichment device into the system;
• priming the physiologic chamber and the gas-enrichment chamber with a physiologic fluid;
• and
• priming the extracorporeal circuit by effecting the bodily fluid to flow through the circuit, wherein the bodily fluid enters the circuit from the draw tube, flows into the mixing chamber and then exits through the return tube,
• wherein said step of priming the physiologic chamber and the gas-enrichment chamber is performed by the system automatically upon loading of the gas-enrichment device, and
• wherein said priming the extracorporeal circuit step is performed when the system receives a priming command from a user.