Electrical safety methods, devices, and systems for medical treatment devices
AssigneeNxStage Medical, Inc.
InventorYakov Kogan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and devices can detect a dangerous or adverse condition or anticipated condition that indicates an undesirable amount of electric current in a patient-connected tube providing fluid to a patient. The fluid flow to the patient is stopped responsive to the detection. Stoppage of fluid flow to the patient can reduce or prevent electric current in the fluid from reaching a patient, flowing through the patient to ground, and/or continuing to flow through the patient.
Claims22
A method for protecting a patient from an electrical source, comprising:
- connecting the patient to a treatment device by a fluid line;
- receiving a voltage or current signal indicating a flow of current or voltage in the fluid line connected to the patient;
- determining if the voltage or current exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- and
- in response to the determining, breaking fluid continuity between the patient and the treatment device.
A system for protecting a patient from an electrical source, comprising:
- means for receiving a voltage or current signal indicating a flow of current or voltage in a fluid line connected to the patient;
- means for determining if the voltage or current exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- and
- means for closing a valve to break continuity between the patient and the treatment device in response to the determined voltage or current.
A system for stopping flow of a conductive fluid to a patient, comprising:
- means for identifying an unsatisfactory condition in the system indicative of patient leakage current or anticipated patient leakage current of an unacceptable amount;
- means for stopping fluid continuity to the patient based on the identified unsatisfactory condition.
A method for preventing or minimizing patient leakage current, comprising:
- identifying an indication of patient leakage current or a precursor to an unacceptable leakage current situation;
- and
- making discontinuous a fluid path to a patient responsive to said identifying.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.