Dialysis Machine
AssigneeQuanta Fluid Solutions Ltd.
InventorsMark Wallace, Ben Higgitt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a dialysis machine having improved flow balance. In particular, the invention monitors the pressure of blood entering and leaving a patient's body using several sensors (37, 39) and adapts the pressure of a dialysate solution feed to the dialysis machine to compensate for compliances in the fluid flow path. As a consequence, better flow balance is maintained throughout dialysis treatment leading to a more uniform removal of waste materials form the blood.
Claims40
A dialysis device comprising:
- an arterial blood line for delivering patient blood to a dialyser;
- a venous blood line for returning dialysed blood from the dialyser to the patient;
- a controller which controls a dialysate distribution pump for pumping fresh dialysate into the dialyser and spent dialysate out of the dialyser, the dialyser distribution pump having an inlet line for receiving fresh dialysate from a dialysate supply;
- a pressure sensor in the arterial and/or venous blood line, the sensor operably connected to the controller such that the controller receives a signal from the sensor representative of pressure in the arterial and/or venous blood;
- wherein, the controller monitors the signal from the sensor in the arterial and/or venous blood line and controls the pressure of the dialysate in the inlet line of the dialysate distribution pump in response to the pressure measured in the arterial and/or venous blood line.
A method of operating a dialysis machine which has an arterial blood line for delivering patient blood to a dialyser, a venous blood line for returning dialysed blood from the dialyser to the patient, a dialysate distribution pump for pumping fresh dialysate into the dialyser and spent dialysate out of the dialyser, the dialysate distribution pump having an inlet line for receiving fresh dialysate from a dialysate supply, the method comprising:
- monitoring the pressure of blood in the arterial blood line and/or the pressure of blood in the venous line,
- controlling the pressure of the dialysate in the inlet line of the dialysate distribution pump in response to the pressure measured in the arterial and/or venous blood line.
(canceled)
A method of performing dialysis comprising the steps of:
- delivering patient blood and fresh dialysate to a dialyser;
- monitoring the pressure of blood in an arterial blood line and/or the pressure of blood in a venous blood line;
- controlling the pressure of the dialysate in the inlet line of a dialysate distribution pump in response to the pressure measured in the arterial and/or venous blood line;
- and
- returning dialysed blood to the patient and removing spent dialysate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.