Treatment apparatus with gas separation device level controls and methods
AssigneeGambro Lundia AB
InventorsTimothy Nadolski, Michael Wangen, Nickolas Penning, Klaus Obergfell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Treatment apparatus with liquid level controls for gas separation devices used to separate gas bubbles from liquids are described herein along with methods of controlling the level of liquids in the gas separation devices. The gas separation devices may be used in liquid treatment apparatus to separate gas bubbles from one or more liquids such as, e.g., physiological liquids (e.g., blood, etc.).
Claims25
1-15. (canceled)
A liquid treatment apparatus comprising:
- a pump configured to move liquid, optionally blood or another physiological liquid, during extracorporeal blood treatment;
- a gas separation device, wherein the pump is configured to deliver liquid to the gas separation device, the gas separation device comprising:
- a containing body defining an internal volume,
- a first outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein the first outlet is located proximate a bottom of the containing body,
- a first inlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, the first inlet located above and spaced apart from the first outlet, and
- a second outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein the first inlet is located between the first outlet and the second outlet;
- a level control protection sensor to detect one or more of foam, non-blood liquid, and blood leaving the internal volume through the second outlet;
- and
- a controller operably connected to the level control protection sensor and configured to:
- receive a signal from the level control protection sensor;
- and
- determine whether one of foam, non-blood liquid, and blood is present or not present in a selected volume of the second outlet of the gas separation device based on the received signal from the level control protection sensor.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A liquid treatment apparatus comprising:
- a pump configured to move liquid, optionally blood or another physiological liquid, during extracorporeal blood treatment;
- a gas separation device, wherein the pump is configured to deliver liquid to the gas separation device, the gas separation device comprising:
- a containing body defining an internal volume,
- a first outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein the first outlet is located proximate a bottom of the containing body,
- a first inlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, the first inlet located above and spaced apart from the first outlet, and
- a second outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein the first inlet is located between the first outlet and the second outlet;
- a level control protection sensor to detect one or more of foam, non-blood liquid, and blood leaving the internal volume through the second outlet;
- and
- a controller operably connected to the level control protection sensor and configured to:
- receive a signal from the level control protection sensor,
- normalize the level control protection sensor by determining a normalization value of the signal when foam, non-blood liquid, and blood are not present in the second outlet, and
- determine that foam is present if the received signal is less than or equal to a foam threshold value and greater than a blood threshold value, and
- disable the level control apparatus when the controller determines that foam is present in a selected volume of the second outlet of the gas separation device based on the received signal from the level control protection sensor.
A method of controlling liquid level in a gas separation device located in a blood circuit of an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, the method comprising:
- moving blood through an internal volume of a containing body of a gas separation device, the gas separation device comprising a first outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein the first outlet is located proximate a bottom of the containing body, a first inlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, the first inlet located above and spaced apart from the first outlet, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume, wherein the first inlet is located between the first outlet and the second outlet;
- controlling the level of blood within the internal volume by removing one or more selected volumes of gas from the internal volume;
- detecting foam in a selected volume of the second outlet of the gas separation device;
- and
- preventing removal of gas from the internal volume when foam is detected in the selected volume of the second outlet of the gas separation device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.