Rinsing device and method of rinsing artificial kidneys therewith

A rinsing device adapted for use in rinsing the blood chamber of an artificial kidney having a tubular blood port, said device comprising a body having a liquid supply end and a delivery end, a liquid supply channel in said body having supply and delivery openings at said supply and delivery ends respectively for receiving and discharging rinse liquid, said delivery end comprising spout support wall means having said delivery opening extending therethrough, means for injecting rinse liquid into a blood chamber comprising a spout extending outwardly from said support wall means and adapted for insertion freely through the blood port to adjacent the inner portion of the blood chamber, a channel extending lengthwise in said spout and having inner and outer ends, said inner end communicating with said delivery opening, said outer end comprising liquid outlet means adjacent to the outer end of said spout, and means for deflecting rinse liquid flushed from the blood chamber and along said spout toward said support wall means in the space between the spout and tubular blood port during a rinse operation when said spout is inserted through the blood port into the blood chamber comprising a chamber in said spout support wall means, the latter chamber comprising a channel extending around said spout and opening in the outward direction of extension of said spout from said support wall means for redirecting said flushed rinse fluid outwardly from said support wall means, said channel having a channel base and radially inner and outer channel walls, said base comprising the outer surface of said support wall means, said radially inner wall comprising the exterior of said spout adjacent to said support wall means, and said radially outer wall comprising an outward extension of said support wall means.

In combination with an artificial kidney having a plurality of hollow fibers extending axially through a tubesheet having a planar end face defining an axially inner surface of a blood chamber, said kidney having header means cooperable with said tubesheet for enclosing said blood chamber and having a tubular blood port extending in the axial direction from said planar surface;

• rinsing means for rinsing said blood chamber comprising a body having a liquid supply end and a delivery end, a liquid supply channel in said body having supply and delivery openings at said supply and delivery ends respectively for receiving and discharging rinse liquid, said delivery end comprising spout support wall means having said delivery opening extending therethrough, means for injecting rinse liquid into said blood chamber comprising a spout extending from said support wall means and being freely insertable through the blood port to adjacent said planar end surface, a channel in said spout and having inner and outer ends, said inner end communicating with said delivery opening, said outer end comprising liquid outlet means adjacent to the outer end of said spout, and means for deflecting rinse liquid flushed from said blood chamber and along said spout toward said support wall means in the space between said spout and tubular blood port during a rinse operation when said spout is inserted through said blood port into said blood chamber comprising a chamber in said spout support wall means, the latter chamber comprising a channel extending around said spout and opening in the direction of extension of said spout from said support wall means for redirecting said flushed rinse fluid outwardly from said support wall means.