US 5,486,286 A · Apparatus for performing a self-test of kidney dialysis membrane · patentgrep

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Abstract

A number of improvements relating to methods and apparatuses for kidney dialysis are disclosed. These include checking of dialysate bypass status using flow measurement; using a flow sensor to confirm the absence of ultrafiltration during bypass; automatic testing of ultrafiltration function by removal of a discrete volume from a portion of the dialysate flow path coupled with a pressure test of that part of the flow path; using a touch screen user interface; bar graph profile programming of ultrafiltration, sodium, and bicarbonate parameters; using a RAM card to upload treatment instructions to, and to download treatment data from, the machine; automatic setting of proportioning mode (acetate or bicarbonate) based on connections of concentrate lines; predicting dialysate conductivity values based on brand and formulation of concentrates; minimizing no-flow dead time between dialysate pulses; initiating operation in a timed mode from a machine power-off condition; preserving machine mode during machine power-fail condition; calibration scheduling and reminding; automatic level adjusting; and blood leak flow rate detecting.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A kidney dialysis machine comprising:

(a) a dialyzer having a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) means for preparing dialysate and means for circulating the dialysate through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(c) means for effecting extracorporeal circulation of blood from a dialysis patient through a blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(d) means for delivering a first volume of dialysate to the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer;
(e) means for removing, simultaneously with delivering the first volume, a second volume of dialysate, equal to the first volume, from the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer;
(f) means for creating a volumetrically closed hydraulic loop in the dialysate circuit between said means for delivering the first volume and said means for removing the second volume;
(g) pressure-monitoring means for monitoring hydraulic pressure in the closed loop against pressure alarm limits;
(h) means for effecting a preselected net passage of liquid from the blood compartment through the dialysis membrane to the dialysate compartment, said means comprising ultrafiltrate removal means situated in the closed loop, said ultrafiltrate removal means being operable to remove a preselected volume of liquid from the closed loop;
and
(i) self-test means operative to perform, upon actuation, an automatic test of said means for effecting a preselected net passage of liquid from the blood compartment through the dialysis membrane to the dialysate compartment, wherein, during the test, said ultrafiltrate removal means removes a preset volume of liquid from the closed loop and said pressure monitoring means monitors a corresponding drop in pressure in the closed loop for a preset amount of time.

7 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine comprising:

(a) a dialyzer with a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) means for preparing dialysate and means for circulating the dialysate through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
c) means for effecting extracorporeal circulation of blood from a dialysis patient through a blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(d) flow-equalizing means for delivering a first volume of dialysate to the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer and for removing, simultaneously with delivering the first volume, a second volume of dialysate, equal to the first volume, from the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer, said flow-equalizing means comprising a first chamber and a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber;
and
(e) each pre-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet and each post-dialyzer compartment has an inlet and an outlet, said flow-equalizing means further comprising inlet valves each having an outlet hydraulically coupled to the inlet of the corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, and outlet valves each having an inlet hydraulically coupled to the outlet of a corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, wherein the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer inlet, and wherein the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer outlet.

3 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine comprising:

(a) a dialyzer having a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) means for preparing dialysate and means for circulating the dialysate through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(c) means for effecting extracorporeal circulation of blood from a dialysis patient through a blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(d) flow-equalizing means for delivering a first volume of dialysate to the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer and for removing, simultaneously with delivering the first volume, a second volume of dialysate equal to the first volume from the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer, said flow-equalizing means comprising a first chamber and a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, and each pre-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet and each post-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber;
and
(e) first pressure equalizing means coupled to an inlet of the flow equalizing means for equilibrating hydraulic pressures at the inlets of the pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartments and second pressure-equalizing means coupled to an outlet of the flow equalizing means for equilibrating hydraulic pressures at the outlets of the pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartments.

3 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine comprising:

(a) a dialyzer with a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) means for preparing dialysate and means for circulating the dialysate through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate at a dialysate flow rate compartment, the dialysate input and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(c) means for effecting extracorporeal circulation of blood from a dialysis patient through a blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(d) means for delivering a first volume of dialysate to the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer;
(e) means for removing, simultaneously with delivering the first volume, a second volume of dialysate, equal to the first volume, from the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer, wherein said means for delivering a first volume and said means for removing a second volume collectively comprise a flow equalizer comprising a first chamber, a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, an inlet, and an outlet, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber;
(f) sensing means for determining end-of-stroke times for the first and second chambers of the flow-equalizer, said sensing means being hydraulically coupled to the flow-equalizer outlet;
and
(g) means, responsive to said sensing means, operable to increase the dialysate flow rate if said sensing means detects an excessive end-of-stroke time.

5 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine comprising:

(a) a dialyzer with a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) means for preparing dialysate and means for circulating the dialysate through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(c) means for effecting extracorporeal circulation of blood from a dialysis patient through a blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(d) means for delivering a first volume of dialysate to the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer;
(e) means for removing, simultaneously with delivering the first volume, a second volume of dialysate, equal to the first volume, from the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer, wherein said means for delivering a first volume and said means for removing a second volume collectively comprise a flow equalizer, comprising a first chamber and a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first ,chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber, each pre-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet and each post-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the flow equalizer further comprising inlet valves each having an outlet hydraulically coupled to the inlet of the corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, and outlet valves each having an inlet hydraulically coupled to the outlet of a corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, wherein the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer inlet, and wherein the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer outlet;
and
(f) first pressure equalizing means coupled to the inlet of the flow equalizer for equilibrating hydraulic pressures at the inlets of the pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartments and second pressure-equalizing means coupled to the outlet of the flow equalizer for equilibrating hydraulic pressures at the outlets of the pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartments.

4 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine, comprising:

(a) a dialyzer having a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) a source of liquid dialysate;
(c) a dialysate supply pump for circulating the dialysate from the dialysate source through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input, and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(d) a blood pump for circulating blood through an extracorporeal blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(e) a flow equalizer comprising a first chamber and a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber;
(f) a closed hydraulic loop in the dialysate circuit between the first and second chambers, the closed loop including the dialysate compartment, dialysate input, and dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(g) a UF flow meter situated in the closed loop, the UF flow meter being operable to remove a preselected amount of liquid from the closed loop;
and
(h) a pressure monitor including pressure alarm limits, the pressure monitor being operable to monitor hydraulic pressure in the closed loop against the pressure alarm limits and to perform a test of the UF flow meter, in which test the UF flow meter removes a preset volume of liquid from the closed loop and the pressure monitor monitors a corresponding drop in pressure in the closed loop for a preset amount of time against the pressure alarm limits.

6 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine, comprising:

(a) a dialyzer having a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) a source of liquid dialysate;
(c) a dialysate supply pump for circulating the dialysate from the dialysate source through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input, and the dialysate output of the dialyzer;
(d) a blood pump for circulating blood through an extracorporeal blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
and
(e) a flow equalizer comprising a first chamber and a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber, each pre-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet and each post-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the flow equalizer further comprising inlet valves each having an outlet hydraulically coupled to the inlet of the corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, and outlet valves each having an inlet hydraulically coupled to the outlet of the corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, wherein the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer inlet, and wherein the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer outlet.

3 more elements

A kidney dialysis machine, comprising:

(a) a dialyzer having a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment separated from the dialysate compartment by a dialysis membrane, a dialysate input, a dialysate output, a blood input, and a blood output;
(b) a source of liquid dialysate;
(c) a dialysate supply pump for circulating the dialysate from the dialysate source through a dialysate circuit, the dialysate circuit including the dialysate compartment, the dialysate input, and the dialysate Output of the dialyzer;
(d) a blood pump for circulating blood through an extracorporeal blood circuit, the blood circuit including the blood compartment, the blood input, and the blood output of the dialyzer;
(e) a flow equalizer comprising a first chamber and a second chamber substantially equal in volume to the first chamber, each chamber being divided into a pre-dialyzer compartment and a post-dialyzer compartment, the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously, and the post-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the pre-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber being operable to alternately fill and empty simultaneously alternately with the pre-dialyzer compartment of the first chamber and the post-dialyzer compartment of the second chamber, each pre-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet and each post-dialyzer compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the flow equalizer further comprising inlet valves each having an outlet hydraulically coupled to the inlet of the corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, and outlet valves each having an inlet hydraulically coupled to the outlet of the corresponding pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartment, wherein the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the inlets of the valves coupled to the inlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer inlet, and wherein the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the pre-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together and the outlets of the valves coupled to the outlets of the post-dialyzer compartments are hydraulically coupled together so as to form a flow-equalizer outlet;
(f) a first pressure equalizer coupled to the inlet of the flow equalizer for equilibrating hydraulic pressures at the inlets of the pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartments;
and
(g) a second pressure equalizer coupled to the outlet of the flow equalizer for equilibrating hydraulic pressures at the outlets of the pre-dialyzer and post-dialyzer compartments.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/122,047Filed 14 Sep 1993 · division
Priority: 19 Apr 1991
Granted: 23 Jan 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification33 codes

G06F 3/04847
For the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a…:…
A61M 1/16
Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators ; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for…:…
A61M 1/1607
Physical characteristics of the dialysate fluid: before use, i.e. upstream of dialyser
A61M 1/1613
Control or regulation: profiling or modelling of patient or predicted treatment evolution or outcome

Family

Serial688,174Parent of this division · filed 19 Apr 1991
US 5,247,434 AParent of this division
US 5,486,286 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Citations

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