Portable persistaltic pump for peritoneal dialysis

In combination, a high-volume, inexpensive, portable, closed system peristaltic pump and transfer set assembly for portable peritoneal dialysis procedures, comprising:

• a motor assembly, including:
• a battery power supply;
• a drive shaft with a velocity of between 1,500 and 20,000 rotations per minute;
• gear means for communicating drive shaft revolutions in a ratio of at least fifteen to one;
• capability to drive volumetric flow rates in excess of 100 ml/minute for at least 20 minutes;
• a spindle including:
• a turn shaft in torque communication with the drive shaft, said turn shaft being located along a central axis of the spindle, the spindle being rotatable in two directions on a plane transverse the axis;
• support structure affixed to and extending radially outward from the turn shaft to a periphery;
• a plurality of wheels, each wheel being rotatable around a respective wheel axis, said wheel axis being transverse the plane;
• said wheels being spaced evenly from each other and connected to the support structure at said periphery;
• with
• said transfer set comprising:
• an encasement defining a continuous wall and a covering for said spindle, and
• a tube including an intermediate portion positionable along the wall and formed of a biocompatible material, said intermediate portion being collapsible when compressed between said wall and one of said wheels and having a resilient memory against collapse;
• a patient end releasably connectable to an indwelling peritoneal dialysis tube;
• and
• an opposite end releasably connectable to an assembly for containment and transfer of the dialysate solution.

A system for portable peritoneal dialysis transfer procedures, comprising:

• a portable peristaltic pump including:
• battery-powered motor means for rotating a drive chain across a gear assembly to a reduced ratio of rotation;
• spindle means rotatable at the reduced ratio of rotation in response to rotation of the drive chain for movement of a plurality of evenly spaced wheels against a resilient, compressible dialysate tube, said tube being seated against a rigid wall, said wall being defined by an encasement, said encasement providing a covering for a portion of said spindle means and for a portion of said tubing, and comprising:
• a safety valve structured and arranged to selectively occlude or permit flow of the solution through the tube.

A transfer set for the exchange of dialysate solution;

• comprising:
• a length of medical tubing constituting a bidirectional flow path for dialysate solution between an indwelling patient catheter tube and a dialysate containment system;
• a coupling carried at one end of said length of medical tubing for connection to said catheter tube;
• structure in fluid flow communication with said length of medical tubing, said structure constituting means for directing fresh dialysate solution traveling through said tubing towards said coupling through a first travel path and directing spent dialysate solution traveling through said tubing from said coupling through a second travel path;
• a biofilter in circuit with said first travel path;
• and
• a check valve assembly in fluid flow communication with said length of medical tubing, said check valve assembly including said biofilter and being structured and arranged to filter air and particles from fresh dialysate solution as said fresh dialysate flows toward a patient and to allow free, unfiltered flow of spent dialysate solution away from a patient.

In combination, a high-volume, inexpensive, portable, closed system peristaltic pump and transfer set assembly for portable peritoneal dialysis procedures, comprising:

• a motor including:
• a battery power supply;
• a drive shaft with a velocity of between 1,500 and 20,000 rotations per minute;
• gear means for communicating drive shaft revolutions in a ratio of at least fifteen to one;
• capability to drive volumetric flow rates in excess of 100 ml/minute for at least 20 minutes;
• a spindle including:
• a turn shaft in torque communication with the drive shaft, said turn shaft being located along a central axis of the spindle,
• the spindle being rotatable in two directions on a plane transverse the axis;
• support structure or spokes affixed to and extending radially outward from the turn shaft to a periphery;
• a plurality of wheels, each wheel being rotatable around a respective wheel axis, said wheel axis being transverse the plane;
• said wheels being spaced evenly from each other and connected to the support structure at said periphery;
• a transfer set comprising:
• an encasement defining a continuous wall and a covering for said spindle, and
• a tube including:
• an intermediate portion positionable along the wall and formed of a biocompatible material said intermediate portion being collapsible when compressed between the wall and one of the wheels and having a resilient memory against collapse;
• a patient end releasably connectable to an indwelling peritoneal dialysis tube;
• and
• an opposite end releasably connectable to an assembly for containment and transfer of the dialysate solution;
• and
• circuitry means for selectively governing actuation, direction and operation of said motor;
• said circuitry means comprising sensor means for detecting pressure changes based upon changes of rotational rate per time interval of the drive shaft or turn shaft.

A system for a portable peritoneal dialysis transfer procedure, comprising:

• a portable peristaltic pump including:
• a battery-operated motor, comprising:
• a drive shaft,
• gear means for communicating drive shaft revolutions in a reduced ratio, and capability to drive flow rates suitable for peritoneal dialysate transfer;
• a spindle rotatable on a spindle plane in ratio-reduced response to operation of said motor, wherein a plurality of wheels is rotatable on a plane non-perpendicular to the spindle plane, said wheels being spaced evenly from each other and affixed to a support structure said support structure appending from the spindle;
• an encasement defining a wall;
• a transfer tube releasably connected to and in fluid communication with an indwelling peritoneal dialysis tube at a patient end of said transfer tube, an intermediate portion of the transfer tube resiliently collapsible when compressed between the wall and any of said wheels;
• circuitry means for selectively governing actuation and operation of said motor;
• a check valve interposed along the tube, in fluid communication with the tube, and structured and arranged to filter air and particles from a dialysate solution as it flows toward a patient and to allow substantially free, unfiltered flow of the dialysate solution away from a patient;
• and
• one single-compartment peritoneal dialysate container in fluid communication with said transfer tube at an opposite end of said transfer tube relative to said patient end for containment of the dialysate prior to flow toward and after flow from the patient.

Apparatus for the micro-evacuation of fluids from a body, comprising:

• a conduit, having a first end adapted to receive fluid from a body and a second end adapted to discharge said fluid into a disposal site;
• a pump mechanism with a chamber communicating with said conduit between said first and second ends, said pump mechanism being constructed and arranged alternately to draw fluid into said chamber from said conduit during an intake phase and to discharge fluid from said chamber into said conduit during an exhaust phase;
• a first valve operable selectively to open or close flow between said chamber and the portion of said conduit between said chamber and said first end;
• a second valve operable selectively to open or close flow between said chamber and the portion of said conduit between said chamber and said second end;
• and
• control means for coordinating the operation of said first and second valves with said intake and exhaust phases, whereby to alternate the direction of flow within said conduit such that there is a net flow from said first end to said second end.