Atraumatic blood suction system

A method for removing blood during surgery from the surgical field, said method including:

• providing a suction line and a pump for supplying a negative pressure to said suction line;
• establishing a predetermined desired minimum negative pressure level for the suction line;
• providing suction in the surgical field with a suction line;
• monitoring the negative pressure in the suction line;
• establishing a predetermined desired maximum air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• monitoring the air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the pump in response to the monitored negative pressure and the monitored air-to-blood ratio.

A method for reducing hemolysis and tissue damage during surgery, said method comprising:

• collecting blood with a suction line;
• providing a pump for supplying a negative pressure to said suction line;
• monitoring the air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• monitoring the negative pressure in the suction line;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the pump in response to monitored changes in negative pressure and in response to monitored changes in the air-to-blood ratio.

A method of transporting surgical blood under vacuum, comprising:

• providing an suction line having a suction tip for engaging the surgical blood;
• providing a pump for supplying a negative pressure to said suction line;
• providing a negative pressure on the suction line to suction blood by operating the pump at a first, low pump speed;
• sensing the air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• sensing a negative pressure level in the suction line;
• and
• operating the pump at a second, higher pump speed in response to a decrease in sensed air-to-blood ratio and an increase in sensed negative pressure level.

A method for removing blood during surgery from the surgical field, said method including:

• providing a suction line and a pump for supplying a negative pressure to said suction line;
• establishing a predetermined desired minimum negative pressure level for the suction line;
• providing suction in the surgical field with a suction line;
• monitoring the negative pressure in the suction line;
• establishing a predetermined desired maximum air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• monitoring the air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• and
• increasing the speed of the pump in response to an increase in the monitored negative pressure and a decrease in the monitored air-to-blood ratio.

A method for reducing hemolysis and tissue damage during surgery, said method comprising:

• collecting blood with a suction line;
• providing a pump for supplying a negative pressure to said suction line;
• establishing a predetermined desired maximum negative pressure level for the suction line;
• monitoring the air-to-blood ratio in the suction line;
• monitoring the negative pressure in the suction line;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the pump in response to monitored changes in negative pressure and in response to monitored changes in the air-to-blood ratio such that the negative pressure in the suction line is maintained at a level below the perdetermined desired maximum negative pressure level.