Pumping cartridge having an integrated filter and method for filtering a fluid with the cartridge

A removable pumping cartridge constructed and arranged for operative association with a reusable component, the cartridge comprising:

• at least one pump chamber;
• at least one valving chamber;
• a substantially rigid first component and one or more flexible membranes disposed on the first component, the first component and the one or more flexible membranes defining at least a portion of the pump chamber and a portion of the valving chamber;
• at least one fluid flow path constructed and positioned within said cartridge to provide fluid communication between said pump chamber and a body of a patient when pumping a fluid thereto;
• and
• at least one filter element in fluid communication with the fluid flow path,
• wherein the filter element includes a substantially planar filter, said filter being essentially co-planar to a region of the first component of the pumping cartridge to which the filter is attached, and wherein
• the substantially planar filter comprises a screen, said screen sized to allow passage of human blood cells through the screen.

A removable pumping cartridge constructed and arranged for operative association with a reusable component, the cartridge comprising:

• at least one pump chamber;
• at least one valving chamber;
• a substantially rigid first component and one or more flexible membranes disposed on the first component, the first component and the one or more flexible membranes defining at least a portion of the pump chamber and a portion of the valving chamber;
• at least one fluid flow path constructed and positioned within said cartridge to provide fluid communication between said pump chamber and a body of a patient when pumping a fluid thereto;
• and
• at least one filter element in fluid communication with the fluid flow path,
• wherein the filter element includes an inlet port in fluid communication with a first side of the filter element and an outlet port in fluid communication with a second side of the filter element, and wherein
• the filter element, when in operative association with the reusable component, is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation with the outlet port located below the inlet port so that any air present within the filter element is inhibited from exiting the filter element through the outlet port, when the pumping cartridge is in operation, and wherein the filter element includes a substantially planar filter, said filter being essentially co-planar to a region of the first component of the pumping cartridge to which the filter is attached.

A method of filtering a liquid supplied to the vasculature of a patient comprising:

• supplying a liquid to a pump chamber disposed in a removable pumping cartridge, which pumping cartridge is constructed and arranged for operative association with a reusable component, the pumping cartridge further including at least one filter element disposed therein and being comprised of a substantially rigid first component and at least one liquid impermeable membrane disposed on the first component, the first component and the membrane together at least partially forming both the pump chamber and the filter element;
• and
• pumping said liquid to the patient through the filter element disposed in the pumping cartridge, wherein
• the pumping step comprises passing the liquid through a bypass valving chamber in fluid communication with an outlet port of the filter element.

A method of filtering a liquid supplied to the vasculature of a patient comprising:

• supplying a liquid to a pump chamber disposed in a removable pumping cartridge, which pumping cartridge is constructed and arranged for operative association with a reusable component, the pumping cartridge further including disposed therein at least one chamber defining a filter element comprising a filter, the cartridge being comprised of a substantially rigid first component and at least one liquid impermeable membrane disposed on the first component, the first component and the membrane together at least partially forming both the pump chamber and the chamber defining the filter element, wherein the chamber defining the filter element has a thickness, as measured in a direction essentially perpendicular to a portion of a surface of the impermeable membrane that at least partially forms the chamber defining the filter element, which is smaller than each of a height and a width of the chamber defining the filter element;
• pumping said liquid to the patient through the filter element disposed in the pumping cartridge;
• and
• disposing the pumping cartridge after a single use.

A method of filtering a liquid supplied to the vasculature of a patient comprising:

• supplying a liquid to a pump chamber disposed in a removable pumping cartridge, which pumping cartridge is constructed and arranged for operative association with a reusable component, the pumping cartridge further including disposed therein at least one chamber defining a filter element comprising a filter, the cartridge being comprised of a substantially rigid first component and at least one liquid impermeable membrane disposed on the first component, the first component and the membrane together at least partially forming both the pump chamber and the chamber defining the filter element, wherein the chamber defining the filter element has a thickness, as measured in a direction essentially perpendicular to a portion of a surface of the impermeable membrane that at least partially forms the chamber defining the filter element, which is smaller than each of a height and a width of the chamber defining the filter element;
• and
• pumping said liquid to the patient through the filter element disposed in the pumping cartridge;
• wherein
• the liquid pumped to the patient is at least one of blood and a suspension of human blood cells and wherein during the pumping step, a substantial fraction of clotted blood or aggregated blood cells are removed from the liquid by the filter element.