Body fluid processing system

Abstract

This prevents air from entering the patient's system. [Solution] The ascites treatment system 1 comprises a filter 11, a concentrator 12, a concentrated ascites bag 13, a first line 14, a second line 15, a third line 16, a fourth line 17, a fifth line 18 configured to return the ascites from the concentrated ascites bag 13 to the patient, a flow rate adjustment device 21 configured to adjust the flow rate of ascites flowing through the fifth line 18, a detection device 22 configured to detect the amount of ascites fluid contained in the concentrated ascites bag 13, whether or not gas is present in the fifth line 18, or the flow rate of ascites in the fifth line 18, and a control unit 23. The control unit 23 is configured to control the flow rate of ascites in the fifth line 18 using the flow rate adjustment device 21 based on the detection result from the detection device 22.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a body cavity fluid processing system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the use of Cell-free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy for the treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis or cancer has been increasing. Cell-free and Concentrated Ascites Reinfusion Therapy is a therapeutic method in which ascites is collected from a patient, the ascites is filtered to remove cellular components such as cancer cells and bacteria present in the ascites, then necessary proteins such as albumin present in the ascites are concentrated and collected, and thereafter reinjected into the patient's body.

[0003] Such therapeutic methods usually use an ascites processing apparatus, and the ascites processing apparatus has a configuration in which, for example, a storage container for storing ascites, a filter for filtration (filter), a filter for concentration (concentrator), and a collection container are connected in series in this order (see Patent Document 1). As the filter for filtration and the concentrator, a filter using a hollow fiber membrane is generally used.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Meanwhile, in the ascites processing apparatus as described above, for example, it is conceivable to connect the collection container and the patient via a line, and reinject the concentrated ascites in the collection container directly into the patient through the line. However, in this case, it is necessary to prevent air from entering the patient.

[0006] This application has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a body cavity fluid treatment system that can prevent air from entering the patient's body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors of the present invention have found that, in order to address the above problem, it is possible to prevent air from entering the patient's system by using a detection device to detect the amount of body fluid contained in a concentrated body fluid bag, or whether or not gas is present in the line returning the concentrated body fluid bag to the patient, and then controlling the flow rate of the body fluid in the line using a flow rate adjustment device based on the detection results from the detection device, thereby completing the present invention. In other words, embodiments of the present invention include the following: (1) A filter configured to filter body cavity fluid; a concentrator configured to concentrate the filtered body cavity fluid; a concentrated body cavity fluid bag configured to store the concentrated body cavity fluid; a first line configured to supply body cavity fluid collected from a patient to the filter; a second line configured to supply the body cavity fluid filtered by the filter to the concentrator; a third line configured to supply the body cavity fluid concentrated by the concentrator to the concentrated body cavity fluid bag; and a fourth line configured to discharge the separated liquid separated from the body cavity fluid by the concentrator. A body cavity fluid processing system comprising: a fifth line configured to return the body cavity fluid from the concentrated body cavity fluid bag to the patient; a flow rate adjustment device configured to adjust the flow rate of the body cavity fluid flowing through the fifth line; a detection device configured to detect the amount of body cavity fluid contained in the concentrated body cavity fluid bag, whether or not gas is present in the fifth line, or the flow rate of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the flow rate of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device based on the detection result from the detection device. (2) The detection device includes a weighing scale for measuring the weight of the concentrated body fluid bag. (1) The body cavity fluid processing system described above. (3) The body cavity fluid treatment system according to (2), wherein the control unit is configured to reduce the flow rate of body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the weight measured by the weighing scale falls below a predetermined threshold. (4) The body fluid treatment system according to (3), wherein the control unit is configured to increase the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if the weight measured by the weighing scale becomes greater than a predetermined threshold after the flow rate adjustment device has reduced the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line. (5) The body fluid treatment system according to (2), wherein the control unit is configured to stop the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the weight measured by the weighing scale falls below a predetermined threshold. (6) The body fluid treatment system according to (5), wherein the control unit is configured to restart the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if the weight measured by the weighing scale becomes greater than a predetermined threshold after the flow rate adjustment device has stopped the flow of body fluid in the fifth line. (7) The body cavity fluid processing system according to (1), wherein the detection device includes a gas detector for detecting gas in the fifth line. (8) The body cavity fluid treatment system according to (7), wherein the control unit is configured to stop the flow of body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when gas is detected by the gas detector. (9) The body cavity fluid processing system according to (7), further comprising a chamber configured to store body cavity fluid in the fifth line, wherein the chamber is located on the patient side of the gas detector in the fifth line and is configured to be able to fill the fifth line with body cavity fluid stored in the chamber. (10) The body fluid treatment system according to (1), wherein the detection device includes a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line. (11) The body cavity fluid treatment system according to (10), wherein the control unit is configured to reduce the flow rate of body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the flow rate measured by the flow meter falls below a predetermined threshold. (12) The body cavity fluid treatment system according to (11), wherein the control unit is configured to increase the flow rate of body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if the flow rate measured by the flow meter becomes greater than a predetermined threshold after the flow rate adjustment device has reduced the flow rate of body cavity fluid in the fifth line. (13) The body cavity fluid treatment system according to (10), wherein the control unit is configured to stop the flow of body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the flow rate measured by the flow meter falls below a predetermined threshold. (14) The body fluid treatment system according to (13), wherein the control unit is configured to restart the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if the flow rate measured by the flow meter becomes greater than a predetermined threshold after the flow rate adjustment device has stopped the flow of body fluid in the fifth line. (15) The body cavity fluid processing system according to any one of (10) to (14), further comprising a chamber configured to store body cavity fluid in the fifth line, wherein the chamber is located on the patient side of the flow meter in the fifth line and is configured to be able to fill the fifth line with body cavity fluid stored in the chamber. (16) The body fluid processing system according to any one of (1) to (15), further comprising a collection body fluid bag configured to store body fluid collected from a patient, wherein the first line is configured to supply the body fluid from the collection body fluid bag to the filter. (17) The body cavity fluid processing system according to any one of (1) to (16), further comprising a circulation line configured to return the concentrated body cavity fluid bag or the body cavity fluid after concentration in the third line back to the second line and circulate it, wherein the control unit is configured to stop the flow of body cavity fluid in the fifth line with the flow rate adjustment device when the body cavity fluid is circulated by the circulation line. (18) A body cavity fluid processing system according to any one of (1) to (16), further comprising a circulation line configured to return the concentrated body cavity fluid bag or the body cavity fluid after concentration in the third line back to the second line for circulation, wherein the control unit is configured to continue the flow of body cavity fluid in the fifth line by the flow rate adjustment device when circulating the body cavity fluid through the circulation line, and thereafter, when the detection device detects that the amount of body cavity fluid contained in the concentrated body cavity fluid bag has fallen below a predetermined threshold or that gas is present in the fifth line, the flow rate adjustment device stops the flow of body cavity fluid in the fifth line. (19) The body cavity fluid processing system according to any one of (1) to (16), further comprising a circulation line configured to return the concentrated body cavity fluid in the concentrated body cavity fluid bag or the third line back to the second line for circulation, wherein the control unit is configured to continue the flow of body cavity fluid in the fifth line by the flow rate adjustment device when circulating body cavity fluid through the circulation line, and to control the flow rates of the circulation line and the third line based on the flow rate of body cavity fluid in the fifth line adjusted by the flow rate adjustment device and the amount of body cavity fluid stored in the concentrated body cavity fluid bag. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a body cavity fluid treatment system that can prevent air from entering the patient's body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]This is an explanatory diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system in the second embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system having a chamber. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system in the third embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system having a chamber. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system having a circulation line. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the positional relationships such as up, down, left and right of the drawings are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified. The dimensional ratios of the drawings are not limited to the illustrated ratios. Furthermore, the following embodiments are examples for describing the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention only to the embodiments. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

[0011] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a diagram for describing a configuration example of the ascites treatment system 1. The ascites treatment system 1 is an example of a body cavity fluid treatment system.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment, the ascites treatment system 1 includes a collected ascites bag 10, a filter 11, a concentrator 12, a concentrated ascites bag 13, a first line 14, a second line 15, a third line 16, a fourth line 17, a fifth line 18, a sixth line 19, a seventh line 20, a flow rate adjustment device 21, a detection device 22, a control unit 23, and the like.

[0013] The collected ascites bag 10 is a container made of a soft resin such as polyvinyl chloride. The collected ascites bag 10 is configured to store ascites collected from a patient.

[0014] The filter 11 is, for example, a hollow fiber membrane type filter. In one embodiment, the filter 11 has a cylindrical container 30, and inside the cylindrical container 30, a hollow fiber membrane 31 composed of a large number of hollow fibers is arranged along the longitudinal direction thereof. The hollow fiber membrane 31 can separate cellular components such as cancer cells and bacteria from the protein solution of ascites. The upper and lower parts of the cylindrical container 30 are provided with inlets and outlets 33 and 34 communicating with the inner tube space of the hollow fiber membrane 31, and the side surface part of the cylindrical container 30 is provided with two inlets and outlets 35 and 36 communicating with the outer tube space of the hollow fiber membrane 31. In one embodiment, the inlet / outlet 33 communicates with the first line 14, and the inlet / outlet 34 communicates with the seventh line 20. The inlet / outlet 36 communicates with the second line 15, and the inlet / outlet 35 is closed. The terms "upper" and "lower" in the present embodiment are based on the installation example of the ascites treatment system 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0015] The concentrator 12 is, for example, a hollow fiber membrane type filter. In one embodiment, the concentrator 12 has a cylindrical container 50, and inside the cylindrical container 50, a hollow fiber membrane 51 composed of a large number of hollow fibers is arranged along the longitudinal direction thereof. The hollow fiber membrane 51 can separate water containing unnecessary proteins from the protein solution of ascites. The upper and lower parts of the cylindrical container 50 are provided with inlets and outlets 53 and 54 communicating with the inner tube space of the hollow fiber membrane 51, and the side surface part of the cylindrical container 50 is provided with two inlets and outlets 55 and 56 communicating with the outer tube space of the hollow fiber membrane 51. In one embodiment, the inlet / outlet 53 communicates with the second line 15, and the inlet / outlet 54 communicates with the third line 16. The inlet / outlet 56 communicates with the fourth line 17, and the inlet / outlet 55 is closed.

[0016] The concentrated ascites bag 13 is a container made of a soft resin such as polyvinyl chloride. The concentrated ascites bag 13 is configured to store the protein solution (concentrated ascites) containing necessary proteins that has been concentrated by the concentrator 12.

[0017] The first line 14 to the seventh line 20 are flexible tubes, such as polyvinyl chloride.

[0018] The sixth line 19 has a first end 19a and a second end 19b. The first end 19a is provided with a connector for connecting to a patient. The connector may have a puncture needle. The second end 19b is connected to the ascites fluid collection bag 10. The sixth line 19 may constitute a part of the first line 14.

[0019] The first line 14 is configured to supply ascites fluid collected from the patient to the filter 11. The first line 14 has a first end 14a and a second end 14b. The first end 14a is connected to the ascites fluid collection bag 10, and the second end 14b is connected to the filter 11. In one embodiment, the second end 14b is connected to an inlet / outlet 33 at the top of the filter 11 that leads to the tubular space of the hollow fiber membrane 31.

[0020] The second line 15 is configured to supply the ascites filtered by the filter 11 to the concentrator 12. The second line 15 has a first end 15a and a second end 15b. The first end 15a is connected to an inlet / outlet 36 on the side of the filter 11 that leads to the space outside the hollow fiber membrane 31. The second end 15b is connected to an inlet / outlet 53 at the top of the concentrator 12 that leads to the space inside the hollow fiber membrane 51. In one embodiment, the second line 15 is provided with a first pump 80. The first pump 80 can pass the patient's ascites through the filter 11 and send it to the concentrator 12. The first pump 80 may be a tube pump configured to manipulate a tube and move the ascites through the tube. The first pump 80 may be provided on the first line 14.

[0021] The seventh line 20 has a first end 20a and a second end 20b. The first end 18a is connected to an inlet / outlet 34 at the bottom of the filter 11, which leads to the tubular space of the hollow fiber membrane 31. The second end 20b is connected to a wastewater section (not shown) into which wastewater containing cellular components separated from ascites fluid is discharged.

[0022] A third line 16 is configured to supply the ascites fluid concentrated in the concentrator 12 to a concentrated ascites fluid bag 13. The third line 16 has a first end 16a and a second end 16b. The first end 16a is connected to an inlet / outlet 54 at the bottom of the concentrator 12 that leads to the tubular space of the hollow fiber membrane 51. The second end 16b is connected to the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13. In one embodiment, the third line 16 is provided with a second pump 90. The second pump 90 can pass the ascites fluid through the concentrator 12 and send it to the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13. The second pump 90 may be a tube pump configured to handle a tube and move the ascites fluid through the tube.

[0023] The fourth line 17 is configured to discharge the separated liquid separated from the ascites in the concentrator 12. The fourth line 17 has a first end 17a and a second end 17b. The first end 17a is connected to an inlet / outlet 56 on the side of the concentrator 12 that leads to the space outside the hollow fiber membrane 51. The second end 17b is connected to a waste section (not shown) into which the separated liquid separated from the ascites is discharged.

[0024] The fifth line 18 is configured to return the ascites fluid from the concentrated ascites bag 13 to the patient. The fifth line 18 has a first end 18a and a second end 18b. The first end 18a is connected to the concentrated ascites bag 13. The second end 18b is provided with a connector for connecting to the patient. The connector may have a puncture needle.

[0025] The flow rate regulator 21 is configured to regulate the flow rate of ascites fluid flowing through the fifth line 18. The flow rate regulator 21 may be a valve or a pump.

[0026] The detection device 22 is configured to detect the volume of ascites fluid contained in the concentrated ascites bag 13. The detection device 22 includes a weighing scale 25 for measuring the weight of the concentrated ascites bag 13.

[0027] The control unit 23 is, for example, a computer, and can control the operation of the first pump 80 and the second pump 90 by executing a program stored in the memory unit using the CPU, thereby adjusting the flow rate of ascites, the concentration ratio of ascites, and so on. The control unit 23 is also configured to control the flow rate of ascites in the fifth line 18 using the flow rate adjustment device 21 based on the detection results from the detection device 22.

[0028] Next, the operation method of the ascites treatment system 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "this operation method") will be described. This operation method is performed by the control unit 23 controlling the operation of the first pump 80, the second pump 90, the flow rate adjustment device 21, the detection device 22, and the like.

[0029] With the sixth line 19 and the fifth line 18 connected to the patient, the first pump 80 and the second pump 90 are activated. The flow rates of the first pump 80 and the second pump 90 are set so that the ascites fluid contained in the concentrated ascites bag 13 reaches the target volume and concentration ratio.

[0030] The patient's ascites fluid is collected in the ascites fluid bag 10 through the sixth line 19, and then sent to the filter 11 through the first line 14 for filtration. At this time, the ascites fluid flows out from the intraductal space to the extraductal space in the hollow fiber membrane 31, removing cellular components such as cancer cells and bacteria present in the ascites fluid. The ascites fluid filtered by the filter 11 (filtered ascites fluid) is sent to the concentrator 12 through the second line 15 for concentration. At this time, the ascites fluid passes through the intraductal space of the hollow fiber membrane 51, and water containing unwanted proteins flows out from the intraductal space to the extraductal space and is removed. The removed water is discarded through the fourth line 17. The ascites fluid concentrated in the concentrator 12 (concentrated ascites fluid) is collected in the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 through the third line 16. The ascites fluid in the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 is then returned to the patient through the fifth line 18. In this way, the ascites fluid from the patient is collected, filtered, concentrated, and then returned to the patient by the ascites fluid treatment system 1.

[0031] During the processing of the ascites fluid (while the first pump 80 and the second pump 90 are operating), the weight of the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 is measured by the weighing scale 25 of the detection device 22. If the weight measured by the weighing scale 25 of the detection device 22 falls below a predetermined first threshold, the flow rate of the ascites fluid in the fifth line 18 is reduced by the flow rate adjustment device 21. As a result, when the weight of the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13, i.e., the amount of ascites fluid in the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13, decreases, the amount of ascites fluid returned to the patient in the fifth line 18 is reduced. Consequently, the flow rate of ascites fluid flowing from the concentrator 12 into the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 becomes greater than the flow rate of ascites fluid flowing from the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 into the fifth line 18, and the amount of fluid in the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 increases.

[0032] Subsequently, if the volume of ascites fluid in the concentrated ascites bag 13 increases and the weight measured by the weighing scale 25 of the detection device 22 exceeds a predetermined first threshold, the flow rate adjustment device 21 increases the flow rate of ascites fluid in the fifth line 18. At this time, the flow rate of ascites fluid flowing out of the concentrated ascites bag 13 to the fifth line 18 may be the same as, or slightly greater than, the flow rate of ascites fluid flowing from the concentrator 12 into the concentrated ascites bag 13.

[0033] In another embodiment of the ascites treatment, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may stop the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18 when the weight measured by the weighing scale 25 of the detection device 22 falls below a predetermined second threshold. Subsequently, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may restart the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18 when the weight measured by the weighing scale 25 of the detection device 22 exceeds the predetermined second threshold. The second threshold may be smaller than the first threshold.

[0034] According to this embodiment, the ascites treatment system 1 comprises a filter 11, a concentrator 12, a concentrated ascites bag 13, a first line 14 configured to supply ascites collected from the patient to the filter 11, a second line 15 configured to supply the ascites filtered by the filter 11 to the concentrator 12, a third line 16 configured to supply the ascites concentrated by the concentrator 12 to the concentrated ascites bag 13, a fourth line 17 configured to discharge the separated liquid separated from the ascites by the concentrator 12, a fifth line 18 configured to return the ascites in the concentrated ascites bag 13 to the patient, a flow rate adjustment device 21 configured to adjust the flow rate of ascites flowing through the fifth line 18, a detection device 22 configured to detect the amount of ascites liquid contained in the concentrated ascites bag 13, and a control unit 23. The control unit 23 is configured to control the flow rate of ascites in the fifth line 18 using the flow rate adjustment device 21 based on the detection result by the detection device 22. This makes it possible to prevent gas from entering the patient through the fifth line 18 by reducing the flow rate of ascites in the fifth line 18 or stopping the flow of ascites when the amount of ascites fluid in the concentrated ascites bag 13 decreases.

[0035] Since the detection device 22 includes a weighing scale 25 for measuring the weight of the concentrated ascites bag 13, the flow rate of the fifth line 18 can be easily and appropriately controlled based on the weight measured by the weighing scale 25.

[0036] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, the detection device 22 may be configured to detect whether or not gas is present in the fifth line 18. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the detection device 22 includes a gas detector 100 that detects gas in the fifth line 18. The other configurations of the ascites treatment system 1 may be the same as in the first embodiment. When gas is detected by the gas detector 100 of the detection device 22, the flow rate adjustment device 21 stops the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the ascites treatment system 1 may further include a chamber 110 configured to store ascites in the fifth line 18. The chamber 110 is connected in the middle of the fifth line 18 and is configured to store ascites in the fifth line 18 and to be deformable. The chamber 110 is located on the patient side of the gas detector 100 in the fifth line 18. The chamber 110 is configured to fill the fifth line 18 with ascites stored in the chamber 110. For example, when gas is detected by the gas detector 100 and the flow rate adjustment device 21 stops the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18, the chamber 110 is contracted to send the ascites in the chamber 110 to the fifth line 18 on the concentrated ascites bag 13 side (upstream side) and fill it. As a result, the gas in the fifth line 18 is discharged into the concentrated ascites bag 13. By doing this, the gas that has entered the fifth line 18 can be discharged, and the fifth line 18 can be filled with ascites fluid.

[0038] <Third Embodiment> In the third embodiment, the detection device 22 may be configured to detect the flow rate of ascites fluid flowing through the fifth line 18. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the detection device 22 includes a flow meter 120 for measuring the flow rate of ascites fluid in the fifth line 18. Other components of the ascites fluid treatment system 1 may be the same as those in the first or second embodiment described above.

[0039] Then, during the treatment of ascites fluid, if the flow rate measured by the flow meter 120 falls below a predetermined third threshold, the flow rate of ascites fluid in the fifth line 18 is reduced by a flow control device 21, which is a valve, for example. Subsequently, if the flow rate measured by the flow meter 120 becomes greater than the predetermined third threshold, the flow control device 21 increases the flow rate of ascites fluid in the fifth line 18.

[0040] In another embodiment of the ascites treatment, the flow rate in the fifth line 18 may be stopped by the flow rate adjustment device 21 when the flow rate measured by the flow meter 120 falls below a predetermined fourth threshold. After that (after a predetermined time has elapsed), the flow rate adjustment device 21 may restart the flow of ascites for a certain period of time, and when the flow rate measured by the flow meter 120 becomes greater than the predetermined fourth threshold, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may restart the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18. The fourth threshold may be smaller than the third threshold.

[0041] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the ascites treatment system 1 may further include a chamber 130 configured to store ascites in the fifth line 18. The chamber 130 is connected in the middle of the fifth line 18 and is configured to store ascites in the fifth line 18 and to be deformable. The chamber 130 is located on the patient side of the flow meter 120 in the fifth line 18. The chamber 130 is configured to fill the fifth line 18 with ascites stored in the chamber 130. For example, when the flow rate measured by the flow meter 120 falls below a predetermined fourth threshold and the flow rate adjustment device 21 stops the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18, the chamber 130 is contracted to send the ascites in the chamber 130 to the fifth line 18 on the concentrated ascites bag 13 side (upstream side) and fill it. As a result, the gas in the fifth line 18 is discharged into the concentrated ascites bag 13. By doing this, the gas that has entered the fifth line 18 can be discharged, and the fifth line 18 can be filled with ascites fluid.

[0042] In the first to third embodiments described above, as shown in Figure 6, the ascites treatment system 1 may further include a circulation line 140 configured to return the concentrated ascites in the concentrated ascites bag 13 or the third line 16 back to the second line 15 for circulation. In the example shown in Figure 6, the ascites treatment system 1 in the first embodiment includes the circulation line 140.

[0043] The circulation line 140 has a first end 140a and a second end 140b. The first end 140a is connected to the concentrated ascites bag 13. The second end 140b is connected to the second line 15. In one embodiment, the second end 140b is connected to the second line 15 on the filter 11 side of the first pump 80. The circulation line 140 is provided with a circulation flow rate adjustment device 150 to adjust the flow rate of ascites in the circulation line 140. The circulation flow rate adjustment device 150 may be a valve or a pump. In addition, a valve 151 is provided on the filter 11 side of the connection point of the second end 140b in the second line 15.

[0044] In the treatment of ascites, with the first pump 80 and the second pump 90 operating, the valve 151 of the second line 15 is closed, and the circulation flow rate adjuster 150 causes the ascites to flow into the circulation line 140. As a result, the ascites in the concentrated ascites bag 13 is returned to the second line 15 through the circulation line 140, passes through the concentrator 12, and returns to the concentrated ascites bag 13 through the third line 16. In this way, the ascites in the concentrated ascites bag 13 is recirculated, and the concentration ratio of the ascites increases.

[0045] In one embodiment, when ascites fluid is being circulated through the circulation line 140 as described above, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may temporarily stop the flow of ascites fluid in the fifth line 18.

[0046] Furthermore, in another embodiment of one of the embodiments, when ascites is being circulated through the circulation line 140, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may continue the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18. Subsequently, when the detection device 22 detects that the amount of ascites fluid contained in the concentrated ascites bag 13 has fallen below a predetermined threshold, or that gas is present in the fifth line 18, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may stop the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18.

[0047] In the above embodiment, when ascites is circulating through the circulation line 140, the flow rate adjustment device 21 may continue the flow of ascites in the fifth line 18, and the flow rates of the circulation line 140 and the third line 16 may be controlled based on the flow rate of ascites in the fifth line 18 adjusted by the flow rate adjustment device 21 and the amount stored in the concentrated ascites bag 13.

[0048] When circulating ascites fluid through the circulation line 140 while maintaining the flow of ascites fluid in the fifth line 18, if X ml of ascites fluid is initially stored in the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 and the total amount of ascites fluid flowing out from the fifth line 18 is Y ml, the flow rates of the circulation line 140 and the third line 16 are controlled so that the concentrated ascites fluid after circulation reaches the target concentration ratio relative to the ascites fluid (XY) ml obtained by subtracting Y ml from X ml. For example, if the target concentration ratio is 1.1 times, the flow rates of the first pump 80 and the second pump 90 may be controlled so that the flow rate of the circulation line 140 is (XY) ml and the flow rate of the third line 16 is (XY) ml ÷ 1.1.

[0049] The embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The embodiments described above can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, some components of one embodiment can be added to other embodiments, or some components of one embodiment can be replaced with corresponding components of other embodiments.

[0050] For example, the configuration of the ascites treatment system 1 in the above embodiment is not limited to this and may have other configurations. The present invention is not limited to the treatment of ascites, but can also be applied to the treatment of other body cavity fluids such as pleural effusion and pericardial effusion. The detection device 22 may have at least one selected from the group consisting of a weighing scale 25, a gas detector 100, and a flow meter 120. [Industrial applicability]

[0051] This invention is useful in providing a body fluid treatment system that can prevent air from entering the patient's body. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1. Ascites Treatment System 10. Ascites fluid collection bag 11 Filter 12 Concentrator 13. Concentrated ascites bag 14. First line 15. Second line 16. Third line 17. The fourth line 18. The fifth line 21 Flow rate adjustment device 22 Detection device 23 Control Unit

Claims

1. A filter configured to filter body cavity fluid, A concentrator configured to concentrate filtered body cavity fluid, A concentrated body fluid bag configured to store concentrated body fluid, A first line configured to supply body cavity fluid collected from the patient to the filter, A second line configured to supply the body cavity fluid filtered by the filter to the concentrator, A third line configured to supply the body cavity fluid concentrated by the concentrator to the concentrated body cavity fluid bag, A fourth line configured to discharge the separated liquid separated from the body cavity fluid in the aforementioned concentrator, A fifth line configured to return the body fluid from the concentrated body fluid bag to the patient, A flow rate adjustment device configured to adjust the flow rate of the body cavity fluid flowing through the fifth line, A detection device configured to detect the volume of body fluid contained in the concentrated body fluid bag, whether or not gas is present in the fifth line, or the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line, It comprises a control unit and, The control unit is configured to control the flow rate of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device based on the detection result from the detection device. Body fluid processing system.

2. The detection device includes a weighing scale for measuring the weight of the concentrated body fluid bag. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 1.

3. The control unit is configured to reduce the flow rate of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the weight measured by the weighing scale falls below a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 2.

4. The control unit is configured to increase the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if, after reducing the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device, the weight measured by the weighing scale exceeds a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 3.

5. The control unit is configured to stop the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the weight measured by the weighing scale falls below a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 2.

6. The control unit is configured to restart the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if, after stopping the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device, the weight measured by the weighing scale exceeds a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 5.

7. The detection device includes a gas detector that detects gas in the fifth line. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 1.

8. The control unit is configured to stop the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when gas is detected by the gas detector. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 7.

9. The fifth line further comprises a chamber configured to store body cavity fluid, The chamber is positioned on the patient side of the gas detector in the fifth line and is configured to be able to fill the fifth line with body cavity fluid stored in the chamber. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 7.

10. The detection device includes a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of body fluid in the fifth line. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 1.

11. The control unit is configured to reduce the flow rate of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the flow rate measured by the flow meter falls below a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 10.

12. The control unit is configured to increase the flow rate of the body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if, after the flow rate is reduced by the flow rate adjustment device, the flow rate measured by the flow meter exceeds a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 11.

13. The control unit is configured to stop the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device when the flow rate measured by the flow meter falls below a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 10.

14. The control unit is configured to restart the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device if, after stopping the flow of body fluid in the fifth line using the flow rate adjustment device, the flow rate measured by the flow meter becomes greater than a predetermined threshold. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 13.

15. The fifth line further comprises a chamber configured to store body cavity fluid, The chamber is positioned on the patient side of the flow meter in the fifth line and is configured to be able to fill the fifth line with body cavity fluid stored in the chamber. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 10.

16. The system further includes a collection body fluid bag configured to store body fluids collected from the patient, The first line is configured to supply the body fluid from the body fluid collection bag to the filter. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 1.

17. The system further comprises a circulation line configured to return the concentrated body fluid bag or the body fluid after concentration in the third line back to the second line for circulation. The control unit, When circulating body fluid through the circulation line, the flow rate adjustment device is configured to stop the flow of body fluid in the fifth line. A body cavity fluid processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The system further comprises a circulation line configured to return the concentrated body fluid bag or the body fluid after concentration in the third line back to the second line for circulation. The control unit, When circulating the body cavity fluid through the circulation line, the flow rate adjustment device is configured to continue the flow of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line, and then, when the detection device detects that the amount of body cavity fluid contained in the concentrated body cavity fluid bag has fallen below a predetermined threshold, or that gas is present in the fifth line, the flow rate adjustment device is configured to stop the flow of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line. A body cavity fluid processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

19. The system further comprises a circulation line configured to return the concentrated body fluid bag or the body fluid after concentration in the third line back to the second line for circulation. The control unit, When circulating the body cavity fluid through the circulation line, the flow rate adjustment device maintains the flow of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line, and the flow rates of the circulation line and the third line are controlled based on the flow rate of the body cavity fluid in the fifth line adjusted by the flow rate adjustment device and the amount of body cavity fluid stored in the concentrated body cavity fluid bag. The body cavity fluid processing system according to claim 2.

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