Control device and body fluid processing system

The control device optimizes ascites fluid treatment by calculating viscosity and concentration based on pressure measurements, addressing inefficiencies and clogging issues in existing systems.

JP7887261B2Active Publication Date: 2026-07-09ASAHI KASEI MEDICAL CO LTD

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
ASAHI KASEI MEDICAL CO LTD
Filing Date
2022-03-10
Publication Date
2026-07-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing ascites fluid treatment systems fail to recognize the viscosity and concentration of substances in the fluid, leading to potential membrane clogging, inefficient concentration processes, and the need for time-consuming concentration measurements.

Method used

A control device that calculates parameters such as viscosity and substance concentration in ascites fluid based on internal pressure measurements, adjusting flow rates to optimize the concentration process.

Benefits of technology

Enables efficient ascites fluid treatment by maintaining appropriate flow rates, reducing the risk of membrane clogging, and achieving desired concentration levels automatically.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide an ascites treatment system which can calculate the protein concentration of ascites.SOLUTION: An ascites treatment system 1 comprises: a concentrator 12 which concentrates ascites; a first liquid supply line 16 which supplies the ascites to the concentrator 12; a second liquid supply line 17 which discharges the ascites concentrated by the concentrator 12; a pressure measurement device 20 which measures the in-line pressure of the first liquid supply line 16; a liquid discharge line 18 which discharges drainage removed by the concentrator 12; and a control device 21. The control device 21 includes a calculation unit 61 which calculates the protein concentration in the ascites on the basis of the in-line pressure measured by the pressure measurement device 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device and a body cavity fluid treatment system.

Background Art

[0002] As a treatment method for ascites, which is one of the body cavity fluids, there is a cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) in which ascites is taken out from a patient, pathogenic substances such as bacteria and cancer cells are removed from the ascites, the ascites is concentrated while leaving useful components such as albumin, and the concentrated ascites is returned to the body.

[0003] Generally, an ascites treatment system is used for such a treatment method. In this ascites treatment system, an ascites bag, a filter, a concentrator, and a concentrated ascites bag are connected in this order, and a pump or a head difference is used to flow the ascites to filter and concentrate the ascites. A separation membrane such as a hollow fiber membrane is used for the filter and the concentrator.

[0004] When ascites is passed through the membranes of the filter or concentrator in the above-described ascites treatment system, substances that cannot pass through the membrane may accumulate on the surface or inside of the membrane, making it difficult for the ascites to pass through the membrane. This state is referred to as the membrane being clogged. When trying to pass ascites in a state where the membrane is clogged, the pressure inside the filter or concentrator increases, and there is a possibility of membrane damage or leakage of ascites from the connection part. Therefore, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a device having a function of monitoring the pressure applied to the filter and cleaning the filter when the pressure increases has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] Incidentally, in existing ascites fluid treatment systems, the viscosity and concentration of substances in the ascites fluid being treated are not recognized, so the ascites fluid may be treated at the same flow rate (flow velocity) regardless of its viscosity, etc. In such cases, if the flow rate of the ascites fluid is excessive relative to its viscosity, etc., the pressure on the concentrator may rise quickly, leading to the conclusion that the membrane is clogged. Conversely, if the flow rate of the ascites fluid is insufficient relative to its viscosity, etc., the concentration process may take too long, or the ascites fluid may not be sufficiently concentrated, resulting in concentrated ascites fluid that does not reach the desired concentration.

[0007] Furthermore, before processing, a separate measuring instrument is sometimes used to measure the concentration of substances in the ascites fluid, and the necessary settings such as the flow rate for processing are determined. In such cases, if the flow rate is changed midway through the process, the concentration of the resulting concentrated ascites fluid will need to be remeasured. Since performing such concentration measurements is time-consuming, as mentioned above, processing is often done without recognizing the concentration.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a control device and a body fluid processing system that can determine either the physical properties of body fluids such as ascites or the concentration of substances in body fluids. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of diligent research, the inventors of the present invention have found that the above problem can be solved by providing the control device of the body cavity fluid processing system with a function to calculate at least one of the parameters of the physical properties of the body cavity fluid or the concentration of substances in the body cavity fluid based on the internal pressure of the fluid delivery line, and have completed the present invention.

[0010] In other words, the present invention includes the following embodiments. (1) A control device for controlling a body cavity fluid processing system comprising at least a concentrator for concentrating body cavity fluid, a first fluid delivery line for delivering body cavity fluid to the concentrator, a second fluid delivery line for discharging the body cavity fluid concentrated by the concentrator, a drainage line for discharging the wastewater removed by the concentrator, and a pressure measuring device for measuring the pressure inside at least one of the first fluid delivery line, the second fluid delivery line, and the drainage line, the control device comprising a calculation unit for calculating at least one parameter of the physical properties of the body cavity fluid or the concentration of substances in the body cavity fluid based on the line pressure measured by the pressure measuring device. (2) The control device according to (1), wherein the calculation unit calculates the parameter based on a relational expression showing the relationship between the line pressure and the parameter and the line pressure measured by the pressure measuring device. (3) The control device according to (1) or (2), further comprising a flow control unit that controls the flow rate of body cavity fluid in at least one of the first fluid delivery line, the second fluid delivery line, and the drainage line based on the parameters calculated by the calculation unit. (4) The control device according to (3), wherein the flow rate control unit is configured to change the concentration rate of the body cavity fluid in the concentrator based on the parameters. (5) The control device according to any one of (1) to (4), further comprising a parameter display unit that displays the parameters calculated by the calculation unit. (6) The control device according to any one of (1) to (5), further comprising a recommended setting calculation unit that calculates recommended settings for setting items for body cavity fluid processing based on the parameters calculated by the calculation unit. (7) The control device according to (6), further comprising a recommended setting display unit that displays the recommended setting calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit. (8) The control device according to (6) or (7), further comprising a setting unit for setting the setting items in the recommended settings calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit. (9) The physical property of the body cavity fluid is viscosity, The control device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the concentration of the substance in the body cavity fluid is the protein concentration. A body cavity fluid treatment system comprising the control device according to any one of (1) to (9).

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a control device and a body cavity fluid treatment system capable of calculating at least one of the physical properties of body cavity fluid or the substance concentration in body cavity fluid.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an ascites treatment system. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device. [Figure 3] It is a graph showing the relational expression between the in-line pressure and the protein concentration in ascites. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the correspondence between the protein concentration in ascites and the appropriate concentrated ascites flow rate. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing another configuration of the control device. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of the display of the parameter display unit. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing another configuration of the control device. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of the display of the recommended setting display unit. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram showing another configuration of the control device. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of another configuration of the ascites treatment system.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right in this specification are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified.

[0014] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an ascites treatment system 1 as a body cavity fluid treatment system according to the present embodiment.

[0015] The ascites treatment system 1 includes an ascites bag 10 as a body cavity fluid storage unit, a filter 11, a concentrator 12, a concentrated ascites bag 13 as a concentrated body cavity fluid storage unit, a liquid delivery line 15, a first liquid delivery line 16, a second liquid delivery line 17, a drainage line 18, a liquid delivery means 19, a pressure measurement device 20, a control device 21, and the like.

[0016] The ascites bag 10 is, for example, a soft bag and can store ascites collected from a patient.

[0017] The filter 11 has, for example, a cylindrical housing. The filter 11 has liquid inlets 11a and 11b at both ends in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), and two liquid inlets 11c and 11d on the side surface.

[0018] The filter 11 includes a filter membrane 30 such as a hollow fiber membrane that removes predetermined causative substances such as bacteria and cancer cells and allows predetermined useful components such as albumin to pass through. The inner region (the inner region of the hollow fiber membrane) of the filter membrane 30 communicates with the liquid inlets 11a and 11b, and the outer region (the outer region of the hollow fiber membrane) of the filter membrane 30 communicates with the liquid inlets 11c and 11d. In the present embodiment, the liquid inlets 11b and 11c are closed.

[0019] The concentrator 12 has, for example, a cylindrical housing. The concentrator 12 has liquid inlets 12a and 12b at both ends in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction), and two liquid inlets 12c and 12d on the side surface.

[0020] The concentrator 12 includes a concentration membrane 40 such as a hollow fiber membrane that removes water from ascites and concentrates it. The inner region of the concentration membrane 40 communicates with the liquid inlets 12a and 12b, and the outer region of the concentration membrane 40 communicates with the liquid inlets 12c and 12d. In the present embodiment, the liquid inlet 12d is closed.

[0021] The concentrated ascites bag 13 is, for example, a flexible bag that can contain the concentrated ascites fluid concentrated by the concentrator 12. The concentrated ascites bag 13 is positioned lower than the ascites bag 10.

[0022] The fluid delivery line 15 is connected to the ascites bag 10 and the filter 11. The upstream end of the fluid delivery line 15 is connected to the ascites bag 10, and the downstream end of the fluid delivery line 15 is connected to the fluid inlet 11a of the filter 11. In this specification, "upstream side" refers to the upstream side when the ascites fluid flows through the filter 11 and the concentrator 12 in that order.

[0023] The first liquid delivery line 16 is connected to the filter 11 and the concentrator 12. The upstream end of the first liquid delivery line 16 is connected to the liquid inlet 11d of the filter 11, and the downstream end of the first liquid delivery line 16 is connected to the liquid inlet 12b of the concentrator 12.

[0024] The second fluid delivery line 17 is connected to the concentrator 12 and the concentrated ascites bag 13. The upstream end of the second fluid delivery line 17 is connected to the fluid inlet 12a of the concentrator 12, and the downstream end of the second fluid delivery line 17 is connected to the concentrated ascites bag 13.

[0025] The drain line 18 is connected from the concentrator 12 to an external drain. The upstream end of the drain line 18 is connected to the liquid inlet 12c of the concentrator 12. Lines 15 to 18 are made of flexible tubing, for example.

[0026] The fluid delivery means 19 has the function of delivering the ascites fluid from the ascites bag 10 to the concentrated ascites bag 13 through the fluid delivery line 15, filter 11, first fluid delivery line 16, concentrate 12, and second fluid delivery line 17 in that order. For example, the fluid delivery means 19 has a first pump 50 provided on the first fluid delivery line 16 and a second pump 51 provided on the second fluid delivery line 17.

[0027] The first pump 50 is, for example, a tubular pump that can pump ascites fluid by manipulating the tubing of the first fluid delivery line 16. The first pump 50 can also close the first fluid delivery line 16 when stopped.

[0028] The second pump 51 is, for example, a tubular pump that can pump ascites fluid by manipulating the tubing of the second fluid delivery line 17. The second pump 51 can also close the second fluid delivery line 17 when stopped.

[0029] The pressure measuring device 20 has the function of measuring the in-line pressure of the first liquid delivery line 16. For example, the pressure measuring device 20 is equipped with a pressure sensor that communicates with a drip chamber 55 connected to the first liquid delivery line 16.

[0030] The control device 21 is, for example, a computer having a CPU, memory, etc. The control device 21 can perform ascites treatment by controlling the operation of each device, such as the first pump 50 and the second pump 51. The control device 21 can perform ascites treatment by, for example, executing a program stored in memory using the CPU.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the control device 21 includes a storage unit 60, a calculation unit 61, and a flow rate control unit 62.

[0032] The memory unit 60 stores relational equation R1, which defines the relationship between the protein concentration N, a parameter of substance concentration in ascites fluid as shown in Figure 3, and the in-line pressure P of the first fluid delivery line 16, and relational data R2, which shows the correspondence between the protein concentration N and the appropriate concentrated ascites fluid flow rate in the second fluid delivery line 17, as shown in Figure 4. The relational data R2 includes an upper threshold Nt and a lower threshold Nu of the protein concentration corresponding to the range of the appropriate concentrated ascites fluid flow rate.

[0033] The calculation unit 61 calculates the protein concentration n1 in the ascites fluid based on the relational equation R1 and the in-line pressure p1 measured by the pressure measuring device 20. The proteins in the ascites fluid whose concentration is calculated are, for example, albumin and globulin.

[0034] The flow rate control unit 62 controls the flow rate of concentrated ascites (concentrated ascites flow rate) based on the protein concentration n1 calculated by the calculation unit 61 and related data R2. Concentrated ascites is ascites that is concentrated in the concentrator 12 and discharged through the second fluid delivery line 17. In this embodiment, the concentrated ascites flow rate corresponds to the flow rate of the second pump 51, so the flow rate control unit 62 controls the concentrated ascites flow rate by adjusting the flow rate of the second pump 51.

[0035] The control device 21 in Figure 1 is physically configured to include, for example, a control unit containing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory, an operation unit, a display, a speaker, a storage unit, a communication unit, etc. When the CPU executes a predetermined program stored in memory, the various functions of the storage unit 60, calculation unit 61, flow rate control unit 62, etc. are activated.

[0036] Next, the flow rate control of concentrated ascites fluid performed by the control device 21 in this embodiment will be described together with the ascites fluid treatment process performed by the ascites fluid treatment system 1.

[0037] The memory unit 60 of the control device 21 has a relational expression R1 and relational data R2 stored in it beforehand. The relational expression R1 and relational data R2 are stored in the memory unit 60, for example, by being input by a user to the input unit of the control device 21 or by being input from outside the control device 21 via a communication network.

[0038] During ascites fluid treatment, first, as shown in Figure 1, an ascites bag 10 containing ascites fluid collected from the patient is connected to the fluid delivery line 15. Then, the first pump 50 and the second pump 51 are activated to start the filtration and concentration process of the ascites fluid.

[0039] At this time, the ascites fluid in the ascites bag 10 is sent to the filter 11 through the fluid delivery line 15. The ascites fluid flows into the inner region of the filter membrane 30 from the fluid inlet 11a of the filter 11, passes through the filter membrane 30, and flows out into the outer region of the filter membrane 30. At this time, predetermined pathogenic substances are removed from the ascites fluid.

[0040] Ascites fluid that flows out into the outer region of the filtration membrane 30 flows out from the fluid inlet 11d of the filter 11 into the first fluid delivery line 16 and is sent to the concentrator 12 through the first fluid delivery line 16. Ascites fluid flows into the inner region of the concentrating membrane 40 from the fluid inlet 12b of the concentrator 12 and is discharged from the fluid inlet 12a. At this time, a portion of the ascites fluid, mainly water, flows through the concentrating membrane 40 into the outer region of the concentrating membrane 40. This removes mainly water from the ascites fluid, and the ascites fluid is concentrated. The ascites fluid concentrated in the concentrator 12 is collected in the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 through the second fluid delivery line 17.

[0041] Meanwhile, the wastewater removed by the concentrator 12 is discharged to the outside through the wastewater line 18. The above filtration and ascites treatment is carried out, for example, until all the ascites in the ascites bag 10 has been treated. Once all the ascites in the ascites bag 10 has been treated, the first pump 50 and the second pump 51 stop, and the series of ascites treatments is completed.

[0042] Here, if we define the flow rate of ascites fluid that has passed through the filter 11 and flows into the concentrator 12 as the "ascites fluid inflow flow rate," the flow rate of concentrated ascites fluid that flows from the concentrator 12 to the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 as the "concentrated ascites fluid flow rate," and the flow rate of drainage fluid discharged from the concentrator 12 to the drainage line 18 as the "drainage fluid flow rate," then the following equation holds true. Ascites inflow (mL / min) = Concentrated ascites flow rate (mL / min) + Drainage flow rate (mL / min)

[0043] Since the concentrated ascites fluid is ultimately reinjected into the patient, it is desirable to minimize its volume. Therefore, we want to reduce the concentrated ascites fluid flow rate, but reducing the concentrated ascites fluid flow rate increases the drainage flow rate according to the above formula. In this case, the amount of fluid removed by the concentrator 12 increases, and if this fluid removal continues, the concentrating membrane 40 inside the concentrator 12 is prone to clogging. Therefore, the concentrated ascites fluid flow rate is set to an appropriate flow rate as follows.

[0044] For example, during the filtration and concentration of ascites fluid, the pressure measuring device 20 measures the in-line pressure p1 of the first fluid delivery line 16. The measurement result of the in-line pressure p1 is output to the control device 21. In the control device 21, the calculation unit 61 substitutes the in-line pressure p1 measured by the pressure measuring device 20 into the relational equation R1 shown in Figure 3, and calculates the protein concentration n1 in the ascites fluid. At this time, the pressure value p1 substituted into relational equation R1 may be the pressure value at a certain moment, or it may be the average value of the pressure values ​​over a certain period of time.

[0045] Next, the flow control unit 62 controls the flow rate of concentrated ascites fluid based on the protein concentration n1 in the ascites fluid. For example, the flow rate of the second pump 51 is adjusted based on the protein concentration n1 in the ascites fluid and the relationship data R2 shown in Figure 4. For example, if the protein concentration n1 in the ascites fluid is higher than the upper threshold (20 g / dL in Figure 4), the flow rate of the second pump 51 is reduced, and if it is lower than the lower threshold (10 g / dL in Figure 4), the flow rate of the second pump 51 is increased. Also, if the protein concentration n1 in the ascites fluid is below the upper threshold and above the lower threshold, the flow rate of the second pump 51 is maintained. In this example, the flow rate of the first pump 50 was maintained while the flow rate of the second pump 51 was adjusted, but the first pump 50 may be adjusted, or both the first pump 50 and the second pump 51 may be adjusted.

[0046] Furthermore, the upper and lower threshold values ​​are not necessarily determined by the user. For example, the control device 21 may automatically determine the upper and lower threshold values ​​within a certain range based on the desired protein concentration set by the user. In this case, concentrated ascites fluid close to the protein concentration desired by the user can be obtained. In some cases, the upper and lower threshold values ​​may be the same.

[0047] The control of the concentrated ascites flow rate by the flow control unit 62 described above may be performed only during a portion of the filtration and concentration process. For example, when each line 15-18, filter 11, and concentrator 12 are filled with saline solution, such as at the start of the process, the protein concentration of the ascites cannot be accurately calculated, so it is better not to perform control of the concentrated ascites flow rate by the flow control unit 62. In addition, the control of the concentrated ascites flow rate may be stopped in the event of an alarm due to an abnormality or when the user determines that automatic control is unnecessary.

[0048] According to this embodiment, the control device 21 has a calculation unit 61 that calculates the protein concentration in the ascites fluid based on the in-line pressure measured by the pressure measuring device 20, so that ascites fluid treatment can be performed according to the protein concentration of the ascites fluid being treated. As a result, for example, ascites fluid can be treated at an appropriate flow rate, so the ascites fluid treatment time can be shortened or the amount of ascites fluid to be treated can be increased. In addition, the ascites fluid can be concentrated to a desired concentration.

[0049] The calculation unit 61 calculates the protein concentration n1 of the ascites fluid based on a relational expression R1 that shows the relationship between the in-line pressure P and the protein concentration N of the ascites fluid, and the in-line pressure p1 measured by the pressure measuring device 20. This allows for efficient calculation of the protein concentration of the ascites fluid.

[0050] The control device 21 includes a flow rate control unit 62 that controls the flow rate of concentrated ascites fluid concentrated by the concentrator 12 based on the protein concentration in the ascites fluid calculated by the calculation unit 61. This allows for automatic control of the concentrated ascites fluid flow rate based on, for example, the protein concentration in the ascites fluid, eliminating the need for the user to make detailed setting changes.

[0051] The flow control unit 62 is configured to reduce the flow rate of ascites fluid when the protein concentration in ascites fluid exceeds a predetermined upper threshold, and to increase the flow rate of ascites fluid when the protein concentration in ascites fluid is below a predetermined lower threshold. Therefore, an appropriate concentrated ascites fluid flow rate can be achieved with simple control.

[0052] The control device 21 may further include a parameter display unit 80 that displays the protein concentration in the ascites fluid, which is a parameter calculated by the calculation unit 61, as shown in Figure 5. The parameter display unit 80 has a display screen 81, as shown in Figure 6, and displays, for example, the protein concentration in the ascites fluid numerically. In this case, the protein concentration in the ascites fluid is provided to the user, and the user can use this information to make various settings for ascites fluid treatment, for example. At this time, in addition to displaying the protein concentration in the ascites fluid at a given moment during treatment, it is also possible to display the total amount of protein in the concentrated ascites fluid by accumulating the instantaneous protein concentration values, or to display the average concentration of the concentrated ascites fluid by calculating the time average of the protein concentration.

[0053] The control device 21 may further include a recommended setting calculation unit 90 that calculates recommended settings for ascites treatment settings based on the protein concentration in ascites fluid, which is a parameter calculated by the calculation unit 61 as shown in Figure 7, and a recommended setting display unit 91 that displays the recommended settings calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit 90.

[0054] The recommended setting calculation unit 90 calculates recommended settings for ascites treatment settings, such as the flow rates of the first pump 50 and the second pump 51, the concentration rate of ascites, and the volume of concentrated ascites. For example, the flow rate of the second pump 51 (concentrated ascites flow rate) may be calculated as a recommended setting using the correspondence or relationship formula between the protein concentration of ascites and the appropriate concentrated ascites flow rate calculated by the calculation unit 61 as described above.

[0055] As shown in Figure 8, the recommended settings display unit 91 includes a display (display screen) 100, which displays the recommended settings for various calculated setting items. In this case, the recommended setting values ​​may be displayed numerically, or they may be displayed in text, for example, "The recommended setting is ○○." In this case, the user can appropriately and easily set the setting items based on the recommended settings.

[0056] The control device 21 may include a recommended setting calculation unit 90 and a setting unit 92 for setting items to the recommended settings calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit 90, as shown in Figure 9.

[0057] The setting unit 92 changes various settings for ascites treatment to the recommended settings calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit 90, such as the flow rates of the first pump 50 and the second pump 51, the concentration rate of ascites, and the amount of concentrated ascites. In this case, the settings are automatically set to the recommended settings, which reduces the burden on the user.

[0058] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the ideas described in the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0059] The configuration of the ascites treatment system 1 is not limited to that of the embodiment described above. For example, the ascites treatment system 1 may have different configurations, such as the way lines 15-18, filters 11, and concentrators 12 are connected, and the arrangement of pumps 50 and 51, as long as it is capable of filtering and concentrating ascites. For example, the second pump 51 may be provided in the drainage line 18. In such a case, the flow rate control unit 62 may control the concentrated ascites flow rate by adjusting the flow rate of at least one of the first pumps 50 in the first fluid delivery line 16 or the second pump 51 in the drainage line 18. Alternatively, the concentrated ascites flow rate may be controlled by providing pumps in the first fluid delivery line 16, the second fluid delivery line 17, and the drainage line 18, and adjusting the flow rate of any of these pumps.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the flow rate control unit 62 controlled the flow rate of the second fluid delivery line 17 based on the protein concentration calculated by the calculation unit 61. However, it is also possible to control the flow rate of at least one of the body cavity fluids among the first fluid delivery line 16, the second fluid delivery line 17, and the drainage line 18.

[0061] For example, the flow rate control unit 62 may adjust the concentration rate of the body cavity fluid in the concentrator 12 based on the protein concentration calculated by the calculation unit 61. The concentration rate is the percentage of concentration and is expressed as (concentrated ascites flow rate) / (ascites inflow flow rate) × 100 (%). Specifically, if the protein concentration in the ascites fluid calculated by the calculation unit 61 exceeds a predetermined upper threshold, the flow rate control unit 62 adjusts at least one of the following so as to lower the protein concentration: the flow rate of body cavity fluid flowing into the concentrator 12 in the first fluid delivery line 16, the flow rate of body cavity fluid flowing out of the concentrator 12 in the second fluid delivery line 17, and the flow rate of drainage fluid removed from the concentrator 12 in the drainage line 18. Furthermore, if the protein concentration in the ascites fluid calculated by the calculation unit 61 is lower than a predetermined lower threshold, the flow rate control unit 62 adjusts at least one of the following so that the protein concentration increases: the flow rate of body fluid flowing into the concentrator 12 in the first fluid delivery line 16, the flow rate of body fluid flowing out of the concentrator 12 in the second fluid delivery line 17, and the flow rate of drainage fluid removed from the concentrator 12 in the drainage line 18.

[0062] The pressure measuring device 20 measures the in-line pressure of the first fluid delivery line 16, but as shown in Figure 10, it may also measure the in-line pressure of the second fluid delivery line 17, or it may measure the in-line pressure of both the first fluid delivery line 16 and the second fluid delivery line 17. When measuring the in-line pressure of both the first fluid delivery line 16 and the second fluid delivery line 17, the difference between the two measured pressure values ​​may be used as the in-line pressure p1 for calculating the protein concentration in the ascites fluid. The pressure measuring device 20 may also measure the in-line pressure of the drainage line 18. The pressure measuring device 20 may measure at least one of the in-line pressure of the first fluid delivery line 16, the in-line pressure of the second fluid delivery line 17, and the in-line pressure of the drainage line 18.

[0063] The relational equation R1 for calculating the protein concentration in ascites fluid, which is a parameter, and the relational data R2 for calculating the appropriate concentrated ascites fluid flow rate, may be updated sequentially. In such cases, the results of the filtration and concentration treatment performed in the ascites fluid treatment system 1 may be reflected in relational equation R1 and relational data R2, or relational equation R1 and relational data R2 may be updated with data obtained from outside the ascites fluid treatment system 1 via a communication network.

[0064] The relationship between the parameter protein concentration in ascites fluid and the appropriate concentrated ascites fluid flow rate does not necessarily have to be expressed as the relationship data R²; it may be expressed as a relational equation or other expression.

[0065] For example, in the above embodiment, the ascites treatment system 1 filtered and concentrated the ascites in the ascites bag 10 and stored it in the concentrated ascites bag 13. However, it may also directly extract the patient's ascites into the fluid delivery line 15, filter it, and concentrate it. In this case, a puncture needle may be connected to the end of the fluid delivery line 15. Alternatively, although the ascites treatment system 1 stored the filtered and concentrated ascites in the concentrated ascites bag 13, it may also directly return the concentrated ascites to the patient through the second fluid delivery line 17. In this case, a puncture needle may be connected to the end of the second fluid delivery line 17.

[0066] Furthermore, the ascites treatment system 1 may not be equipped with a filter 11. In such a case, the ascites treatment system 1 may concentrate the already filtered ascites fluid using a concentrator 12.

[0067] The control device 21 may be part of the ascites treatment system 1, or it may be a separate entity. For example, the control device 21 may be located separately from the ascites treatment system 1 and connected to it by a communication network or the like.

[0068] In the above embodiments, the parameter calculated by the calculation unit 61 was the protein concentration in the ascites fluid, but it may be the concentration of other substances in the ascites fluid. Furthermore, the parameter may be at least one of the physical properties of the ascites fluid or the concentration of substances in the ascites fluid, and may be the physical properties of the ascites fluid, such as viscosity or specific gravity. The calculation unit 61 may calculate both the physical properties of the ascites fluid and the concentration of substances in the ascites fluid.

[0069] Furthermore, the ascites fluid treatment system 1 may use gravity instead of a pump to deliver the ascites fluid. In such a case, the ascites fluid treatment system 1 may be configured to allow the height of the ascites fluid bag 10 and the concentrated ascites fluid bag 13 to be changed as appropriate.

[0070] The above embodiments were examples of applying the present invention to an ascites treatment system 1 for treating ascites fluid, but the present invention can also be applied to body cavity fluid treatment systems for treating other body cavity fluids such as pleural fluid. [Industrial applicability]

[0071] The present invention is useful in providing a control device and a body fluid processing system that can calculate at least one of the physical properties of a body fluid or the concentration of substances in a body fluid. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 1. Ascites Treatment System 10 Ascites bag 11 Filter 12 Concentrator 13. Concentrated ascites bag 15. Fluid delivery line 16. First liquid delivery line 17. Second liquid delivery line 18 Drainage line 19. Liquid delivery means 20 Pressure measuring device 21 Control device 61 Calculation Section

Claims

1. A concentrator for concentrating body fluids, A first fluid delivery line for delivering body cavity fluid to the aforementioned concentrator, A second fluid delivery line for discharging the body cavity fluid concentrated in the aforementioned concentrator, A drainage line for discharging the wastewater removed by the aforementioned concentrator, A control device for controlling a body cavity fluid treatment system comprising at least one pressure measuring device for measuring the pressure in at least one of the first fluid delivery line, the second fluid delivery line, and the drainage line, A calculation unit that calculates at least one parameter of the physical properties of the body cavity fluid or the concentration of substances in the body cavity fluid based on the in-line pressure measured by the pressure measuring device, The system includes a flow control unit that controls the flow rate of body cavity fluid in at least one of the first fluid delivery line, the second fluid delivery line, and the drainage line based on the parameters calculated by the calculation unit, The flow rate control unit is configured to adjust the concentration rate of the body cavity fluid in the concentrator based on the parameters, and is a control device.

2. A concentrator for concentrating body fluids, A first fluid delivery line for delivering body cavity fluid to the aforementioned concentrator, A second fluid delivery line for discharging the body cavity fluid concentrated in the aforementioned concentrator, A drainage line for discharging the wastewater removed by the aforementioned concentrator, A control device for controlling a body cavity fluid treatment system comprising at least one pressure measuring device for measuring the pressure in at least one of the first fluid delivery line, the second fluid delivery line, and the drainage line, The system includes a calculation unit that calculates at least one parameter of the physical properties of the body cavity fluid or the concentration of substances in the body cavity fluid based on the in-line pressure measured by the pressure measuring device, The physical property of the aforementioned body cavity fluid is viscosity. The control device wherein the concentration of the substance in the body cavity fluid is the protein concentration.

3. The control device according to claim 2, further comprising a flow control unit that controls the flow rate of body cavity fluid in at least one of the first fluid delivery line, the second fluid delivery line, and the drainage line based on the parameters calculated by the calculation unit.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the flow rate control unit is configured to adjust the concentration rate of the body cavity fluid in the concentrator based on the parameters.

5. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the parameter based on a relational expression showing the relationship between the line pressure and the parameter and the line pressure measured by the pressure measuring device.

6. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a parameter display unit for displaying parameters calculated by the calculation unit.

7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a recommended setting calculation unit that calculates recommended settings for body cavity fluid processing settings based on the parameters calculated by the calculation unit.

8. The control device according to claim 7, further comprising a recommended setting display unit that displays the recommended setting calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit.

9. The control device according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a setting unit for setting the setting items in the recommended settings calculated by the recommended setting calculation unit.

10. A body cavity fluid processing system comprising a control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.