Blood Filter Fluid Removal via Dialysate Inlet Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for disposing of blood filters and extracorporeal blood circuits after treatment sessions are costly and risk contamination due to the need for fluid removal, which is inefficient and often requires manual handling.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the controlled introduction of air or a liquid into the dialysate inlet line of a blood filter to displace fluid from the dialysate chamber, using a control device and medical treatment apparatus with pumps and sensors to manage the process, ensuring safe and efficient removal of fluid without cross-contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If fluid is removed from the blood filter by manual handling, then the contamination risk is reduced, but the manual effort and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs fluid removal automatically using a pump and control unit without requiring manual intervention. The blood filter connects to the dialysate inlet line, and the pump automatically draws fluid through the filter and into a collection container, eliminating the need for manual handling while reducing contamination risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of fluid removal is replaced by an automated pump system controlled by a control unit. The pump creates negative pressure to draw fluid through the filter, and the control unit monitors and regulates the process, substituting manual operations with an automated mechanical system.
2Weight of moving object
If fluid is removed from the blood filter, then the weight of disposed filters is reduced, but the complexity of the removal process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dialysate inlet line, already present in the blood treatment system, is used for dual purposes: delivering dialysate during treatment and serving as the fluid removal pathway after treatment. This multi-functional use of existing infrastructure reduces the need for additional specialized equipment for fluid removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump acts as an intermediary device that connects the blood filter to the collection container, enabling fluid transfer without requiring complex manual procedures. The control unit serves as another intermediary that coordinates the pump operation and monitors the process, simplifying the overall system while achieving weight reduction.
3Productivity
If air is introduced into the dialysate inlet line to displace fluid, then the fluid removal efficiency is improved, but the risk of air entering the patient's vascular system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs fluid removal immediately after blood treatment concludes, before any air introduction or system reconfiguration. The pump automatically initiates fluid withdrawal from the blood filter through the dialysate inlet line, completing the process before the patient is disconnected, thereby eliminating the risk of air entering the vascular system.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid removal process extracts all remaining fluid from the blood filter and blood circuit through the dialysate inlet line before the treatment session is fully concluded. By removing fluid proactively and completely, the system eliminates the need for subsequent air introduction that could pose a risk to the patient's vascular system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively reduces the weight and contamination risk of disposed filters and circuits, allowing for automated or semi-automated fluid removal, minimizing manual effort and costs, while ensuring no air enters the patient's vascular system during the process.
Implementation Method 1
displacing the fluid from the dialysate chamber by actively or passively introducing air or a liquid into the dialysate inlet line
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for removing fluid from a blood filter which is used for the blood treatment of a patient and/or for removing blood from an extracorporeal blood circuit at the end of a blood treatment session. It further relates to a medical treatment apparatus with a control and/or regulating device which executes the method according to the present invention. It further relates to a digital storage medium, a computer program product as well as a computer program for executing the method according to the present invention.