Dialysis Fluid Handling With Bridge-Line Aseptic Blood Return
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Dialysis systems face contamination and infection risks during blood return and disconnection due to exposed open ends in tubing and dialyzer connections.
Innovation Solution
A dialysis system with a venous port, arterial port, pump, bridge line, and fluid source line configuration, along with clamps and valves, facilitates aseptic blood return by blocking and unblocking fluid pathways to force blood flow safely back to the patient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the arterial line is disconnected from the patient while filled with blood to enable blood return, then blood can be returned to the patient, but open ends are exposed to contamination and infection risks
Solution Approach 1:
A saline bridge is introduced as an intermediary substance to fill and seal the arterial line during disconnection. The bridge line connects the venous line to the arterial line, allowing saline to flow through and maintain pressure, thereby preventing air and contamination entry while enabling blood return. This mediator resolves the contradiction by providing a safe transition medium that eliminates open exposed ends.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-connecting the bridge line between the venous and arterial lines before disconnection occurs. Clamps are positioned in advance to control flow paths, and the saline bridge is prepared to be introduced immediately upon disconnection. This preliminary configuration ensures that when the arterial line is disconnected, the sealing and blood return mechanisms are already in place to prevent contamination.
2Productivity
If conventional disconnection methods are used with open arterial line ends, then blood return is achieved, but the complexity of aseptic technique requirements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple functions into an integrated configuration: the bridge line simultaneously serves as a sealing mechanism, a pressure maintenance pathway, and a blood return conduit. The clamp assembly combines flow control for both venous and arterial lines within a single configuration. This merging reduces the number of separate aseptic operations required and simplifies the overall disconnection process while maintaining blood return efficiency.
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
Ensures aseptic blood return, minimizing contamination risks and infection by maintaining closed fluid pathways during blood reinfusion.
Implementation Method 1
operating a pump of the dialysis system in a forward direction to produce fluid flow from the fluid source, through the dialyzer, and through the bridge line to force venous blood in the venous line toward the patient venous access and blood in the arterial line toward the patient arterial access
Data Source
AI summary
A dialysis system with post dialysis aseptic blood return including a fluid source, a dialyzer, a pump, a venous line, an arterial line, a bridge line coupled between the venous line and the arterial line, and a fluid source line coupled between the fluid source and a fluid port of the arterial line downstream for the bridge line. Aseptic blood return after dialysis is performed by blocking the arterial line between the bridge line and the fluid port, unblocking the bridge line, unblocking the fluid source line, and operating the pump in a forward direction to produce fluid flow from the fluid source, through the dialyzer, and through the bridge line to force venous blood in the venous line toward the patient venous access and arterial blood in the arterial line toward the patient arterial access.