Dialysis Ultrafiltration Regulation via Pump Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dialysis treatments face complexity in accurately regulating ultrafiltration, which is crucial for fluid balance and patient safety, due to the complexity of balance chamber structures and calibration demands in existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A device and method for regulating ultrafiltration in dialysis treatments using a blood pump, dialysis fluid pump, and throttle to control blood and dialysis fluid flows, allowing for precise ultrafiltration management without additional pumps, reducing structural complexity and enabling accurate fluid balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If balance chamber pumps are used to control ultrafiltration, then fluid balance accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing tolerance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the balance chamber structure from the system and replaces it with a parallel flow path containing an ultrafiltration pump. This removes the complex balance chamber while maintaining fluid balance measurement capability through the pump's flow control and measurement functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The ultrafiltration pump serves multiple functions: it controls the ultrafiltration flow rate, measures the fluid balance through its pump characteristics, and eliminates the need for separate balance chamber pumps. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If flow sensors and carts are used to control dialysis fluid flow rates, then ultrafiltration control precision is improved, but calibration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the pump's own characteristics (pump curve, flow rate control) to perform measurement and control functions without requiring external flow sensors or carts. The pump effectively measures and controls its own flow, eliminating calibration complexity associated with separate sensing devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional pumps are added to the dialysis fluid circulation, then ultrafiltration control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrafiltration pump performs multiple roles: it provides the ultrafiltration function, controls the dialysis fluid flow rate in the parallel path, and measures fluid balance. This multi-functionality achieves improved control capability without adding multiple separate pumps, thereby limiting device complexity.
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 solution allows for precise control of ultrafiltration, reducing the risk of fluid imbalance and improving patient safety by simplifying the regulation of ultrafiltration processes, eliminating the need for additional pumps and reducing equipment complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The substances that are eliminated in urine diffuse through the membrane from the blood chamber into the chamber for dialysis fluid, whereas electrolytes which are present in the blood and in the dialysis fluid at the same time diffuse from the chamber of higher concentration to the chamber of the lower concentration.
Implementation Method 2
If a pressure gradient from the blood side to the dialysis side is established on the dialysis membrane, water will diffuse out of the patient's blood, through the dialysis membrane and into the dialysis circulation, i.e., the so-called ultrafiltrate.
Implementation Method 3
The mass exchange takes place by convection in hemofiltration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a device are disclosed for regulating an ultrafiltration in a dialysis treatment, in which the blood to be ultrafiltered in an extracorporeal blood circulation (109) flows through a blood chamber (110) of a dialyzer (113), which is subdivided by a semipermeable membrane (111) into a blood chamber (110) and a dialysis fluid chamber (108), and dialysis fluid in a dialysis fluid circulation (109) flows through the dialysis fluid chamber (108) of the dialyzer (113). The device has a blood pump (115) for controlling a blood flow in the extracorporeal blood circulation (112), a dialysis fluid pump (107) for controlling a dialysis fluid flow in the dialysis fluid circulation (109) upstream or downstream from the dialyzer (113), for controlling the dialysis fluid flow upstream of downstream from the dialyzer, a balancing device (104) for setting up a fluid balance in the dialysis fluid circulation between an inflow (106) and an outflow (105) of the dialysis fluid chamber (113) as a measure of the ultrafiltration, as well as a regulating unit (101) for regulating the blood pump (115), the throttle (117) and/or the dialysis fluid pump (107). The pumps or the throttles (117) are regulated so that a predetermined ultrafiltration is achieved.