Dual-Lumen PD Line Flushing for Body-Temperature Patient Fill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low volume peritoneal dialysis patients, such as pediatric patients, experience discomfort due to the delivery of unheated dialysis fluid during the dialysis process, as the fluid in the patient line cools to room temperature during the dwell phase and is returned unheated to the peritoneal cavity.
Innovation Solution
A peritoneal dialysis system that includes a PD machine configured to deliver fresh, heated dialysis fluid at body temperature and a dual lumen patient line with a disposable filter set, which heats and filters the fluid, and a manual or automatic valve system to ensure all fluid delivered to the patient is at body temperature by flushing unheated fluid back into the used lumen before patient delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If dialysis fluid is delivered through a patient line during the dwell phase, then the fluid cools to room temperature, but delivering heated fluid is required to maintain patient comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the dialysis fluid before it reaches the patient line during the dwell phase. By pre-heating the fluid in the heating chamber and using the valve system to redirect and flush unheated fluid back through the heating chamber, the system ensures that the fluid is warmed before patient delivery, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-cooling heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating chamber acts as an intermediary between the dialysis fluid source and the patient line. The valve system serves as another intermediary that controls fluid redirection, allowing unheated fluid to be flushed back through the heating chamber for warming before being delivered to the patient, thus mediating the temperature issue without requiring separate heating equipment at the patient interface.
2Temperature
If a valve system is added to flush unheated fluid back into the used lumen, then fluid temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating chamber serves multiple functions: it heats dialysis fluid during the fill phase, and it also serves as a flushing chamber for unheated fluid during the dwell phase. The valve system integrates with the existing dual-lumen catheter structure, allowing the same hardware components to perform both heating and flushing functions, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite adding temperature control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the heating function and the flushing function into a single integrated system. The heating chamber and valve system are combined with the existing dialysis apparatus, allowing unheated fluid to be redirected through the same heating chamber used for initial fluid warming. This consolidation reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall device architecture.
3Temperature
If all fluid delivered to the patient is heated, then patient comfort and therapeutic efficacy are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process operates continuously throughout the dialysis cycle, including during the dwell phase when unheated fluid is flushed back through the heating chamber. This continuous heating action ensures that all fluid eventually delivered to the patient is warmed, maintaining patient comfort and therapeutic efficacy while utilizing the existing heating capability throughout the entire treatment period rather than only during specific phases.
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 that low volume patients receive dialysis fluid at body temperature, reducing discomfort and maintaining therapeutic efficacy by ensuring all fluid delivered is heated, thus improving the dialysis experience and effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element in selective communication with the reservoir and configured to heat the dialysis fluid to a body temperature
Implementation Method 2
a disposable filter set in fluid communication with the dual lumen patient line, the filter set including a sterilizing grade filter membrane
Data Source
AI summary
A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system includes a PD fluid pump, a dual lumen patient line including fresh and used PD fluid lumens, a filter set in fluid communication with the fresh and used PD fluid lumens, a valve provided either with a patient's transfer set or with the filter set, and a control unit configured, after a patient drain, to (i) prompt a patient or caregiver to close the valve when the valve is a manual valve, or (ii) cause the valve to close automatically when the valve is an electrically or pneumatically controlled valve. The control unit is further configured to cause the PD fluid pump, with the valve closed, to pump fresh, heated PD fluid into the fresh PD fluid lumen to displace unheated PD fluid from the fresh PD fluid lumen, through the filter set, into the used PD fluid lumen. A corresponding method is also disclosed.