Transitory Pressurization for Extracorporeal Blood Circuit Priming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for priming extracorporeal blood circuits with membrane gas exchangers fail to prevent bubble formation during and after priming, requiring additional components and user intervention, and restrict the positioning of the gas exchanger.
Innovation Solution
A method involving transitory pressurization of the priming fluid within the blood side of the membrane gas exchanger to prevent air bubble release, using periodic pressure increases to force fluid into hydrophobic pores and remove micro-air bubbles, allowing for automated priming without additional components and enabling free positioning of the gas exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the membrane gas exchanger is positioned below the end of the return line during priming to prevent air intake through the membrane, then bubble formation is prevented, but the device positioning freedom is restricted and user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the priming fluid to create a pressure gradient that prevents air intake through the membrane. By controlling the pressure of the priming fluid to be higher than atmospheric pressure, the system prevents bubble formation without requiring the gas exchanger to be positioned at a specific location, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation
2Reliability
If additional components such as vent devices and bubble sensors are added to eliminate air from the circuit, then bubble formation is controlled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for additional vent devices and bubble sensors by using a pressure control method during priming. The pressure gradient approach inherently prevents air intake through the membrane, removing the need for separate components to detect or eliminate bubbles, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability
3Reliability
If the priming process requires user intervention and manual positioning, then bubble prevention can be achieved, but automation level decreases and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service priming process where the system automatically controls the pressure of the priming fluid to prevent air intake through the membrane. The pressure control mechanism operates autonomously without requiring user intervention for positioning or monitoring, achieving both high automation level and effective bubble prevention
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
Effectively prevents bubble formation during and after priming, allowing for a user-friendly and automated process that maintains overpressure in the blood side of the membrane gas exchanger, preventing air from entering through the membrane.
Implementation Method 1
forcing some fluid into the hydrophobic pores of the membrane leading to a reduction of gas transfer
Implementation Method 2
a membrane gas exchanger operatively coupled to the extracorporeal blood circuit to exchange gas with blood flowing in the extracorporeal blood circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A method for priming an extracorporeal blood circuit of an apparatus for extracorporeal treatment of blood comprises: feeding a priming fluid in the extracorporeal blood circuit and into a blood side of a membrane gas exchanger (18); generating a transitory pressurization step or a plurality of transitory pressurization steps in the priming fluid flowing in the blood circuit and in the blood side of the membrane gas exchanger (18).