Blood purification apparatus
Inventors
Homma, Takumi • Tsuji, Kazuya • Chiaki, Hikaru • Menjoh, Yuya • Akita, Kunihiko
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12472290-B2
Publication Date
2025-11-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
Provided is a blood purification apparatus that returns blood in a blood circuit to a body. A blood purification apparatus includes: a blood circuit and a dialysate circuit coupled to each other through a blood purifier; an air introduction route coupled to the dialysate circuit; an air introducer provided to any of the dialysate circuit and the air introduction route and configured to set the dialysate circuit to a positive pressure by introducing air into the dialysate circuit through the air introduction route; and a controller configured to control the air introducer in such a way as to feed a dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit, and to control the blood circuit and the dialysate circuit in such a way as to return blood in the blood circuit and the blood purifier to a body by feeding the dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit.
Core Innovation
A blood purification apparatus is disclosed that includes a blood circuit and a dialysate circuit coupled to each other through a blood purifier, and a chamber provided to the blood circuit and configured to store blood in the blood circuit. The apparatus further includes an air introduction route coupled to the dialysate circuit and an air introducer provided to the dialysate circuit and/or the air introduction route. The air introducer is configured to set the dialysate circuit to positive pressure by introducing air into the dialysate circuit through the air introduction route.
The air introducer is coupled to the chamber and configured to adjust a liquid level in the chamber by feeding the air into the chamber. A controller is configured to control the air introducer to feed dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit, and to control the blood circuit and the dialysate circuit to return blood in the blood circuit and the blood purifier to a body by feeding dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit.
The controller controls the air introducer to introduce the air into the dialysate circuit without feeding the air into the chamber when returning the blood in the blood circuit and the blood purifier to the body. A dialysate circuit pressure control concept is described in which controlling the introduction of air and related controls is used to avoid negative pressure and hemolysis.
The apparatus also sets up blood-circuit air trap chambers for managing air lock risk, and backup-power operation during a main-power stop is described, including controlling valves and air pump(s) to switch between multiple dialysate filters.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are identified: clm-00001 and clm-00013. Across these independent claims, the inventive subject matter is built from core features centered on an air-introducer-controlled positive-pressure dialysate circuit for dialysate feeding, while avoiding feeding introduced air into the chamber during blood return/discharge operations.
Positive-pressure dialysate circuit feeding via an air introduction route
An air introduction route coupled to the dialysate circuit and an air introducer configured to set the dialysate circuit to a positive pressure by introducing air into the dialysate circuit through the air introduction route, coupled to a controller that controls feeding of dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit for blood return.
Chamber liquid level adjustment via air coupling to the chamber
The air introducer is coupled to the chamber and configured to adjust a liquid level in the chamber by feeding the air into the chamber.
Preventing air feeding into the chamber during blood return
The controller controls the air introducer to introduce the air into the dialysate circuit without feeding the air into the chamber in a case of returning the blood in the blood circuit and the blood purifier to the body.
Blood removal side and blood return side circuit coordinated with dialysate feeding
The blood circuit includes a blood removal side circuit for introducing blood into the blood purifier and a blood return side circuit for discharging blood from the blood purifier, and the controller feeds dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood return side circuit and discharges blood from the blood removal side circuit and the blood purifier to the blood return side circuit.
Air introduced into dialysate circuit without chamber air during discharge to blood return side
The controller controls the air introducer so that air is introduced into the dialysate circuit without feeding the air into the chamber in a case of discharging the blood in the blood removal side circuit and the blood purifier to the blood return side circuit.
The independent claims cover a blood purification apparatus/method in which an air introducer sets the dialysate circuit to positive pressure to feed dialysate for blood return, while the introduced air is prevented from entering a chamber storing blood during blood return/discharge operations. Claim 13 further specifies coordination of a blood removal side circuit and a blood return side circuit with the dialysate feeding and the no-air-to-chamber requirement.
Stated Advantages
Avoid negative pressure and hemolysis.
Manage air lock risk.
Documented Applications
Backup-power operation during a main-power stop.
Switch between multiple dialysate filters.
Blood return by feeding dialysate from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit.
Blood return process based on back filtration.
Blood return process based on rehydration with normal or reverse flow directions.
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