Control or regulating device
Inventors
Marseille, Oliver • Korthauer, Jürgen • Weber, Markus • Nötzel, Stefan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12478715-B2
Publication Date
2025-11-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention concerns a control or regulating device with a control or regulating unit, which both controls or regulates a volumetric blood flow flowing through a blood pump as well as a volumetric flow of a gas able to flow through a gas exchange unit.
Core Innovation
A control or regulating device controls or regulates a volumetric blood flow flowing through a blood pump and simultaneously controls or regulates a volumetric flow of a gas able to flow through a gas exchange unit. The control or regulating unit is disposed fully inside a cavity of a housing and includes a mixing device in which at least two gases are mixed together, with an adjusting device configured to control or regulate a volumetric flow and/or a composition of the gas flowing out of the mixing device.
The control or regulating unit further includes another adjusting device configured to control or regulate a volumetric flow of the gas supplied to the blood pump. The device includes a selection device and a switching device to define multiple operating modes by routing the gas to different destinations, including supply to the blood pump and to the gas exchange unit, or supply to the gas exchange unit from a mixing device or from a further mixing device.
The control or regulating unit includes safety monitoring and alarm functions and can issue an alarm when a volumetric flow of the gas supplied to the gas exchange unit falls below a threshold value. At least one algorithm stored in the device controls or regulates a relationship between volumetric gas flow and volumetric blood flow as a function of time and other measurement parameters, and pressure control valves are configured to prevent excessively high volumetric gas flow supplied to the blood pump and to the gas exchange unit.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims. Across these claims, the coverage centers on a housing-contained control/regulating unit that simultaneously regulates volumetric blood flow and volumetric gas flow, with gas mixing, adjustment of gas leaving the mixing device, and adjustment of gas supplied to the blood pump.
Volumetric blood flow and gas exchange volumetric gas flow regulation with internal housing control unit
A control or regulating device with a control or regulating unit disposed fully inside a cavity of a housing, where the device controls or regulates a volumetric blood flow flowing through a blood pump and simultaneously controls or regulates a volumetric flow of a gas able to flow through a gas exchange unit. The unit includes a mixing device for mixing at least two gases, an adjusting device to control or regulate a volumetric flow and/or a composition of the gas flowing out of the mixing device, and another adjusting device configured to control or regulate a volumetric flow of the gas supplied to the blood pump.
Heart-lung machine incorporating the control or regulating device
A heart-lung machine having a blood pump, a gas exchange unit, and a control or regulating device as defined in the first inventive feature.
The independent claims cover a control/regulating device that performs simultaneous volumetric regulation for blood flow via a blood pump and volumetric gas flow via a gas exchange unit, with gas mixing and two levels of adjusting for gas leaving the mixing device and gas supplied to the blood pump. The system is also claimed as a heart-lung machine including the blood pump, the gas exchange unit, and the specific control/regulating device architecture.
Stated Advantages
Prevents excessively high volumetric gas flow supplied to the blood pump and to the gas exchange unit.
Provides an alarm when the volumetric flow of gas supplied to the gas exchange unit falls below a threshold value.
Documented Applications
Used as part of a heart-lung machine.
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