Reversing flow blood processing system having reduced clotting potential

Abstract

A tubular set is provided for use with extracorporeal treatment of blood. The set comprises: a flow reversing valve having a patient arterial line and a patient venous line each separately connected to one side of the valve. A unit arterial line and a unit venous line are each separately connected to the other side of the valve. The patient arterial line connects with the unit arterial line in a first position of a valve, and the patient venous line connects with the unit venous line in the same first valve position. The patient arterial line connects with the patient venous line in a second position of a valve, while the patient venous line connects with the unit arterial line in the same second valve position. The flow reversing valve is movable between the first and second positions by relative rotation of part of the valve and adjacent portions of the respective lines.

That which is claimed:  
     
         1 . A kit comprising: 
 (a) a tubular blood flow set for extracorporeal handling of blood,    (b) instructions for use of said set setting forth a method which comprises the steps of: 
 (1) drawing blood from a patient through a patient arterial line and passing said blood from the patient arterial line to a unit arterial line through a moveable flow reversing valve; passing blood from the unit arterial line to a blood processing unit; passing blood from the blood processing unit to a unit venous line; passing blood from the unit venous line to a patient venous line through said moveable flow reversing valve, and from there back to the patient, said process further including the step of  
 (2) switching the connections of said lines without external disconnection and reconnection, said switching being accomplished by moving said valve between first and second flow-permitting positions in which, during said switching of the connection of said lines, said valve is moved through a flow-blocking zone to block flow through said valve; and, thereafter,  
 (3) passing blood from the patient through the patient venous line and then through said valve to the unit arterial line; passing blood from the unit arterial line through the connected blood processing unit to the unit venous line; passing blood from the unit venous line through the valve to the patient arterial line, and returning blood from the patient arterial line to the patient, and,  
   (c) a package containing said blood flow set and instructions.    
     
     
         2 . The kit of    claim 1    in which said moveable valve is moved while continuing flow of blood through said patient and unit lines.  
     
     
         3 . The kit of    claim 1    in which said tubular blood flow set comprises a tubular set portion having said flow reversing valve and connected fluid flow lines, said lines each having ends opposed to said flow reversing valve that carry connectors for connection to other tubular portions of a complete tubular arrangement.  
     
     
         4 . The kit of    claim 1    in which blood passes through said moveable reversing valve in a substantially straight, laminar flow.  
     
     
         5 . The kit of    claim 1    in which said movable flow reversing valve carries first and second engaging plates, said first plate having a first pair of ports that respectively engage the patient arterial and venous lines, the second plate having a second pair of ports that respectively engage the unit arterial and venous lines, said first and second plates being relatively rotatable and peripherally sealed, whereby either port of said first pair can communicate with either port of the second pair at differing rotatable positions respectively corresponding to said first and second positions.  
     
     
         6 . The kit of    claim 5    in which a stop member limits movement of said relatively rotatable plates to a rotational range between and including said first and second positions.  
     
     
         7 . The kit of    claim 5    in which a sealing plate is integral with one of said first and second plates and positioned between said first and second plates, said sealing plate having a pair of apertures that register with one of said pairs of ports, and sealing plate firmly engaging the other of said plates with a sealing surface.  
     
     
         8 . The kit of    claim 7    in which said sealing surface of the valve comprises a plurality of abutting, annular, peripheral portions of said other plate and said sealing plate which are respectively angled about 90° to adjacent, abutting, annular, peripheral portions to form a high performance rotary seal.  
     
     
         9 . The kit of    claim 8    in which said sealing plate is made of a resilient material, while said first and second plates are made of substantially rigid materials, to promote sealing between communicating ports of said first and second plates.  
     
     
         10 . The kit of    claim 9    in which a stop member limits movement of said relatively rotatable plates to a rotational range between and including said first and second positions.  
     
     
         11 . The kit of    claim 7    in which said sealing plate is made of a resilient material, while said first and second plates are made of substantially rigid materials, to promote sealing between communicating ports of said first and second plates.  
     
     
         12 . The kit of    claim 1    in which a locking member is provided to retain said valve either in said first position or said second position.  
     
     
         13 . The kit of    claim 12    in which said locking member comprises a U-shaped member carried in hinged relation with said flow reversing valve and pivotable to retain one pair of said patient arterial and venous lines or said unit arterial and venous lines, to prevent relative rotation of the respective lines.  
     
     
         14 . A kit comprising: 
 (a) a tubular blood flow set for extracorporeal handling of blood,    (b) instructions for use of said set setting forth a method which comprises the steps of: 
 (1) drawing blood from a patient through a patient arterial line and passing said blood from the patient arterial line to a unit arterial line through a moveable flow reversing valve in a first flow-permitting position, said movable flow reversing valve comprising first and second engaging plates, said first plate having a first pair of ports that respectively engage the patient arterial and venous lines, the second plate having a second pair of ports that respectively engage the unit arterial and venous lines, said first and second plates being relatively rotatable and peripherally sealed, whereby either port of said first pair can communicate with either port of the second pair at differing rotatable positions; passing blood from the unit arterial line to a blood processing unit; passing blood from the blood processing unit to a unit venous line; passing blood from the unit venous line to a patient venous line through said moveable flow reversing valve, in said first position, and from there back to the patient, said process further including the step of  
 (2) switching the connections of said lines without external disconnection and reconnection and, thereafter, said switching being accomplished by moving said valve between first and second flow-permitting positions in which, during said switching of the connection of said lines, said valve is moved through a flow-blocking zone to block flow through said valve, said valve retained in either said first position or said second position by a locking member; and, thereafter,  
 (3) passing blood from the patient through the patient venous line and then through said valve in a second flow-permitting position to the unit arterial line; passing blood from the unit arterial line through the connected blood processing unit to the unit venous line; passing blood from the unit venous line through the valve, in said second position to the patient arterial line, and returning blood from the patient arterial line to the patient, and,  
   (c) a package containing said blood flow set and instructions.    
     
     
         15 . The kit of    claim 14    in which blood passes through said moveable reversing valve in a substantially straight, laminar flow.  
     
     
         16 . The kit of    claim 14    in which said locking member comprises a U-shaped member carried in hinged relation with said movable flow reversing valve and pivotable to retain one pair of said patient arterial and venous lines or said unit arterial and venous lines, to prevent relative rotation of the respective lines.  
     
     
         17 . The kit of    claim 16    in which said moveable flow reversing valve is moved while continuing flow of blood through said patient and unit lines.  
     
     
         18 . The kit of    claim 17    in which a sealing plate is integral with one of said first and second plates and positioned between said first and second plates, said sealing plate having a pair of apertures that register with one of said pairs of ports, and sealing plate firmly engaging the other of said plates with a sealing surface.  
     
     
         19 . The kit of    claim 18    in which said sealing surface of the valve comprises a plurality of abutting, annular, peripheral portions of said other plate and said sealing plate which are respectively angled about 9° to adjacent, abutting, annular, peripheral portions to form a high performance rotary seal.  
     
     
         20 . The kit of    claim 19    in which said sealing plate is made of a resilient material, while said first and second plates are made of substantially rigid materials, to promote sealing between communicating ports of said first and second plates.  
     
     
         21 . The kit of    claim 14    in which a stop member limits movement of said relatively rotatable plates to a rotational range between and including said first and second positions.  
     
     
         22 . The kit of    claim 21    in which said tubular blood flow set comprises a tubular set portion having said flow reversing valve and connected fluid flow lines, said lines each having ends opposed to said flow reversing valve that carry connectors for connection to other tubular portions of a complete tubular arrangement.