Blood Treatment Dialyzer/Filter Design to Remove Entrained Gas and Add Medicaments

Abstract

A configuration of a blood microtubular filter/dializer used in many kinds of renal replacement therapy systems can provide highly a effective mechanism for removing air from the blood circuit of such systems. In embodiments, for example, the invention takes advantage of the slow flow rate that usually occurs where blood exits the microtubules into a header area of the filter to provide a settling area and an auxiliary port with a multi-way valve allowing gas to be drawn out from the header and for medicaments to be injected into said header.

1 . A blood treatment apparatus, comprising: 
 a blood purifier including microtubular filter membranes in a bundle with one end of said bundle terminating in a first manifold at a lower end of said blood purifier and a second end of said bundle terminating in a second manifold, blood flowing in an upward direction through said filter media during use;    said purifier having first and second header chambers forming respective passages where flow divides and coalesces in said first and second manifolds, respectively;    said second header having an outlet where a coalesced flow from said second manifold flows out of said second header;    said purifier being of generally cylindrical construction with a longitudinal axis parallel to said microtubular membranes;    a holder configured to hold said purifier in a preferred orientation in which said longitudinal axis forms an angle with respect to a direction of gravitation force and with said auxiliary port at a highest point of said second header and said outlet being positioned remote from said port, said highest point being determined with respect to said preferred orientation;    said second header having an auxiliary port;    said auxiliary port having a multi-way valve connected thereto.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said multi-way valve is connected to a syringe to allow selective flow communication between said auxiliary port and said syringe, whereby gas may be manually drawn from said second header using said syringe.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said multi-way valve has a syringe port and a medicament port, and is connected to a syringe by said syringe port and to a container of medicament by said medicament port to allow selective flow communication between said auxiliary port and said syringe and between said syringe and said container of medicament, whereby gas may be manually drawn from said second header using said syringe and injected into said medicament container and medicament can be selectively withdrawn from said medicament container and injected into said second header.  
     
     
         4 . A blood treatment apparatus, comprising: 
 a blood dialyzer or hemofilter processing element including filter media into which blood comes in contact during use;    said processing element having a header chamber where multiple flows of blood combine;    said header chamber being at a position where blood exits a treatment portion of said blood purifier, said header chamber having at least one blood outlet and at least one auxiliary port;    a holder configured to support said dialyzer or hemofilter in a position and orientation such that air can accumulate in said header chamber in a position in said header space that is adjacent and in communication with said auxiliary port;    said auxiliary port having a multi-way valve connected thereto.    
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , wherein said multi-way valve is connected to a syringe to allow selective flow communication between said auxiliary port and said syringe, whereby gas may be manually drawn from said second header using said syringe.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , wherein said auxiliary port is opposite said blood outlet.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , further comprising a valve connected to said auxiliary port and pre-connected and sterilized together with said blood purifier.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , further comprising a multi-way multi-way valve valve connected to said auxiliary port and pre-connected and sterilized together with said blood purifier.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , wherein said multi-way valve has a syringe port and a medicament port, and is connected to a syringe by said syringe port and to a container of medicament by said medicament port to allow selective flow communication between said auxiliary port and said syringe and between said syringe and said container of medicament, whereby gas may be manually drawn from said second header using said syringe and injected into said medicament container and medicament can be selectively withdrawn from said medicament container and injected into said second header.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , further comprising a multi-way multi-way valve valve connectable to said auxiliary port and a syringe connectable to said multi-way valve, said valve, syringe, and said blood purifier forming a kit.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as in  claim 4 , further comprising a holder, said blood purifier having a longitudinal axis and said holder being configured to support said blood purifier with said longitudinal axis at an angle with respect to the vertical, as defined with respect to the force of gravity.  
     
     
         12 . A blood treatment apparatus, comprising: 
 a blood purifier including filter media into which blood comes in contact during use;    said processing element having a header chamber at a position where blood exits a portion of said blood purifier, said header chamber having at least one blood outlet and one auxiliary port remote from said at least one blood outlet;    said auxiliary port being configured to permit the removal of gas accumulated in said header chamber and addition and removal of medicament.    
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as in  claim 12 , further comprising a valve connected to said auxiliary port and pre-connected and sterilized together with said blood purifier.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as in  claim 12 , further comprising a multi-way valve connected to said auxiliary port and pre-connected and sterilized together with said blood purifier.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as in  claim 12 , further comprising a syringe connected to said auxiliary port.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as in  claim 12 , further comprising a holder configured to orient said blood purifier such that said at least one blood outlet is lower, with respect to a direction of gravity, than said auxiliary port.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as in  claim 12 , wherein said multi-way valve has a syringe port and a medicament port, and is connected to a syringe by said syringe port and to a container of medicament by said medicament port to allow selective flow communication between said auxiliary port and said syringe and between said syringe and said container of medicament, whereby gas may be manually drawn from said second header using said syringe and injected into said medicament container and medicament can be selectively withdrawn from said medicament container and injected into said second header.  
     
     
         18 . A method of using a multi-way valve connected to a filter of a blood circuit, comprising the steps of: 
 configuring to draw gas from the venous header of a blood filter, a multi-way valve that selectively bilaterally connects any pair of at least three connections, one connection being to the venous header of a blood filter, one connection being to a container, and one connection being to a positive displacement device configured to suck and push fluid;    drawing gas from said venous header into said positive displacement device;    configuring said multi-way valve to inject gasin said container;    injecting gasinto said container.    
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 drawing a medicament from said container into said positive displacement device;    configuring said multi-way valve to inject fluid into said header;    injecting medicament into said header.    
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said medicament includes blood-normal saline.  
     
     
         21 . A method of using a multi-way valve connected to a blood circuit, comprising the steps of: 
 configuring to draw gas from the venous header of a blood filter, a multi-way valve that selectively bilaterally connects any pair of at least three connections, one connection being to the blood line of a blood circuit of an extracorporeal blood treatment device, one connection being to a container, and one connection being to a syringe configured to suck and push fluid;    drawing gas from said blood circuit into said syringe;    configuring said multi-way valve to inject gas into said container;    injecting gas into said container;    configuring said multi-way valve corresponding to draw a medicament from said container into said positive displacement device and so drawing;    configuring said multi-way valve to inject fluid into said blood circuit;    injecting medicament into said blood circuit.