Fluid management in surgical procedures. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: supplying fluid to a surgical site inside a patients body, drawing fluid from the surgical site through a first instrument by a first pump at a first flow rate, the first flow rate during the drawing responsive to expected or actual visibility within the surgical site; and then performing a surgical resection within the surgical site using the first instrument, the performing the surgical resection changes the first flow rate; and adjusting, by a fluid management system after the surgical resection, the first flow rate responsive to the expected or actual visibility within the surgical site.

A method and system for detecting and neutralizing blood clots during dialysis (e.g., hemodialysis) is provided. A fiber-optic sensor is provided in a hemodialysis machine to detect vibration of blood cells, and the hemodialysis machine can be configured to prevent blood clotting by sounding an alarm, agitating the blood cells, infusing saline, raising temperature and/or infusing heparin.

Various systems and methods for detecting air in a chamber of an infusion system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a determination is made that air is contained in the chamber on the basis of a change in the average force exerted against the plunger utilizing a derivative spike for event detection and a systematic reduction in the average force to confirm the nature of the change. In another embodiment, a determination is made that the chamber contains air when a difference between the current force profile and a baseline force profile crosses a threshold. In an additional embodiment, a force profile is classified as being an air force profile or a liquid force profile based on extracted features of the force profile.

A drug dispensing-tracking device configured in the form of at least one of a cover, a sleeve, and a cap, and configured to connect with a drug-injection or storage device. The tracking device may comprise at least one or more of: an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, an optical sensor, an optical-navigation sensor, and a magnetic sensor, and any combination thereof. At least one sensor may be configured to produce at least one respective signal in response to sensing a vibration, a sound, light, movement, and a magnetic field, respectively, produced by the drug-injection device due to an activity of the drug-injection device.

Provided is a blood component collection cassette capable of measuring a circuit internal pressure using a simple and economical configuration. A blood component collection cassette includes an inflow line for sending blood or a blood component collected from a donor to a centrifugal separator, a return line for returning a predetermined blood component to the donor, and a line forming member forming one of the inflow line and the return line and having a load detection soft portion made of a soft material.

Various systems and methods for detecting air in a chamber of an infusion system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a determination is made that air is contained in the chamber on the basis of a change in the average force exerted against the plunger utilizing a derivative spike for event detection and a systematic reduction in the average force to confirm the nature of the change. In another embodiment, a determination is made that the chamber contains air when a difference between the current force profile and a baseline force profile crosses a threshold. In an additional embodiment, a force profile is classified as being an air force profile or a liquid force profile based on extracted features of the force profile.

Described are embodiments that include methods and devices for separating components from multi-component fluids. Embodiments may involve use of separation vessels and movement of components into and out of separation vessels through ports. Embodiments may involve the separation of plasma from whole blood. Also described are embodiments that include methods and devices for positioning portions, e.g., loops, of disposables in medical devices. Embodiments may involve use of surfaces for automatically guiding loops to position them into a predetermined position.

A medication delivery system including a holding chamber having an input and an output end, a backpiece coupled to the input end of the holding chamber and having an electrical circuit and an opening. An MDI includes an insert portion moveable between an engaged position wherein the insert portion is received in the opening and a disengaged position wherein the insert portion is removed from the opening, and at least one contact that completes the electrical circuit when the insert portion is in the engaged position.

A method and system for detecting and neutralizing blood clots during dialysis (e.g., hemodialysis) is provided. A fiber-optic sensor is provided in a hemodialysis machine to detect vibration of blood cells, and the hemodialysis machine can be configured to prevent blood clotting by sounding an alarm, agitating the blood cells, infusing saline, raising temperature and/or infusing heparin.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the automatic deaerating and filling of a catheter connected to a blood vessel of a patient with blood, in particular in preparation for hemodialysis, and in particularly by means of a cannulation robot. The invention implements this in particular by the deaerating and filling of a fluid channel fluidly connected to the catheter by means of a deaeration device, by the detecting of the deaerating and/or filling of the fluid channel by a sensor device which generates a measurement signal containing information on the deaerating and/or filling of the fluid channel, and by the controlling of the deaeration device as a function of the measure-ment signal by means of a control device with electrical circuitry so as to achieve the automated deaerating and/or filling of the fluid channel and the catheter.