Concentrate container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a concentrate container having a concentrate that is configured to form a dialysis solution after its dilution with a diluting agent, in particular with water, wherein the concentrate container is in communication with a first connector having a first code that contains at least one piece of information on the concentrate; and wherein the concentrate container is furthermore in communication with a second connector whose second code differs from the first code, with the second code containing at least one piece of information on the dialysis solution.

Claims

1. A concentrate container system comprising a concentrate reception container containing a concentrate that is configured to form a dialysis solution after its dilution with a diluting agent, characterized in that the concentrate reception container is linked to a first connector having a first code that contains at least one piece of information on the concentrate and a second connector having a second code different from the first code, with the second code containing at least one piece of information on the dialysis solution, characterized in that first and second connectors are arranged directly at the concentrate reception container or in that the first and second connectors are arranged at a line piece having a hollow space in communication with the inner space of the concentrate reception container.

2. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the first connector and the second connector are releasable from one another.

3. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the first and second codes are each barcodes or color codes.

4. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a predetermined breaking point is located between the first and second connectors.

5. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the first and second connectors are connected to one another by a plug-in connection or a cap connection.

6. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the first code is arranged spatially further away from the concentrate reception container than the second code.

7. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a line extending between at least one of the first and second connectors and the concentrate reception container, with a connection piece located in the line by which the concentrate reception container can be separated from the at least one of the first and second connectors.

8. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the concentrate reception container, configured as a single bag, is the only container in the system.

9. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a solution container for receiving the dialysis solution.

10. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the concentrate reception container is configured as a rigid container and the solution container is configured as a bag.

11. A concentrate container system in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the concentrate reception container is linked to the first connector having the first code and the solution container is linked to the second connector having the second code.

12. A dialysis machine, in particular a peritoneal dialysis machine, for the carrying out of a dialysis treatment or a peritoneal dialysis treatment, comprising the concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dialysis machine has at least one receiver for the first connector and/or for the second connector of the concentrate container system and reading means for reading the information of the codes located on the connector or connectors, wherein the dialysis machine is configured to dispense diluting agent into the concentrate container and/or to drain the dialysis solution from the concentrate container in dependence on the code.

13. A method of preparing a dialysis solution, in particular a peritoneal dialysis solution, characterized in that the concentrate container system in accordance with claim 1 is connected to a dialysis machine by the first connector such that the first code is read by the dialysis machine and diluting agent is introduced into the concentrate container in dependence on the first code and such that the first connector is subsequently removed or covered or is connected to the second connector and the concentrate container is connected to the same dialysis machine or to a different dialysis machine by the second connector such that the second code is read by the dialysis machine.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that after the dilution of the concentrate the first connector is broken off or is connected to the second connector or is covered by the second connector.

Description

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. There are shown:

(2) FIG. 1: a concentrate container before the plugging of the second connector to the first connector;

(3) FIG. 2: a concentrate container having two connectors arranged behind one another and a predetermined breaking point therebetween;

(4) FIG. 3: a view of a peritoneal dialysis machine with a plurality of connected bags; and

(5) FIG. 4: a concentrate container in accordance with FIG. 2 with a connection piece arranged in the line; and

(6) FIG. 5: views of various embodiments of concentrate containers that have a concentrate reception container and a solution container.

(7) It is pointed out that elements that are the same or have the same function are provided with the same numerals in the Figures.

(8) In the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1, the concentrate container in which a liquid or solid concentrate K is located is shown with the reference numeral 10.

(9) The concentrate container 10 is connected to a hose line 20 at whose end the first connector K1 having a first code C1 is located.

(10) In a dilution station that is formed, for example, by a peritoneal dialysis machine or also by a different unit water is introduced into the interior of the concentrate container 10 through the hose 20 and the concentrate is diluted accordingly. The dilution station reads the first code C1 and carries out the dilution in dependence thereon. After the dilution, the connector strip of the dilution station is opened and the connector or connectors K1 having a connected bag 10 or another concentrate container 10 is/are removed and closed by a cap K2 having a code C2. The code C2 bears information relating to the diluted concentrate, i.e. the dialysis solution.

(11) The codes C1 and C2 are barcodes. A different encoding is also possible, e.g. a different color coding of the connectors.

(12) The bags or concentrate containers encoded in this manner can now be administered to the patient.

(13) The bag connection or the connector is accompanied by a further connector in FIG. 2. In this respect, the connector K2 arranged closer to the concentrate container and having the code C2 is connected by a predetermined breaking point S to the connector K1 arranged further away from the concentrate container and having the code C1.

(14) The connector K2 close to the bag or its code C2 contains information on the diluted concentrate, i.e. on the dialysis solution; the connector K1 remote from the bag or its code C1 contains information on the non-diluted concentrate.

(15) After the dilution of the concentrate K, the connector K1 is broken off so that the concentrate container having the connector K2 is now available for the treatment.

(16) As can be seen from FIG. 3, the peritoneal dialysis machine P in the embodiment shown here serves as a dilution station to provide completed solutions for other peritoneal dialysis machines. The dilution station recognizes the kind of concentrate from the barcode C1 and admixes the required quantity of water.

(17) As can be seen from FIG. 3, a plurality of concentrate containers (six concentrate containers here) can be prepared simultaneously or consecutively by the connection of a plurality of concentrate containers to the same machine.

(18) The patient line L is connected to a solvent supply (e.g. RO water plant) for this purpose. After the first mixing, the bag or the concentrate container is released at the provided breaking point (cf. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, reference symbol S) and is now immediately available for administering while further mixtures can be prepared.

(19) A conceivable embodiment comprises starting to mix large-volume quantities in order thus to be able to supply a plurality of machines. The set used is no longer available for the treatment after the first mixing of the bags or concentrate containers.

(20) It is furthermore conceivable to add a valve to the connector that only enables the conveying of fluid into the connected bag. An accidental sucking in is thus precluded.

(21) In the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2, both connectors K1 and K2 are connected to the concentrate container at the start of the filling of the concentrate container, as can be seen from FIG. 2. After the filling of the bag, the connection between the connectors K1 and K2 is released, e.g. by breaking. The concentrate container becomes a clearly identifiably solution bag that contains the dialysis solution by this procedure.

(22) FIG. 4 shows a concentrate container in whose hose line an additional connection piece V is arranged. The concentrate container can thus likewise be used as a drainage bag after the treatment.

(23) A volume specification in the form of scale markings on the bag or concentrate container is marked by reference symbol A. This enables an additional visual check of the filled bags after removal from the filling station, for instance such that the bag has to be filled up to a specific level.

(24) It is conceivable to provide the concentrate container with an additional handle that facilitates its transport, in particular when it is a question of larger amounts of fluid.

(25) The concentrate is present packed in the concentrate container in the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 4. This packaging is marked by reference numeral 100. It degrades on contact with the diluting agent and is preferably located at the inflow of the concentrate container. An optimum intermixing with the solution can thus be achieved during filling.

(26) In a further conceivable embodiment of the invention, the concentrate is dyed with a harmless dye. This enables a check as to whether the concentrate and the diluting agent are sufficiently mixed.

(27) The present invention inter alia provides the advantages named in the following in an advantageous embodiment:

(28) A solution bag or the concentrate container can be removed from the dilution unit directly after completion while the next bags or concentrate containers are being filled.

(29) The solution bags or concentrate containers can be diluted and removed in a time-staggered manner to enable a utilization of the consumption time that is as optimum as possible.

(30) FIG. 5a) shows an embodiment in which the concentrate container has two containers, namely the concentrate reception container 100 having the first connector 101 with the first code, on the one hand, and the solution container 200 having the second connector 201 that is in fluid communication therewith. The concentrate 102 is located in the concentrate reception container 100. Both containers are connected to one another by the connection piece 300. The concentrate reception container 100 is opened toward the bag 200 by this connection.

(31) FIG. 5b) shows an embodiment in which the outlet of the concentrate reception container 100 opens in a barcode section or connector 201 to which the bag segment can be connected.

(32) It can be seen from FIG. 5c) that a valve 400 can be provided that enables the conveying of fluid via the cartridge 100 into the connected solution bag 200. The sucking in of the concentrate is thus suppressed from a construction aspect. The connection between the containers is interrupted at 500 after the filling of the solution bag.

(33) A universal empty bag is connected to the cartridge 100 at the start of filling. The connection between the cartridge 100 and the barcode section 201 is released after the filling of the bag. The universal empty bag becomes an unambiguous solution bag that can now be administered using a second cycler by this procedure.

(34) One solution bag can thus be removed from the dilution unit directly after completion while the next bags are being filled. Solution bags can furthermore be diluted and removed in a time-staggered manner to enable a utilization of the consumption time that is as optimum as possible.

(35) Some scenarios are presented in the following that are of an exemplary nature and that do not limit the invention.

(36) Scenario A:

(37) The cycler, i.e. the peritoneal dialysis machine, is connected to a solvent supply in a similar manner to the HD environment; a bag connection (port) of the set is required for this purpose.

(38) The further ports can be occupied by cartridges. The cartridges are connected to the empty bags, typically 6 l.

(39) The treatment procedure can be started directly after the production of the mixture.

(40) Scenario B:

(41) The cycler is connected to a solvent supply. A bag connection (port) of the set is required for this purpose.

(42) Only one port is occupied by the concentrate. The cartridge is connected to a bag that can accept the volume of a complete treatment.

(43) This was previously not possible since the patient does not have to transport this filled bag. Such a procedure reduces the costs and the amount of waste of the disposable article.

(44) Scenario C:

(45) It is equally possible to combine the process with regular solution bags which can be used within the treatment.

(46) Scenario D:

(47) The current patient line is connected to a solvent supply. Up to six bags can thus be started to be mixed in a first step.

(48) In a second step, the initially mixed solution is administered to the patient without changing the set.

(49) Scenario E:

(50) The cycler acts as a dilution station to provide the solutions for other cyclers. It would thus be possible to produce six bags in one mixing procedure.

(51) The current patient line is connected to a solvent supply for this purpose. After the initial mixing, the bag is released from the cartridge and is now available for administering. An advantageous adaptation of the system comprises an initial mixing of large-volume amounts. Since the set used in the mixing unit is not available for a treatment. A cartridge suitable for this purpose can be seen in FIG. 5b.