METHOD FOR EXTRACORPOREAL BLOOD PURIFICATION AND DIALYSATE DISPOSAL

Abstract

A method for extracorporeal blood purification and dialysate disposal includes the steps of: passing a patient's blood through a dialyzer through a first line, passing dialysate through the dialyzer through a second line so that the dialysate exits the dialyzer as used dialysate, and collecting the used dialysate in a container. The container can include an inlet and an outlet connector, the inlet being fluidly connected to the dialyzer to receive the used dialysate, and the outlet connector being fluidly connected to a sewer line of a sewage system in a sealed manner to discharge the used dialysate directly into the sewage system.

Claims

1. A method for extracorporeal blood purification and dialysate disposal, the method comprising the steps of: passing a patient's blood through a dialyzer through a first line; passing dialysate through the dialyzer through a second line so that the dialysate exits the dialyzer as used dialysate; and collecting the used dialysate in a container, the container comprising an inlet and an outlet connector, the inlet being fluidly connected to the dialyzer to receive the used dialysate, and the outlet connector being fluidly connected to a sewer line of a sewage system in a sealed manner to discharge the used dialysate directly into the sewage system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of discharging the used dialysate through the outlet connector and into the sewage system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the the outlet connector comprises a connection that connects the outlet connector to the container.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection comprises an inserting pin, the inserting pin having a tip configured to pierce the container.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection comprises a Luer lock or Walther coupling.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection is integrally formed with the container as one piece.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of discharging the used dialysate through the outlet connector and into the sewage system comprises the step of inducing a pressure gradient between the container and the outlet connector to remove the used dialysate from the container.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of inducing a pressure gradient between the container and the outlet connector to remove the used dialysate from the container comprises inducing a pressure drop in the outlet connector to remove the used dialystate from the container by suction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the outlet connector is attached to an auxiliary line that delivers a water jet into the outlet connector.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary line comprises a tapered section, and wherein the step of inducing a pressure drop in the outlet connector comprises delivering water through the tapered section to create the pressure drop and remove the used dialysate from the container by suction.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the outlet connector comprises a Venturi nozzle, and wherein the step of inducing a pressure drop in the outlet connector comprises delivering water through the Venturi nozzle to create the pressure drop and remove the used dialysate from the container by suction.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of inducing a pressure gradient between the container and the outlet connector to remove the used dialysate from the container comprises the step of applying a positive pressure to the used dialysate in the container.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of applying a positive pressure to the used dialysate in the container comprises the step of applying mechanical force to an outside of the container to force the used dialysate out of the container.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of applying mechanical force to the outside of the container to force the used dialysate out of the container comprises crushing the container with a folding mechanism.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of discharging the used dialysate through the outlet connector and into the sewage system comprises pumping the used dialysate out of the container.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of discharging the used dialysate through the outlet connector and into the sewage system is carried out until the container is empty.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of disposing of the container after the container is empty.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of disposing of the container after the container is empty comprises removing the container from an outer packaging that acts as a sterile barrier around the container while the container collects the used dialysate.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the sewer line is located in a hospital, and the dialyzer is connected to a mobile dialysis machine that is movable to different treatment locations in the hospital.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a flexible bag.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. Included in the drawings are the following figures:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an extracorporeal blood purification system according to aspects of the invention in schematic representation;

[0032] FIG. 2a shows a bag comprising a connector in a first embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 2b shows a bag comprising a connector in a second embodiment;

[0034] FIG. 2c shows a bag comprising a connector in a third embodiment;

[0035] FIG. 3a shows a bag comprising a connector in another embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 3b shows a connector in another embodiment shown per se;

[0037] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the blood purification system according to aspects of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a schematically represented bag including a folding mechanism;

[0039] FIG. 6 shows a bag in another embodiment; and

[0040] FIG. 7 shows a connector in another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates an extracorporeal blood purification system 1. It includes a non-stationary system area 2 which incorporates, for example, a dialysis machine 4, preferably of the mobile type. Apart from that, the extracorporeal blood purification system 1 includes a stationary system section 3 incorporating, for example, the stationary lines of a sewage system such as a sewer line 7. The non-stationary system section 2 may also include—unlike the representation in FIG. 1—plural dialysis machines which then are connected to the sewer line 7 via plural connections.

[0042] As a substantial component of the invention, a bag 5 such as a single-use reject bag, a so-called disposable, is connected downstream of a dialyzer 8. In the bag 5 thus dialysate used by a dialysis is collected. A connector 6 is arranged as a bridge between the non-stationary system area 2 and the stationary system area 3 and enables the used dialysate to be transferred/transmitted/forwarded from the bag 5 into the sewer line 7. Thus, the bag 5 is emptied in due time and directly with the connector 6 and the sewer line 7 and need not be transmitted to an external sink but has to be discharged directly into the special refuse after completion of the dialysis. In this way, possible contamination in both directions—i.e. both by germs in the environment to the used dialysate and thus into the sewer system and by the used dialysate into the environment—is prevented.

[0043] The connector 6 is connected to the bag 5 via a bag connection 10. Individual embodiments of the bag connection 10 will be illustrated in detail in connection with FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c. At the other end of the connector 6 a connection 9 facing away from the bag is arranged. Said connection ensures safe inexpensive and time-efficient connection of the connector 6 to the sewer line 7. As examples of the connection 9 facing away from the bag, a Luer lock 12 or a three-way cock or a Walther coupling are mentioned.

[0044] The basic functioning of an extracorporeal blood purification system 1 of the generic type, namely that blood from a patient is supplied via a first line 18 to the dialyzer 8, preferably being operated by the counter-flow principle, where it is purified and returned to the patient again via a second line 19, is known so that in this respect the state of the art is referred to. It is merely worth mentioning in this context that the extracorporeal blood purification system 1 includes a pump 20 which delivers the fresh dialysate to the dialyzer 8 and from there delivers the used dialysate further into the bag 5.

[0045] With reference to FIG. 2a, a first embodiment of the bag connection 10 is presented. An inserting pin 11 here makes the connection between the bag 5 and the connector 6. The inserting pin is divided into a tip 21 and a seat 22. While the tip 21 is prepared to pierce the bag 5, the seat 22 ensures a stop, i.e. safe contact of the inserting pin 11 with the bag 5. The inserting pin 11 is either formed integrally with the connector 6 or is attached to the latter as an additional part.

[0046] FIG. 2b shows another option of the bag connection 10. Here the bag connection 10 is realized as a Luer lock 12 (alternatively also a Walther coupling would be imaginable, as mentioned already). In this way, the bag 5 forms an inner cone 23 to which an outer cone 24 formed by the connector 6 is attached so as to realize a secure connection between the bag 5 and the connector 6. The outer cone 24 is either formed integrally with the connector 6 or is attached to the latter as an additional part.

[0047] A third option of the bag connection 10 is finally illustrated in FIG. 2c. In this case, the bag 5 integrally includes the bag connection 10. In this way, the connector 6 and the bag 5 are configured as one component part, thus entailing logistic advantages as the bag connection 10 no longer needs to be mounted later.

[0048] Another embodiment of the interaction of the bag 5 and the connector 6 is shown in FIG. 3a. In this case, the connector 6 is coupled to an auxiliary line 14 via an auxiliary connection 13 and thus realizes a water jet pump. The auxiliary line 14 primarily guides water along the direction of flow as shown with the upper arrow. Due to the tapering 25 of the auxiliary line 14, an increase in the flow rate of the water guided in the auxiliary line 14 is reached, thus entailing a pressure drop (Bernoulli). Said pressure drop results in “suction” of the used dialysate out of the bag 5 (see arrow in the bag 5), which results in quick and efficient emptying of the bag 5. With the embodiment comprising the auxiliary connection 13 and the auxiliary line 14, accordingly quick emptying of the bag 5 is achieved. The connector 6 further includes a line (see lower arrow) which conveys the mixture of used dialysate (from the bag 5) and water (from the auxiliary line 14) in the direction of the sewer line 7 (see FIG. 1). Said line can be configured either as an integral part of the connector 6 or as an additional component.

[0049] FIG. 3b illustrates a similar functional principle with an auxiliary line 14 and an auxiliary connection 13. Deviating from FIG. 3a, here a Venturi nozzle 26 is inserted. The active principle of the Venturi nozzle 26 can equally be traced back to Bernoulli and therefore is not explained in more detail in this context—because this has already been done in connection with FIG. 3a.

[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the pump 20 is indicated as a peristaltic pump. The connector 6 is coupled to the sewer line 7 while interconnecting a bridge line 27 and a dialysate line 28. For this purpose, a three-way cock 29 is arranged. In a first state in which the dialysis is carried out, the three-way cock 29 is in such position that no fluid is delivered through the bridge line 27. The pump 20 rotates along the first delivery direction 29. When viewing the schematically represented configuration in FIG. 4, it is evident that an inlet connection is preferably arranged in the upper area of the bag 5.

[0051] As soon as the dialysis is completed, the three-way cock 29 is turned so that the path between the bridge line 27 and the line in which the pump 20 is disposed is released. In this state, the pump is reversed, namely, along the second delivery direction 30. Thus, with the aid of the pump capacity of the pump 20 a delivery of the used dialysate out of the bag 5 toward the sewer line 7 is enabled.

[0052] In FIG. 5, a further mechanism for emptying the bag 5 is disclosed. In contrast to the afore-presented mechanisms generating a vacuum, in this case a folding mechanism 15 is used to reduce the bag volume by mechanical force from outside. In the merely schematically indicated folding mechanism 15 of FIG. 5, two pivot arrows 31, 32 are visible which crush the bag 5 in the manner of an aluminum can being compressed in the recycling operation so as to force the volume flow along the arrow 33. This guarantees quick emptying of the bag 5.

[0053] FIG. 6 schematically represents a bag 5 which is surrounded by an outer packaging 16 realizing an additional sterile barrier. The outer packaging 16 includes an open constriction 34 at which an operator may release the outer packaging 16 by means of an opposite movement. This prevents contamination of the outer surface of the bag 5.

[0054] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which a housing 17 is arranged around the connector 6. The housing 17 may surround the connector 6 completely or else only partly. Along a sliding movement 35 the housing 17 is displaceable relative to the connector 6, for example against the bias of a spring. Thus, it is possible that the connector 6, for example in the embodiment in which it is configured as inserting pin 11 (see FIG. 2a), contacts the ambient air to which germs are complexed as late as immediately before piercing/inserting, thus causing an additional sterile barrier which further increases the hygienic standards reached by the solution according to aspects of the invention to be realized by means of the housing 17.