DIALYSIS MACHINE AND ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR HEATING A DIALYSIS SOLUTION

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dialysis machine, in particular a peritoneal dialysis machine, having a heating device for heating a container containing a dialysis solution, in particular a peritoneal dialysis solution, wherein the heating device is configured such that the heating of the dialysis solution by the heating device takes place non-uniformly at points. The present invention furthermore relates to an arrangement and to a method for heating a dialysis solution.

Claims

1. A dialysis machine, in particular a peritoneal dialysis machine, having a heating device for heating a container containing a dialysis solution, in particular a peritoneal dialysis solution, characterized in that the heating device is configured such that the heating of the dialysis solution by the heating device takes place non-uniformly at points.

2. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dialysis machine has a receiver for the container, with the heating device being arranged at the receiver and being distributed non-uniformly over the receiver.

3. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the heating device has different regions; and in that a control unit is provided that is configured to operate the different regions of the heating device at different powers.

4. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dialysis machine does not have any mechanical device for intermixing the dialysis solution contained in the container.

5. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dialysis machine has a heating device; and in that a control unit is provided that is configured to operate different regions of the heating device with a time offset.

6. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the heating device and/or a receiver for the container is provided that is inclined with respect to the horizontal.

7. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that one or more temperature sensors are provided that detect the temperature of the heating device and/or the temperature of the receiver for the container and/or the temperature of the container itself; and in that a control or regulation unit is provided that controls or regulates the heating device in dependence on the value or values measured.

8. An arrangement for heating a dialysis solution, in particular a peritoneal dialysis solution, comprising a receiver at which a heating device is arranged and in which a container is located that contains the dialysis solution, characterized in that the container is arranged in the receiver such that it regionally projects over the heating device of the receiver.

9. An arrangement in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the arrangement is configured with the features of a dialysis machine, in particular a peritoneal dialysis machine.

10. A method of heating a dialysis solution, in particular a peritoneal dialysis solution, characterized in that the container containing the dialysis solution is heated by a heating device such that the heating of the dialysis solution takes place non-uniformly at points.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that the container is arranged in a receiver that comprises the heating device; and in that the container is positioned in the receiver such that the container regionally projects over the heating device.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10 characterized in that the container is arranged in a receiver that comprises a heating device; and in that the heating device is arranged non-uniformly in the receiver so that the container located in the receiver is non-uniformly heated.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that the container is arranged in a receiver that has a heating device that has regions that are operated at different powers and/or at different times so that they produce a different heating power or a heating power changing over time.

14. A method in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that the dialysis solution located in the container is not mechanically intermixed.

15. A method in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that a heating device is provided; and in that the temperature of the heating device and/or the temperature of the receiver for the container and/or the temperature of the container itself is/are detected; and in that the heating device is controlled or regulated in dependence on the value or values measured.

Description

[0036] 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:

[0037] FIG. 1: schematic representations of arrangements with a receiver, a heating device and a bag;

[0038] FIG. 2: plan views of receivers with differently arranged heating devices;

[0039] FIG. 3: a further plan view of a receiver with a heating device; and

[0040] FIG. 4: a plan view of a receiver with a heating device with a bag arranged at different positions.

[0041] FIG. 1 a) shows a bag containing a dialysis solution by reference numeral 10. The bag is located on a support surface 20 of the receiver 30 designed as a slanted surface. Reference numeral 40 shows the heating device in the form of a hot plate that is embedded into the receiver 30 and terminates at its upper side. A line section is marked by reference symbol b that leads to the patient in accordance with the direction of the arrow. Reference symbol a marks the bag section that projects beyond the hot plate 40.

[0042] Volumes of 1-10 I, preferably of 2 to 8 I, can be used for the containers. Other volumes are, however, likewise conceivable.

[0043] Elements that are the same or have the same function are marked by the same reference numerals in the Figures.

[0044] An embodiment can be seen from FIG. 1 b) in which the bag 10 is larger than the receiver or than the heating device 40. The bag 10 thus projects beyond the receiver 30 both at its upper end and at its lower end. Reference symbol W marks the warm solution and reference symbol K marks the solution that is cold with respect to it. The first rises and the latter falls so that a circle or a barrel-like flow marked by arrows results within the bag 10 that ultimately produces a good intermixing and thus a homogeneous temperature distribution within the bag.

[0045] FIG. 1 c) shows an embodiment in which the hot plate 0 produces a constant power over its length so that a constant thermal input takes place as is symbolized by the arrows of equal length. In contrast, FIG. 1 d) shows an embodiment in which a spatially non-uniform energy input takes place, with the thermal input in the region inclined upwardly being larger than in the region inclined downwardly.

[0046] Two plan views of receivers 30 whose heating devices respectively have two heating elements 51, 52 in accordance with FIG. 2 a) can be seen from FIG. 2. In accordance with FIG. 2 a), these heating coils extend lengthways, i.e. along the longitudinal axis of the receiver 30 that faces in the direction of the inclination of the heating surface. The heating elements are, however, not located in the total receiver 30; the region of the receiver shown at the left is designed without a heating device. A temperature gradient that drives a convection flow of the solution is generated in the dialysis solution by the asymmetrical embodiment of the heating elements 51, 52 under a thermally conductive surface. This produces a homogeneous intermixing of the dialysis solution.

[0047] The active heating surface can also be designed as a singular heating element. In this respect, the one heating element can then only be located in the lower part or also only in the upper part.

[0048] The inclination of the heating surface along the longitudinal axis is also indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 b). In accordance with FIG. 2 b), the heating coils 53, 54 are oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis and have separately controllable segments.

[0049] A heating element, e.g. the element 53, is activated at a time t=0 to generate a temperature gradient. The latter generates a convection flow in the dialysis solution.

[0050] The second heating coil 54 is switched in at a later time t=1 to enable a heating of the solution that is as effective as possible. The gradient can be checked by temperature sensors in both segments 53, 54 and the gradient and/or the convection can be monitored by a targeted switching off and on of the elements. The intermixing can also be implemented in a horizontally arranged heating plate or receiver by this embodiment.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 a), with the active heating surface, approximately 70% of the visible hot plate or support surface of the receiver comprising a thermally conductive material. The bag 10 is shown as dashed.

[0052] In an embodiment, the total power of the heating device amounts to 400 W. Temperature sensors that check the heating process are located at the center of the heating plate. The sensors have a target temperature of 39 C. A 6 I solution bag that has been completely placed on is heated over a time period of 180 minutes. The bag reaches a surface temperature of 38 C. after approximately 112 minutes.

[0053] A bag 10 located on the receiver can be seen in two different positions from FIG. 4.

[0054] Position 1 corresponds to that in accordance with FIG. 3.

[0055] In position 2, the right marginal region of the bag 10 projects beyond the heating device. A temperature gradient and thus a convection flow are also thereby achieved, whereby a homogeneous heating and intermixing of the dialysis solution is achieved.