Filter Means Patents (Class 604/6.09)
  • Patent number: 8764695
    Abstract: The invention is directed to the removal of serum gal-3 from circulation by plasmapheresis using gal-3 binding agents in either a fixed bed, or in a form easily removed, such as by being complexed with magnetic particles. This method, on its own, brings a sharp reduction and relief from the inflammation and fibroses that can be induced by circulating gal-3. The process may be combined with the administration of gal-3 binding agents, such as modified citrus pectin, to further lower unbound gal-3 levels, to the point where gal-3 in the tissues may be addressed. This method may also be combined with removal of TNF receptors to provide an effective treatment for cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Inventor: Isaac Eliaz
  • Patent number: 8765055
    Abstract: Bubble traps for removing bubbles from a stream of liquid and flexible containers comprising such bubble traps are disclosed. The bubble trap includes a containment chamber fluidly coupled to an outlet conduit. At least one grate is disposed between the containment chamber and the outlet conduit. The at least one grate includes a plurality of grate inlets formed in a grate wall and fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit with a plurality of grate conduits such that the containment chamber is fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit. The grate traps bubbles entrained in the stream of liquid flowing from the containment chamber to the outlet conduit in the containment chamber when the bubbles are greater than or equal to a diameter of the grate inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG
    Inventors: Huwiler Christoph, Kuhni Florian, Geipel Andreas
  • Patent number: 8764987
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the determination and regulation of the concentration of at least one dissolved substance in a fluid circuit, in which the fluid circuit includes at least two partial circuits separated by a filter in a semi-permeable manner, includes a detection unit for determining a concentration difference of at least one first dissolved substance, a determination unit for determining the influence of at least one second dissolved substance which is not identical to the at least one first dissolved substance, and a regulation unit for regulating the concentration of the at least one dissolved substance in the fluid circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Malte Gross, Andreas Maierhofer
  • Patent number: 8758287
    Abstract: A filter and a method treat blood borne carcinomas by inducing apoptosis in carcinoma cells. The filter includes comprises a stent having an interior wall defining a channel containing a packing material and at least one antineoplastic agent. The method includes placing a patient's blood in apposition of the antineoplastic agent by pumping the blood through the stent. The blood remains in apposition to the antineoplastic agent for a sufficient time period to induce an apoptotic cascade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Marv Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Mitchell S. Felder
  • Patent number: 8758286
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for removing cytokines and/or pathogens from blood or blood serum (blood) by contacting the blood with a solid, essentially non micro-porous substrate which has been surface treated with heparin, heparan sulfate and/or other molecules or chemical groups (the adsorbent media or media) having a binding affinity for the cytokine or pathogen(s) to be removed (the adsorbates), and wherein the size of the interstitial channels within said media is balanced with the amount of media surface area and the surface concentration of binding sites on the media in order to provide adequate adsorptive capacity while also allowing relatively high flow rates of blood through the adsorbent media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Exthera Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Robert S Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Olle Larm, Lars Adolfsson
  • Patent number: 8734374
    Abstract: A method for capturing dislodged vegetative growth during a surgical procedure is provided. The method includes maneuvering, into a circulatory system, a first cannula having a distal end and an opposing proximal end, such that the first cannula is positioned to capture the vegetative growth en bloc. A second cannula is positioned in fluid communication with the first cannula, such that a distal end of the second cannula is situated in spaced relation to the distal end of the first cannula. A suction force is provided through the distal end of the first cannula so as to capture the vegetative growth. Fluid removed by the suction force is reinfused through the distal end of the second cannula. Subsequent to becoming dislodged, the vegetative growth is caputred by the first cannula. A method for capturing a vegetative growth during removal of a pacemaker lead is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: AngioDynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lishan Aklog, Michael Glennon
  • Publication number: 20140142491
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing an extracorporeal blood circuit control includes a base module having a control device and a patient module releasably connected to the base module and having blood-conducting components of the extracorporeal blood circuit. A pivot system is also provided at the base module and at the patient module to pivot the patient module relative to the base module about a horizontal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: ZOLL LIFEBRIDGE GMBH
    Inventor: Gerhard Brieske
  • Patent number: 8721579
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing extracorporeal blood circulation and oxygenation control include multi-stage de-airing of blood to provide automated cardiopulmonary replacement to sustain patient life during a medical procedure such as cardiopulonary bypass graft surgery, keyhole cardiopulonary bypass graft surgery, percutaneous angioplasty, percutaneous stent placement, and percutaneous etherectomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: ZOLL LifeBridge GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Müller-Spanka, Hans-Reinhard Zerkowski
  • Patent number: 8721879
    Abstract: Hemodialysis dialysis systems are disclosed. Hemodialysis systems of the invention may include a dialysate flow path including a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. The circuits may be defined within one or more cassettes. The fluid circuits may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the system. A gas supply may be provided in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path and/or the dialyzer to, urge dialysate through the dialyzer and blood back to the patient. The hemodialysis systems may include fluid handling devices actuated using a control fluid, optionally delivered using detachable pump. Fluid handling devices may be generally rigid and of a spheroid shape, optionally with a diaphragm dividing the device into compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dirk A. van der Merwe, Michael J. Wilt
  • Patent number: 8715217
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blood line (108) comprising an infusion site (145) intended to inject into the line a solution, comprising: —a first main channel (200) having a first passage section, —a second main channel (220) having a second passage section, —means for the formation (210) of a turbulence area located downstream from the first main channel, located upstream from the second main channel, these formation means comprising a first fluid passage means (224) defining a reduction (225) in the passage section and whose smallest passage section is smaller than the first passage section and smaller than the second fluid passage section, —a secondary channel (230) comprising an inlet (231) for letting in the solution and an outlet (232) in fluid communication with the first main channel or the means for the formation of a turbulence area or the second main channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Alain Frugier, Dominique Pouchoulin
  • Patent number: 8708946
    Abstract: An extracorporeal blood machine includes a blood circuit; an access device enabling the blood circuit to be connected to a patient; first and second coupling devices for connecting to first and second tubes of the circuit; first and second electrodes held by the first and second coupling devices to contact blood flowing through the blood circuit, the electrodes enabling an electrical signal to be injected into the circuit; first and second contact members contacting the first and second electrodes, wherein at least one of the coupling devices includes a stem portion enabling at least one of the first and second contact members to contact at least one of the first and second electrodes, respectively, on an outer portion of the at least one electrode without disturbing blood flowing through the coupling device; and electronics coupled operably to the first and second contact members for applying the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: James Han, Thomas P. Hartranft, Thomas D. Kelly, Angel Lasso
  • Patent number: 8696909
    Abstract: A bioartificial kidney equivalent and a process for producing the bioartificial kidney equivalent. The hybrid bioartificial kidney comprises human proximal and distal renal tubule cells grown on particular synthetic membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: David Luttropp, Bernd Krause, Markus Neubauer, Andrea Schnell, Helmut Geiger, Juergen Bereiter-Hahn, Patrick Baer, Doris Deppisch
  • Patent number: 8684959
    Abstract: An extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus comprises a sensor (10) for emitting a signal indicating a change of hematic volume of an individual (7) subjected to a treatment and a weight loss system for actuating the individual's weight loss. A control unit (20) receives an effective weight value of the individual and a desired weight loss value and from these values determines a desired value of a change in hematic volume at end of treatment. The weight loss system is controlled on a basis of the hematic volume change signal and the desired value of the hematic volume change. The apparatus enables automatic control of a dialysis operation while preventing some complications arising from hypotension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Francesco Paolini, Francesco Fontanazzi, Fabio Grandi
  • Patent number: 8685319
    Abstract: A combination oxygenator and arterial filter device for treating blood in an extracorporeal blood circuit. The device includes a housing maintaining a core and a fiber bundle. The fiber bundle is formed by a plurality of hollow fibers continuously helically wound about the core to form layers of level wound fibers. The layers combine to define an oxygenator region and a radially outward depth filter region. A minimum gap spacing between fibers of the oxygenator region layers is greater than a minimum gap spacing of the depth filter region layers. The fiber bundle can function as a blood oxygenator and exhibits a filtration efficiency of not less than 92% in filtering particles having a particle size of about 45 microns. An oxygenator with integrated arterial filtering capability is provided that minimally impacts the extracorporeal blood circuit prime volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Olson, John L. Knoll
  • Publication number: 20140088483
    Abstract: An apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment is described, including a treatment unit, an extracorporeal blood circuit, an infusion line of a replacement fluid, a dialysis line connected in inlet to the second chamber, and a fluid evacuation line; sensors for determining a first parameter relating to a patient's blood volume (BV %) a second parameter relating to an ultrafiltration flow rate (UFR) or to a patient's weight loss rate (WLR), a third parameter (Cd, Na) relating to a conductivity or concentration of a liquid crossing the dialysis line and/or the infusion line, and a fourth parameter relating to an infusion flow rate (QINF), and a control unit for performing a control procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventors: Francesco Fontanazzi, Alessandro Surace, Francesco Paolini
  • Patent number: 8676512
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for determining the transmembrane pressure during an extracorporeal blood treatment in which blood flows at a defined blood flow rate through an arterial blood conduit of an extracorporeal blood circuit into the inlet of a first chamber of a dialyzer, which is divided by a semipermeable membrane into the first chamber and a second chamber, and flows through a venous blood conduit from the outlet of the first chamber of the dialyzer, while dialysis liquid flows through a dialysis liquid supply conduit into the inlet of the second chamber of the dialyzer and flows through a dialaysis liquid discharge conduit from the outlet of the second chamber of the dialyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutchland GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Balschat, Alfred Gagel, Michael Kulz, Reiner Spickermann
  • Patent number: 8672869
    Abstract: Circulating free lambda and kappa free light chains in blood play a role in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure due to myeloma. Coupled plasma filtration and adsorption allows separation of plasma from blood and treatment of the plasma through a cartridge containing a sorbent or resin material, such as hydrophobic divinylbenzene styrenic resins having an average bead diameter of 75 microns, an average pore diameter of 30 nm, and a surface area of 700 m2/g. Lambda and kappa free light chain concentrations progressively decrease during coupled plasma filtration and adsorption treatment resulting in significant reductions by the end of the treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bellco S.r.l.
    Inventors: Mary Lou Wratten, Mauro Atti, Antonio Santoro
  • Patent number: 8657775
    Abstract: The present invention relates to high cut-off hemodialysis membranes for the treatment of chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients, with the potential to improve long-term survival of these patients by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, through down-regulation of monocyte activation in the blood. Monocytes are the major circulating blood cells involved in the progression of cardiovascular disease. High cut-off hemodialysis in chronic dialysis patients results in a sustained decrease in expression of monocyte cell-surface proteins that direct the movement of these cells from the blood to the walls of blood vessels, where they promote the progression of arterial disease (atherosclerosis) that leads to cardiovascular disease (CVD); heart disease, strokes and peripheral vascular disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundis AB
    Inventors: Colin Hutchison, Paul Cockwell, Hermann Göhl, Bernd Krause, Markus Storr
  • Publication number: 20140052044
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for venting a gas from a liquid, which are applicable to a wide variety of medical liquid delivery systems. The apparatus includes level detectors, a clamp, and a control apparatus operably connected to the level detectors and the clamp. The method includes detecting whether liquid or gas is present at the level detectors, and opening and closing a clamp to vent gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Martin Joseph Crnkovich, Colin Weaver
  • Patent number: 8647290
    Abstract: In a hemodiafiltration apparatus, a control and command unit (11) halts a replacement fluid supply pump (8) and contemporaneously modifies the control mode of a blood pump (1) passing from a control based on the pump velocity to a control based on the blood pressure measured by a sensor (12) arranged downstream of a hemodiafilter (3). The aim is to prevent risks due to excessive hemoconcentration in the blood circuit between the ultrafiltration zone and the infusion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Pietro Masala, Mauro Suffritti, Anders Wallenborg, Thomas Gebhart
  • Patent number: 8641656
    Abstract: The invention relates to a calculation and control system for the determination of the state of a vascular access of a patient intended to follow successive sessions of extracorporeal blood treatment by extraction and return of the blood via the vascular access, the system comprising: means for determining the value of at least one hemodynamic extracorporeal parameter of the patient for at least two sessions; means for determining the value of the purification effectiveness of the treatment for at least two sessions; programmed means for determining a risk score relating to the state of the vascular access of the patient as a function of at least two values of the hemodynamic extracorporeal parameter and of at least two determined values of the purification effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Bernard Bene
  • Patent number: 8641657
    Abstract: In a blood transfer chamber, a filter (4) is arranged at an outlet located on a bottom of the chamber. The filter is truncoconical with a vertically-disposed axis. The filter has a plurality of openings (13, 14) for fluid passage, a size of which openings increases gradually in an upwards direction going from bottom to top of the chamber. The filter is used in a venous air-blood separation chamber of a dialysis set. The invention enables a reduction of a risk of hemolysis during treatment as well as a reduction of the risk of formation of air bubble retention in the filter during a priming stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Francesco Ribolzi, Ranko Sakota, Luca Caleffi, Giuseppe Franzoni
  • Patent number: 8641655
    Abstract: A continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) device is provided that weighs between 2 and 10 pounds. The CRRT device can be portable, mobile or completely worn on the person of the patient. Blood and dialysate are each pumped in a pulsed or pulsatile manner through a dialyzer such that a significant portion of the peak pulse of the blood flow coincides with a significant portion of a low pulse portion of the dialysate flow. An differential pressure between a dialysate inlet of the dialyzer and the blood inlet of the dialyzer periodically changes from a high differential pressure of between 70 and 120 mmHg for a first time period and a low differential pressure of between ?10 and 10 mmHg for a first time period and a low differential pressure of between ?10 and 10 mmHg for a second time period. The frequency of the high and low differential pressure cycle is between about 0.5 and 4 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmond Rambod, Victor Gura
  • Patent number: 8632485
    Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for home or other remote delivery of health care that gather subjective and objective measures of patient health and treatment, analyzing them (e.g., correlating them with one another and/or with norms) and reporting them to aid in on-going patient diagnosis and treatment (both on acute and chronic bases), as well as to aid physicians, nurses and other caregivers in decision support, monitoring treatment compliance, facilitating regulatory compliance, billing, and so forth. Thus, for example, in some aspects a health care delivery device comprising a medical treatment apparatus, such as a home hemodialysis or home peritoneal dialysis unit, that is coupled to a processor. The processor generates patient queries in connection with treatments rendered by the dialysis equipment (or other treatment apparatus).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Schlaeper, Martin Crnkovich, Jeffrey J. Sands
  • Patent number: 8632486
    Abstract: An access disconnect system includes a blood processing machine having a blood pump operable with blood tubing, first and second conductive contacts located in the blood tubing on an arterial tubing side of a blood filter. The first conductive contact is located upstream of the blood pump and the second conductive contact is located downstream of the blood pump. The first and second conductive contacts are positioned and arranged to form a conductive circuit including a vascular system of a patient and the blood processing machine. The system further includes a source of electric current connected to at least one of the first and second conductive contacts and a transmitter for sending a signal indicative of an amount of current flowing through the conductive circuit when the source of electric current is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventor: Matthew R. Muller
  • Patent number: 8628489
    Abstract: A blood processing system for collecting and exchanging blood components includes a venous-access device for drawing whole blood from a subject and returning blood components to the subject. The system may also include three lines connecting the venous access device to a blood component separation device and an anticoagulant source. A blood draw line fluidly connects to the venous-access device to the blood component separation device. An anticoagulant line introduces anticoagulant into the drawn whole blood. A return line, fluidly connected to the venous-access device and the blood component separation device, and returns uncollected blood component to the subject. Each line may have a pump that controls flow through the line. The blood component separation device separates the drawn blood into a first blood component and a second blood component, and may be configured to send the first blood component to a first blood component bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Haemonetics Corporation
    Inventors: Etienne Pagès, Michael Ragusa
  • Patent number: 8617392
    Abstract: Device (5) for filtering blood including a filter unit (7) having a blood filter, an inlet (8) for blood to be filtered and being connectable to an artery of a patient and a blood outlet (9) for filtered blood and being connectable to a vein of the patient, and having a filtrate container (6,14), that encloses the filter unit (7), for receiving filtrate (12) passing through the blood filter during a filtering process and that the filtrate container (6,14) is a closed container, which in a filled state is arranged to establish a counter-pressure over the blood filter, whereby the filtering process is interrupted. The invention also concerns a system including the above device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Anders Nilsson
  • Patent number: 8613717
    Abstract: A method for removing an undesirable material is provided. The method includes maneuvering a first cannula within a vessel such that it is positioned for capturing the undesirable material. The method also includes positioning a second cannula within the vessel such that it is in a spaced relation to the first cannula. A suction force may be provided so as to capture the undesirable material through the first cannula. The undesirable material may be fragmenting as it is drawn along the first cannula, so as to enhance removal of the undesirable material through the first cannula. A system for removing an undesirable material is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: AngioDynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lishan Aklog, Michael Glennon
  • Publication number: 20130338561
    Abstract: A system and method for removing gas bubbles from blood during circulatory assist procedures. An active filter apparatus forces the bubbles to the center of the system where they are removed from the blood before the blood exits the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Indian Wells Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Wieting, Jay A. Lenker
  • Publication number: 20130338560
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a fluid flow rate in a blood access having an upstream position and a downstream position using a dialysis system. The dialysis system includes a dialyzer having a semi permeable membrane delimiting a first chamber through which blood removed from said blood access passes, and a second chamber through which dialysis liquid passes. In addition, an arterial line and a venous line are connected to an inlet and an outlet of the first chamber, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventor: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
  • Patent number: 8608953
    Abstract: An extracorporeal filtration and detoxification system and method generally comprise separating ultrafiltrate from cellular components of blood, treating the ultrafiltrate independently of the cellular components in a recirculation circuit, recombining treated ultrafiltrate and the cellular components, and returning whole blood to the patient. A recirculation circuit generally comprises an active cartridge including active cells operative to effectuate a selected treatment; in some embodiments, the active cells are the C3A cell line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Vital Therapies, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Brotherton, Dar He
  • Patent number: 8603021
    Abstract: An ultrafiltration filter for an extracorporeal blood circuit having an input for blood withdrawn from a human patient and a blood output for filtered blood to be infused into the patient including: a filter body having a length of at least 20 centimeters (cm) and an interior diameter of no greater than 1.5 cm; an input at a first end of the body to receive the withdrawn blood; an output at a second end of the body to discharge the filtered blood; a filter membrane in the body defining a blood passage through the body, wherein the membrane has an active filter membrane surface area of no greater than 0.2 meters squared (m2) and the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight cut of greater than 60,000 Daltons and a volume of the blood passage in the filter being less than two percent of a cardiac output of the patient, and an ultrafiltrate output to the body and open to a side of the filter surface area opposite to the blood passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Gambro UF Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard R. Levin, Mark Gelfand, John O'Mahony, Hans-Dietrich Polaschegg
  • Publication number: 20130324900
    Abstract: A dialysis system comprising: a blood circuit including a blood pump, a dialyzer, and an air removal apparatus; an arterial line of the blood circuit extending from the blood pump to an arterial access needle; a venous line of the blood circuit extending from the air removal apparatus to a venous access needle; arterial and venous conductive connections placed along the arterial and venous lines, respectively; a first electrical potential source configured to apply a first electrical potential between (i) the arterial and venous conductive connections and (ii) the arterial and venous access needles; and a second electrical potential source configured to apply a second electrical potential between (a) the arterial and venous conductive connections and (b) one of the blood pump, dialyzer or air removal device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicants: Baxter Healthcare S.A., Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Wariar, James Han, George Lamberson, Thomas P. Hartranft, Thore Falkvall
  • Patent number: 8597516
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for using a very large pore hemofilter to treat IMRD, hepatic failure, exogenous intoxication and other conditions associated with toxins in a patient's blood. One treatment includes the use of a very large pore hemofilter to remove target complex molecules and/or target molecules from a patient's blood and to infuse a replacement fluid into the patient's blood to maintain a prescribed albumin concentration in the patient's blood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Immunocept, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Radunsky, James R. Matson, Patrice A. Lee
  • Publication number: 20130317409
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include devices and methods directed toward creating reverse flow within a vessel and thereby providing protection against embolic debris. Embodiments comprise a catheter and a plurality of occluders that are expandable and adjustable within a lumen to create low-pressure areas that reroute blood flow and embolic debris therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventor: W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
  • Patent number: 8585969
    Abstract: A device for treating blood in an extracorporeal blood circuit, the device including a centrifugal pump provided with a transparent enclosure that is connected, by means of an inlet duct, to the outlet of a venous reservoir, the venous reservoir having an inlet that is connected to receive blood from a patient. The transparent enclosure of the pump is connected monolithically to the base of a structure that comprises a heat exchanger and an oxygenator. The structure also supports monolithically, at the peripheral region, an arterial filter that receives the blood in output from the oxygenator and is provided with a connector for coupling to an arterial line for return of the blood to the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sorin Group Italia S.r.l.
    Inventors: Edgardo Costa Maianti, Nicola Ghelli, Ivo Panzani
  • Publication number: 20130303963
    Abstract: A method for pre-filling a hemodialysis apparatus includes providing a hemodialysis apparatus comprising a pre-filling liquid source which supplies a pre-filling liquid, a dialyzer, a dialysate side, a blood side. The dialysate side comprises a dialysate chamber, a dialysate pump to pump the pre-filling liquid to the dialysate chamber, and a waste pump to pump the pre-filling liquid away from the dialysate chamber. The blood side comprises an arterial line, a blood pump, a blood chamber of the dialyzer, and a venous line. A pressure sensor is arranged on the dialysate side or on the blood side. The arterial line and the venous line are pre-filled with the pre-filling liquid via the dialysate pump. A blood-side fluid pressure is continuously determined via the pressure sensor during the pre-filling. The pre-filling is stopped when the blood-side fluid pressure determined by the pressure sensor exceeds or falls below a defined limit pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Gerd Breuch, Frank Biermann, Yoji Yanagimoto
  • Publication number: 20130303962
    Abstract: A system and method utilizing non-invasive fluid volume or fluid weight monitoring to facilitate mixing of therapeutic fluid components during the preparation of therapeutic fluid for dialysis is described. A therapeutic fluid source is provided in cooperative engagement with a weight measuring device which monitors the fluid volume or fluid weight of the therapeutic fluid in the therapeutic fluid source. Peristaltic pumps are configured to pump therapeutic fluid between a conventional dialyzer and the therapeutic fluid source. The weight measuring device is engaged by a control scheme programmed to operate the pumps. The control scheme includes a feedback loop from the weight measuring device to the pumps to facilitate control of the transmembrane pressure at the dialyzer without measuring TMP. System and methods for priming, ultrafiltration and backflush are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Christian Bernard
  • Patent number: 8568595
    Abstract: A method for determining or predicting the adequacy parameters that will be achieved at the end of a kidney substitution treatment during said kidney substitution treatment wherein the kidney substitution treatment is provided by a machine, which has an extracorporeal blood system pumping the patient blood through the blood chamber of a dialyzer, wherein the dialyzing fluid collects the waste products from the patient after flowing through the dialyzing fluid chamber of the dialyzer and wherein a device able to measure a adequacy parameter is coupled with the kidney substitution treatment machine and wherein the slope of a preferable linear guideline for the adequacy parameter is compared to the slope of the delivered adequacy parameter and if the slope of both are equal a linearization is performed to determine or predict the adequacy parameter at the end of the kidney substitution treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: B. Braun Avitum AG
    Inventor: Alex Castellarnau
  • Patent number: 8568347
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for making extracorporeal blood circulation available, in particular a heart-lung machine, comprising a venous connection and an arterial connection, between which a blood reservoir, a blood pump and a bubble detector for the detection of air bubbles are provided, with, downstream of the bubble detector, an arterial line leading to the arterial connection via an arterial clamp and a bypass leading via a bypass clamp back into the blood reservoir which is connected to a pump extracting air from the blood reservoir. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of operating such an apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: ZOLL LifeBridge GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Brieske, Michael Brieske
  • Patent number: 8562834
    Abstract: A modular assembly for a portable hemodialysis system may include a dialysis unit, e.g., that contains suitable components for performing hemodialysis, such as a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer, and a power unit having a housing that contains suitable components for providing operating power to the pumps of the dialysis unit. The power unit may be selectively connected to the dialysis unit and provide power (e.g., pneumatic power in the form of pressure and/or vacuum) to the dialysis unit for the pumps when connected to the dialysis unit, but may be incapable of providing power to the dialysis unit when disconnected from the dialysis unit. The dialysis unit and the power unit are sized and weighted to each be carried by hand by a human.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dean Kamen, Jason A. Demers, Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, Shannon Prescott, David E. Collins
  • Publication number: 20130274620
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a method and a device for long-term monitoring of the arterial vascular stiffness and vascular calcification on a particular patient, wherein a characteristic variable for the arterial vascular stiffness is determined exclusively from the shape and/or the characteristic of at least one pressure pulse wave caused by a cardiac contraction as a function of time and is stored as a time series for the particular patient. In particularly preferred embodiments, the characteristic variable is represented as a trend and serves the physician as a basis for long-term monitoring of the arterial vascular stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Wei ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20130274570
    Abstract: A monitoring arrangement 100 is configured to predict a rapid syruptomatic drop in a subject's blood pressure, e.g. during a medical treatment or when operating aircraft. To this aim, a pulse shape parameter (pps) with respect to a peripheral body part (105) of the subject (P) is repeatedly registered by means of a pulse oximetry instrument (110) adapted to detect light response variations in blood vessels. A respective pulse magnitude measure is calculated based on each of a number of received pulse shape parameters (pps), and a statistical dispersion measure is calculated based on the thus-calculated pulse magnitude measure. It is investigated whether or not the statistical dispersion measure fulfils a decision criterion relative to a reference measure. An output signal (?) is generated if the decision criterion is found to be fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventors: Bo Olde, Kristian Solem
  • Publication number: 20130274644
    Abstract: Prior to each treatment session for an individual patient, a machine controller in a dialysis machine obtains from a logic device a set of current control settings of the machine-related parameters to be applied in the treatment session. In generating the control settings, the logic device obtains a set of therapeutic targets comprising a target value that represents part of a desired status of the patient after the treatment session, in terms of one or more physiological parameters for the patient. The logic device also obtains status data that represents the current status of the patient prior to the treatment session, and computes the set of current control settings of the machine-related parameters, as a function of the set of therapeutic targets and the status data and at least partly based on a predictive model, which estimates the physiological response of the patient to the machine-related parameters during the treatment session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Thomas Hertz
  • Patent number: 8551342
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a method of operating a blood treatment apparatus for the extracorporeal blood treatment of a patient, a blood volume monitor for monitoring an extracorporeal blood treatment of the patient by means of a blood treatment apparatus, and a blood treatment apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Moissl, Paul Chamney, Peter Wabel
  • Publication number: 20130261529
    Abstract: An extracorporeal blood processing method using a blood circuit comprising a pair of blood passages attached to opposite flow ends of a blood treatment device and said blood circuit is mounted on a blood pump console, the method includes: withdrawing blood from a vascular system of a human patient and drawing the blood into the blood circuit; pumping the withdrawn blood through one of the pair of blood passages using a first blood pump of the console and into the blood treatment device; pumping the treated blood from the treatment device through the other of the pair of blood passages using a second blood pump of the console; infusing the treated blood from the other blood passage and into the vascular system of the patient, and periodically reversing a flow direction of blood through the pair of blood passages and blood treatment device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Gambro UF Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: John O'Mahony
  • Patent number: 8545427
    Abstract: A blood treatment apparatus, including a blood treatment unit configured to receive untreated blood and fresh blood treatment fluid, and emit treated blood and used blood treatment fluid, a pair of fluid pumps configured to pass blood treatment fluid through the blood treatment unit, a pair of blood pumps configured to extract untreated blood from a blood source, pass extracted blood through the blood treatment unit and deliver treated blood to a target vessel, each blood pump including a pump chamber and a flexible member separating the pumping chamber into a first blood accumulating container and a second working fluid accumulating container where the flexible member is configured to vary a volume relationship between the first and the second accumulation containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Mattias Holmer, Lennart Jönsson, Anders Wallenborg, Per Hansson
  • Patent number: 8545754
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for oxygenating and controlling the temperature of blood in an extracorporeal circuit. The apparatus has an inlet and an outlet that is located radially outward from the inlet in order to define a flowpath through the apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a core that is substantially centrally located in the apparatus and to which blood from a patient can be supplied through the inlet; a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer elements that are arranged around the core and between which blood from the core can move radially outward; and an oxygenator comprising a plurality of gas exchange elements that are arranged around the heat exchanger and between which blood from the heat exchanger can move radially outward before exiting the apparatus through the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Walt L. Carpenter, Robert W. Olsen, Michael J. Hobday, Alford L. McLevish, Christopher J. Plott, Roderick E. Briscoe, Patrick J. Cloutier, Anil Thapa, Ming Li, Kevin McIntosh, Ken Merte
  • Publication number: 20130248446
    Abstract: The blood treatment apparatus described herein include a plurality of treatment solution reservoirs connected to a junction which feeds an output controller through an output line. The reservoirs feed the junction through one or more liquid-gas separation filters that limit or prevent air from passing. One or more of the reservoirs can typically be emptied during a treatment session without drawing air into the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventor: Alain Frugier
  • Patent number: 8535258
    Abstract: Hemofiltration systems and methods to treat an Inflammatory Mediator Related Disease in a patients, including chronic and acute diseases, may include a hemofilter and an adsorptive device. The systems and methods may further include one or more therapeutic agents administered to the patient. The hemofilter removes ultrafiltrate from a blood stream extracted from the patient to create a filtered blood stream and an ultrafiltrate stream. The adsorptive device may include one or more adsorbent materials and may be used to adsorb inflammatory mediators from the ultrafiltrate stream received from the hemofilter to create a post adsorption ultrafiltrate stream. The post adsorption ultrafiltrate stream may be selectively combined with the filtered blood stream and together with the filtered blood stream may be returned to the mammal. Other systems and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Immunocept, L.L.C.
    Inventor: James R. Matson