Deka Products Limited Partnership

United States Surgical Corporation

Gen-probe, Inc.

Gen-probe Incorporated Patent Dept

James D Dale

Jason A Demers

Kevin L Grant

Michael J Wilt

Brian Daniel Tracey

David W McGill

Simon Christopher Helmore

David E Collins

Jacob William Scarpaci

Jesse Tetherly Bodwell

David J Hibbard

Larry B Gray

Katherine M Hickey

N Christopher Perry

Richard J Lanigan

Arun Dhyaneshwar Chawan

Dean Kamen

John Matthew Kerwin

Robert J Bryant, Jr

Geoffrey P Spencer

Scott A Leonard

Jared N Farlow

Dirk Albertus Van Der Merwe

Matthew J Finch

Frank J Viola

David E Altobelli

Michael G Norris

Daniel S Karol

Brian H Yoo

Gus G Tseo

Frederick Marshall Morgan

Marc Aurele Mandro

Andrew Stephen Coll

David A Beavers

Brett A Rudolf

Catharine N Flynn

Stephen Lewis Fichera

Lisa A Gustin

Shannon Prescott

David B Doherty

Paul G Girouard

Daniel B Singer

Jinsun Yoo

Gerard J Sevigny

James L Sloss

Lisa A Panneton

Joseph P Rushlow

Tien-Shoe Wang

Arthur C Stickney

Edgar J Bolton

Jason Michael Overson

Benjamin W Jones, Jr

Matthew W Webb

Geoffrey A Marcek

James M Sibona

Randolph F Lehn

Csaba L Rethy

Kingston Owens

David Ivanko

Todd A Ballantyne

Karl H Ehrenfels

Bruce K Jankowski

Katherine M Morgan

Christopher Perry

James A Demers

Matthew J Lanigan

David W Mcgill

Scott Martinelli

Brian Tracy

Matthew Lanigan

Simon C Helmore

Jacob W Scarpaci

Brian Tracey

Jason M Overson

Arthur Stickney

Jesse T Well

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to certain types of reciprocating positive-displacement pumps (which may be referred to hereinafter as 'pods,' “pump pods,” or “pod pumps”) used to pump fluids, such as a biological fluid (e.g., blood or peritoneal fluid), a therapeutic fluid (e.g., a medication solution), or a surfactant fluid. The pumps may be configured specifically to impart low shear forces and low turbulence on the fluid as the fluid is pumped from an inlet to an outlet. Such pumps may be particularly useful in pumping fluids that may be damaged by such shear forces (e.g., blood, and particularly heated blood, which is prone to hemolysis) or turbulence (e.g., surfactants or other fluids that may foam or otherwise be damaged or become unstable in the presence of turbulence).

Fluid pumping systems, devices and methods

Hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems including a variety of systems and methods that make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable, and include new fluid circuits for fluid flow in hemodialysis systems and a reciprocating diaphragm pump for pumping fluids. The reciprocating diaphragm pump includes a flexible diaphragm, a first rigid body having a curved pumping chamber wall, a second rigid body having an opposing curved control chamber wall. The diaphragm is interposed between the pumping chamber wall and the control chamber wall to define a pumping chamber and a control chamber. The diaphragm of the pump has a peripheral bead arranged to locate the diaphragm between the first rigid body and the second rigid body and a diaphragm body having a curved, semi-spheroid or domed shape. The diaphragm is pre-formed or molded so that during a delivery stroke of the pump, the elastic force of the diaphragm resisting its deployment into the pumping chamber prevents a peripheral portion of the diaphragm body from fully contacting the pumping chamber wall.

Reciprocating diaphragm pumps for blood treatment systems and methods

Components for a medical infusion fluid handling system, such as an APD system, in which one or more lines (such as solution lines), spikes or other connection ports may be automatically capped and/or de-capped. This feature may provide advantages, such as a reduced likelihood of contamination since no human interaction is required to de-cap and connect the one or more lines, the spikes, or the other connection ports. For example, a fluid handling cassette may include one or more caps that cover a corresponding spike and include a raised and/or recessed feature to assist in removal of the one or more caps from the cassette. A solution line cap may include a hole and a recess, a groove or other feature to engage with a spike cap and enable removal of the spike cap.

Disposable components for fluid line autoconnect systems and methods

A fluid handling cassette, such as that useable with an automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) cycler device or other infusion apparatus, may include a generally planar body having at least one pump chamber formed as a depression in a first side of the body and a plurality of flowpaths for a fluid that includes a channel. A patient line port may be arranged for connection to a patient line and be in fluid communication with the at least one pump chamber via at least a first one of said flowpaths, and an optional membrane may be attached to the first side of the body over the at least one pump chamber. In one embodiment, the membrane may have a pump chamber portion with an unstressed shape that generally conforms to the depression of the at least one pump chamber in the body and is arranged to be movable for movement of the fluid in a useable space of the at least one pump chamber. One or more spacers may be provided in the at least one pump chamber to prevent the membrane from contacting an inner wall of the at least one pump chamber. The patient line, a drain line, and/or a heater bag line may be positioned to be separately occludable in relation to one or more solution lines that are connectable to the cassette.

Pump cassette and methods for use in medical treatment system using a plurality of fluid lines

A medical treatment system, such as a peritoneal dialysis system, may include control and other features to enhance patient comfort and ease of use. For example, the peritoneal dialysis system may include a control system that can adjust a volume of fluid infused into a peritoneal cavity to prevent intraperitoneal fluid volume from exceeding a pre-determined amount. The control system can adjust by adding one or more therapy cycles, allowing for fill volumes during each cycle of the one or more therapy cycles to be reduced. The control system may continue to allow the fluid to drain from the peritoneal cavity as completely as possible before starting a next therapy cycle of the one or more therapy cycles. The control system may also adjust a dwell time of the fluid within the peritoneal cavity during the one or more therapy cycles in order to complete a therapy within a scheduled time period. A cycler may also be configured to have a heater control system that monitors both a temperature of a heating tray and a temperature of a bag of dialysis fluid in order to bring a temperature of the dialysis fluid rapidly to a specified temperature, with minimal temperature overshoot.

Medical treatment system and methods using a plurality of fluid lines

The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. In one set of embodiments, a hemodialysis system may include a blood flow path and a dialysate flow path, where the dialysate flow path includes one or more of a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. Preparation of dialysate by the preparation circuit, in some instances, may be decoupled from patient dialysis. In some cases, the circuits are defined, at least partially, within one or more cassettes, optionally interconnected with conduits, pumps, or the like. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the hemodialysis system. In some cases, a gas supply may be provided in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path and/or the dialyzer that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate to pass through the dialyzer and urge blood in the blood flow path back to the patient. Such a system may be useful, for example, in certain emergency situations (e.g., a power failure) where it is desirable to return as much blood to the patient as possible. The hemodialysis system may also include, in another aspect of the invention, one or more fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, or the like, which can be actuated using a control fluid, such as air. In some cases, the control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using an external pump or other device, which may be detachable in certain instances. In one embodiment, one or more of the fluid handling devices may be generally rigid (e.g., having a spheroid shape), optionally with a diaphragm contained within the device, dividing it into first and second compartments.

Hemodialysis systems and methods

A pumping cassette including a housing having at least two inlet fluid lines and at least two outlet fluid lines. At least one balancing pod within the housing and in fluid connection with the fluid paths. The balancing pod balances the flow of a first fluid and the flow of a second fluid such that the volume of the first fluid equals the volume of the second fluid. The balancing pod also includes a membrane that forms two balancing chambers. Also included in the cassette is at least two reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pumps. The pumps are within the housing and they pump the fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet line and pump the second fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet.

Pumping cassette

A blood circuit assembly for a dialysis unit may include an organizing tray, a pair of pneumatic pumps mounted to the organizing tray for circulating blood received from a patient through a circuit including a dialyzer unit and returned to the patient, an air trap mounted to the organizing tray arranged to remove air from blood circulating in the circuit, a pair of dialyzer connections arranged to connect to the inlet and outlet of a dialyzer unit, and a pair of blood line connectors, one inlet blood line connector for receiving blood from the patient and providing blood to the pneumatic pumps and the other outlet blood line connector for returning blood to the patient.

Blood circuit assembly for a hemodialysis system

A cassette integrated system. The cassette integrated system includes a mixing cassette, a balancing cassette, a middle cassette fluidly connected to the mixing cassette and the balancing cassette and at least one pod. The mixing cassette is fluidly connected to the middle cassette by at least one fluid line and the middle cassette is fluidly connected to the balancing cassette by at least one fluid line. The at least one pod is connected to at least two of the cassettes wherein the pod is located in an area between the cassettes.

Cassette system integrated apparatus

A medical treatment system, such as a peritoneal dialysis system, may include a control and other features to enhance patient comfort and ease of use. For example, a cycler device may include a heater bag receiving section and a lid mounted to cover and uncover the heater bag receiving section, potentially enabling faster heating of a dialysate. A user interface may be moveable to be received into the receiving section and covered by the lid, if desired. The system may detect anomalous conditions, such as tilting of a housing of the system, and automatically recover without terminating a treatment. The system may include noise reduction features, such as porting pneumatic outputs to a common chamber, and others. The system may also automatically detect any one of several different solution lines connected to the system, and control operation accordingly, e.g., to mix solutions provided by two or more lines and form a needed dialysate solution. A cassette control surface may be arranged to have one or more ports that can detect a presence of a liquid, e.g., to identify if a cassette is leaking or has otherwise been compromised.

A drain cassette for a dialysis unit has a fluid channel between venous and arterial connection ports, and a valve may controllably open and close fluid communication between a drain outlet port and the venous connection port or the arterial connection port. A blood circuit assembly and drain cassette may be removable from the dialysis unit, e.g., by hand and without the use of tools. A blood circuit assembly may include a single, unitary member that defines portions of a pair of blood pumps, control valves, channels to accurately position flexible tubing for an occluder, an air trap support, and/or other portions of the assembly. A blood circuit assembly engagement device may assist with retaining a blood circuit assembly on the dialysis unit, and/or with removal of the assembly. An actuator may operate a retainer element and an ejector element that interact with the assembly.

Hemodialysis system

Triangle artist brush

Systems for monitoring fluid flow in an extracorporeal blood circuit are described. The blood circuit of such systems can include plod pump having a pumping chamber of the blood pump separated from a control chamber of the blood pump by a flexible diaphragm. The control chamber can be configured to transmit positive or negative pressure to operate the diaphragm. The system can include a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure in the control chamber of the blood pump, and a controller configured to receive information from the pressure sensor and to control the delivery of pressure to the control chamber of the blood pump. The controller can also be configured to cause the application of a time-varying pressure waveform on the blood pump diaphragm during a fill-stroke of the blood pump, and to monitor a pressure variation in the control chamber measured by the pressure sensor. When so configured, such controller can transmit a value representing a magnitude of the measured pressure variation to a display associated with the extracorporeal blood circuit.

System for monitoring and controlling fluid flow in a hemodialysis apparatus

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Nashua, NH, United States of America

James D Dale