Cobe Laboratories, Inc.

Lori A Truitt

Keith J Manica

Douglas P Miller

Frank Corbin, Iii

Donn D Lobdell

George J Eilers

Steven H Johnson

Lawrence L Leppert

Blood from a patient is treated extracorporeally by any selected one of a plurality of predetermined treatments. Each of the treatments involves the flow of blood from the patient into a primary chamber of a filtration unit, past a semipermeable membrane located in the filtration unit which separates the primary chamber from a secondary chamber of the filtration unit, out the filtration unit and back to the patient. A replacement fluid is selectively and controllably added to the blood, as required for the selected treatment. A secondary fluid is controllably and selectively introduced into the secondary chamber of the filtration unit for controllably collecting material passing across the semipermeable membrane from the blood or for supplying material to pass across the semipermeable membrane into the blood as required for the selected treatment. Materials are removed from the secondary chamber and collected in accordance with the selected treatment. Upon selection of one of the plurality of extracorporeal blood treatments available, the rates of blood flow, fluid flow and fluid collection during the extracorporeal treatment are automatically determined, established and monitored in accordance with the selected treatment. An apparatus which automatically performs and monitors the selected treatment is also described.

Technique for extracorporeal treatment of blood

Blood from a patient is treated extracorporeally by any selected one of a plurality of predetermined treatments. Each of the treatments involves the flow of blood from the patient into a primary chamber of a filtration unit, past a semipermeable membrane located in the filtration unit which separates the primary chamber from a secondary chamber of the filtration unit, out the filtration unit and back to the patient. A replacement fluid is selectively and controllably added to the blood, as required for the selected treatment. A secondary fluid is controllably and selectively introduced into the secondary chamber of the filtration unit for controllably collecting material passing across the semipermeable membrane from the blood or for supplying material to pass across the semipermeable membrane into the blood as required for the selected treatment. Materials are removed from the secondary chamber and collected in accordance with the selected treatment. Upon selection of one of the plurality of extracorporeal blood treatments available, the primary and secondary circuits are automatically primed with a priming fluid, in accordance with the selected treatment. An apparatus which automatically performs and monitors the selected treatment is also described.

Automatic priming technique

Blood from a patient is treated extracorporeally by any selected one of a plurality of predetermined treatments. Each of the treatments involves the flow of blood from the patient into a primary chamber of a filtration unit, past a semipermeable membrane located in the filtration unit which separates the primary chamber from a secondary chamber of the filtration unit, out the filtration unit and back to the patient. A replacement fluid is selectively and controllably added to the blood, as required for the selected treatment. A secondary fluid is controllably and selectively introduced into the secondary chamber of the filtration unit for controllably collecting material passing across the semipermeable membrane from the blood or for supplying material to pass across the semipermeable membrane into the blood as required for the selected treatment. Materials are removed from the secondary chamber and collected in accordance with the selected treatment. Blood leaks into the secondary chamber are automatically detected and the rates of blood and fluid flow automatically adjusted in response thereto. An apparatus which automatically performs and monitors the selected treatment is also described.

Growing community of inventors

Golden, CO, United States of America

Lori A Truitt