The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 02, 2010
David W. Wieting, Sierra Madre, CA (US);
Jay A. Lenker, Laguna Beach, CA (US);
David W. Wieting, Sierra Madre, CA (US);
Jay A. Lenker, Laguna Beach, CA (US);
Indian Wells Medical, Inc., Laguna Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A system is disclosed for removing gas bubbles from blood during circulatory assist procedures. Such bubbles are generated, along with particulate matter, in an extracorporeal circulatory bypass system by the pump, oxygenator and other components. Current filters are inefficient at removing small bubbles that can cause neurological defects and renal and other organ failures in the patient. An active filter apparatus and method is disclosed that forces the bubbles to the center of the system where they are removed from the blood before the blood exits the filter. The filter comprises an axially elongate cylindrical shell with a blood inlet, a blood outlet and a gas outlet. A motor driven impeller spins the blood within the shell and forces the gas toward the center by centripetal force, utilizing the buoyancy effects of the bubbles in blood, whereby the bubbles can be bled off at the center of the filter.