Patent ID: 11896752
Assignee: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method for draining an extracorporeal fluid circuit utilizing a dialysis machine, wherein the dialysis machine is connected to a dialyzer and the extracorporeal fluid circuit, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit includes an arterial line connectable to a patient for drawing blood from the patient and a venous line connectable to the patient for returning blood to the patient, the method comprising:
after treatment termination from said extracorporeal fluid circuit, draining remaining fluid from said extracorporeal fluid circuit through the dialyzer, wherein the dialyzer is connected to the dialysis machine via a dialyzer fluid circuit for distribution of dialysis fluid to and from the dialyzer, wherein the extracorporeal fluid circuit is drained through the dialyzer by applying a negative pressure on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit,
wherein the negative pressure is applied on the dialyzer fluid circuit relative to the extracorporeal fluid circuit by introducing air into the extracorporeal fluid circuit by pumping the air through an inlet that is fluidly connected to a venous drip chamber with an air pump that is connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the inlet and the venous drip chamber, the air pump being fluidly connected to the extracorporeal fluid circuit via the drip chamber and the inlet during and after the treatment,
wherein the arterial line includes a first port connectable to the patient, and the venous line includes a second port connectable to the patient, and
wherein the venous drip chamber is positioned between the dialyzer and the second port;

connecting the first port to the second port prior to introducing the air into the extracorporeal fluid circuit; and
activating a peristaltic blood pump to generate a flow of the air.