Patent ID: 9623169
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: A01N,A61M,F16K

Claim:
1. A method for filling and venting a device for extracorporeal blood treatment, wherein said device comprises i) a control module having an automatic clamping or valving apparatus, a blood pump drive, and evaluation and control electronics, and ii) a patient module having a blood flow circuit which comprises a venous blood inflow conduit, a reservoir, an oxygenator, an air bubble detector, a filter, an arterial blood outflow conduit, and a blood pump; said method comprising the steps of: a) engaging the patient module with the control module; b) connecting the patient module to a source of filling fluid such that filling fluid gravity-flows into at least the reservoir and blood pump; c) entering, via a user interface, a command which initiates an automatic filling and venting process wherein the evaluation and control electronics include a control unit that is adapted to automatically control components of the patient module to fill and vent the blood flow circuit without requiring human intervention, said filling and venting of the blood flow circuit including a stepped flooding of the filter whereby the filter is initially partially filled with liquid such that a portion of the filter remains unwetted and air permeable during further filling and venting of the blood flow circuit and, thereafter, the filter is further filled with liquid such that the unwetted portion of the filter also becomes wetted; and wherein, after the system has been connected to a source of filling fluid and said command has been entered, the control unit automatically controls components of the patient module to effect said automatic filling and venting process, including the stepped flooding of the filter, without requiring other human intervention.