Patent ID: 6740036
Filing Date: 2004-05-25
Classification: A61B,A61M,G01N

Abstract:
A process for monitoring changes in blood volume and microvascular pooling in animals, comprising:an extracorporeal blood treatment device in which blood from a blood system is conducted through a first branch of said extracorporeal system which is connected by tubing to an arterial segment of said blood system into a dialyzer or filter and returned via a second branch of said extracorporeal system with the said second branch connected by tubing to a venous segment of said blood system; a diagnostic apparatus attached to said tubing wherein said diagnostic apparatus emits and receives an ultrasound wave and a light wave through blood flowing through said extracorporeal system; a signal processing system, wherein said signal processing system initiates and records ultrasound waves and light transmissions, determines phase shift between emitting and receiving ultrasound waves, monitors with high resolution sound velocity, density, compressibility, and optical density of blood, hematocrit, and plasma protein concentration, and assesses changes in said sound velocity, density, compressibility, optical density, hematocrit, and plasma protein concentration of modified blood at an equivalent temperature an infusion system, wherein a known amount of an indicator fluid is infused into said blood system at an injection connection located downstream of said diagnostic apparatus, and wherein infusion of said indicator fluid into said blood system changes the density of said blood system as measured through said diagnostic apparatus and said signal processing system; a calibration procedure; and a computing system for determining blood volume, changes in blood volume, changes in plasma protein concentration, and microvascular pooling from said hematocrit and density change.