Patent ID: 6932786
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring a cardiovascular access during an extracorporeal blood treatment, comprising the steps of: providing an extracorporeal blood circuit comprising an arterial branch and a venous branch, the arterial branch connecting an arterial needle inserted into a patient to an inlet of a blood treatment device, the venous branch connecting an outlet of the blood treatment device to a venous needle inserted into a patient; providing a conductive connection between the arterial branch and the venous branch, said conductive connection having first and second connection locations, wherein said first connection location is located upstream of the blood treatment device and said second connection location is located downstream of said blood treatment device; circulating blood in the extracorporeal blood circuit; generating a potential difference between the arterial branch and the venous branch; detecting a value of a quantity corresponding to an electric current along at least one portion of the venous branch, said at least one portion being between the conductive connection and the venous needle; and comparing the detected value to a reference range.