Patent ID: 7435235
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling infusion in a blood treatment equipment, said equipment comprising: an extracorporeal blood circuit having at least one blood treatment unit presenting a first and a second chamber separated by a semipermeable membrane, a pre-infusion line connected to the blood circuit upstream of the blood treatment unit, a post-infusion line connected to the blood circuit downstream of the blood treatment unit, and a waste line connected to an outlet of the second chamber for receiving waste fluid exiting out of the second chamber; said method comprising the steps of: causing a fluid flow through said pre-infusion line, causing a fluid flow through said post-infusion line, determining values of at least one parameter of the waste fluid in said waste line, calculating from said values of the at least one waste fluid parameter at least a corresponding value of an efficiency parameter relating to blood depuration efficiency of the blood treatment unit, and controlling the flow rate of at least one of the fluid flows through said pre-infusion and post-infusion lines as a function of said value of the efficiency parameter, wherein said controlling step comprises the following timely consecutive sub-steps: determining a pre-change value of the efficiency parameter, increasing the flow rate through at least one of the infusion lines, determining a post-change value of the efficiency parameter, comparing the pre-change and the post-change values of the efficiency parameter and if, as a result of said comparison, the post-change value of the efficiency parameter is higher than the pre-change value of the efficiency parameter, then increasing again the flow rate of said at least one of the infusion lines, the sub-steps of increasing the flow rate, determining a post-change value and comparing the pre and post change values being repeated until no further gain in the efficiency parameter can be achieved.