Patent ID: 7871391
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for removing air from a liquid in extracorporeal circuitry, the apparatus comprising: a vertical chamber having a bottom region and a top region and a fluid entry port and fluid exit port at or near the bottom region, the bottom region being flared such that the bottom region is wider than the top region; a microporous filter at or near the top region such that liquid can be passed through the vertical chamber from the entry port to the exit port so as to fill the vertical chamber with the liquid while air exits the chamber via the microporous filter, wherein the exit port is substantially vertically aligned with the filter during use, the entry port is horizontally offset from the filter during use, the vertical chamber has a height sufficient to allow a first liquid in the top region of the vertical chamber to remain substantially stagnant as a portion of a second liquid in the bottom region of the vertical chamber flows through the vertical chamber from the fluid entry port to the fluid exit port such that an interface between the first liquid in the top region of the vertical chamber and the second liquid in the bottom region of the vertical chamber is maintained as the portion of the second liquid flows through the vertical chamber from the fluid entry port to the fluid exit port, the first and second liquids are miscible, and the interface inhibits direct contact between the second liquid and the microporous filter.