Patent ID: 6022333
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method for removing at least one material from a body of a living being, said method comprising:shunting lymphatic fluid containing said at least one material from a lymphatic duct through an artificial filter assembly to provide (i) a filtrate which passes through a filtration membrane of said filter assembly, wherein said filtrate contains said at least one material, and (ii) a retentate which does not pass through said filtration membrane, wherein said filtration membrane has pores sufficiently large to allow said at least one material to pass through the porous membrane, and sufficiently small to prevent at least the body's lymphatic cells from passing through the porous membrane;expelling said retentate from said filter assembly such that said retentate is reabsorbed by said body's lymphatic system and;expelling said filtrate from said filter assembly to a portion of said body's excretory system for excretion by said body, thereby removing said at least one material from said body.