Patent ID: 8287739
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: A61B,A61M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for calibrating and subsequently operating a device during a dialysis session for determining hematocrit values, the method comprising: calibrating the device by (a) measuring the hematocrit value of whole blood from a supply of blood containing an anticoagulant using an in vitro method, (b) baselining the measured hematocrit value taken from the supply of blood against an independently determined value of the hematocrit and (c) determining a scaling factor to account for an effect of the anticoagulant on an accuracy of the measured hematocrit values; and operating the device during the dialysis session by (d) measuring in a non-invasive manner the hematocrit values of a patient's blood which does not contain the anticoagulant, (e) scaling the measured hematocrit values in keeping with the scaling factors to account for an absence of the anticoagulant in the patient's blood; and (f) displaying the scaled measured values.