Patent ID: 8721579
Filing Date: 2014-05-13
Classification: A61M,F04B,F16K

Abstract:
1. A method for providing extracorporeal circulation to a patient comprising the steps of: a) providing a heart-lung machine which comprises: a venous line which is connectable to the patient's venous vasculature; a blood reservoir which comprises a blood-containing space and an air-receiving space separated by a membrane that is permeable to blood but not to air bubbles, said blood reservoir configured to receive blood from said venous line; an oxygenator connected to the blood reservoir for oxygenating venous blood that exits the blood reservoir; a blood pump configured to draw blood from said blood reservoir and pump the blood into the oxygenator; an arterial filter located downstream of said oxygenator; a bubble detector located downstream of said arterial filter and connected by an arterial line which is connectable to the patient's arterial vasculature; a spring biased quick action clamp disposed on the arterial line between the bubble detector and the arterial connection, said quick action clamp being held by a latch in an open position against the spring bias, said quick action clamp being transitionable to a closed position by releasing the latch thereby allowing the spring bias to close the quick acting clamp; a bypass line connecting to said arterial line between the bubble detector and the quick action clamp and configured to transport blood from the arterial line to the blood reservoir; and a bypass clamp disposed on the bypass line; b) connecting the venous line to the patient's venous vasculature; c) connecting the arterial line to the patient's arterial vasculature; d) operating the blood pump such that blood flows from the patient, through the venous line, through the blood reservoir, through the oxygenator, through the arterial line and into the patient's arterial vasculature; and e) upon detection of a bubble by the bubble detector, i) releasing the latch thereby allowing the spring bias to close the quick acting clamp before the detected bubble has past the quick acting clamp and ii) opening the bypass clamp, thereby causing blood and the detected bubble to flow from the arterial line, through the bypass line and back into the blood reservoir.