Patent ID: 8206594
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for managing fluid for accurate continuous venovenous hemofiltration, comprising the steps of: (a) filling a first container with replacement fluid; (b) continuously filtering unfiltered blood to extract ultrafiltrate, thereby producing filtered blood; (c) transferring the replacement fluid from the first container to the filtered blood, thereby combining the replacement fluid with the filtered blood; (d) occurring simultaneously with the performance of step (c), transferring the ultrafiltrate to a second container in an amount equal to an amount of replacement fluid transferred from the first container; (e) continuously monitoring a state of the replacement fluid in the first container and a state of the ultrafiltrate in the second container; (f) upon detecting that the first container no longer contains the replacement fluid, stopping the transfer of the ultrafiltrate to the second container; (g) after transferring all of the replacement fluid from the first container, refilling the first container with additional replacement fluid; and (h) occurring simultaneously with the performance of step (g), emptying the ultrafiltrate that is in the second container so that the second container no longer contains the ultrafiltrate.