Patent ID: 6432136
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: A61M,G01B,Y10S

Abstract:
A system for removing a pocket of gas from a blood pump, comprising:a blood pump having a wall portion formed of a non-ferrous material, said wall portion having a thickness and having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said wall portion is opaque, said blood pump further having a chamber disposed therein, wherein said chamber is at least partially defined by said wall portion, and wherein said pocket of gas is located at a position that is adjacent to said inner surface of said wall portion; a catheter having a first end and a second end, said first end having a first magnet disposed adjacent thereto, wherein said first magnet generates a first magnetic field, and wherein said first end of said catheter may be positioned inside of said chamber; a vacuum generator coupled to said second end of said catheter, wherein said vacuum generator is adapted to remove said pocket of gas from said chamber when said first end of said catheter is disposed therein; a positioning probe adapted to be held at a location outside of said chamber in order to position said first end of said catheter at said position where said pocket of gas is located so that said pocket of gas may be removed from said chamber; a second magnet, said second magnet being disposed on said probe, wherein said second magnet generates a second magnetic field, wherein said first and second magnetic fields are of sufficient strength to cause said first magnet to be attracted to said second magnet through said wall portion of said chamber such that when said second magnet is disposed adjacent to said outer surface of said wall portion and said first magnet is disposed within said chamber, said first magnet moves toward said second magnet until said first magnet is aligned with said second magnet and said first magnet is disposed adjacent to said inner surface of said wall portion and said second magnet is disposed adjacent to said outer surface of said wall portion; and further wherein said first and second magnetic fields are of sufficient strength such that when said first magnet and said second magnet are aligned with each other and said first magnet is disposed adjacent to said inner surface of said wall portion and said second magnet is disposed adjacent to said outer surface of said wall portion, a movement of said second magnet causes said first magnet to follow said movement such that said second magnet may be used to guide said first magnet to said position where said pocket of gas is located; a sensor disposed on said probe, wherein said sensor generates a proximity signal having a magnitude relating to a distance between said first magnet and said second magnet; an electronic circuit operatively coupled to said sensor, wherein said electronic circuit generates an indicator signal in response to said proximity signal generated by said sensor; an indicator operatively coupled to said electronic circuit that generates an indication based on said indicator signal generated by said electronic circuit, wherein said indicator may be used to indicate when said distance between said first and said second magnets is approximately equal to said thickness of said wall portion such that said first magnet is disposed adjacent to said inner surface of said wall portion and said second magnet is disposed adjacent to said outer surface of said wall portion and said first and second magnets are aligned with each other.