SYSTEM FOR PREPARATION OF A MEDICAL SOLUTION, SUCH AS FOR DIALYSIS AND METHOD FOR CLEANSING OF SUCH A SYSTEM

Abstract: A system for preparation of a medical solution, such as for dialysis, hemodiafiltration or hemofiltration, comprising a preferably conventional control monitor (1) with an input (2) for concentrate and a recirculation circuit (15) connectable to said input for chemical and/or heat sterilisation and/or other cleansing of at least the liquid preparation circuit of the control monitor. The system is characterized by a cleansing chamber (10, 10') connectable to the recirculation circuit (15), which chamber is arranged to be able to receive a concentrate suction pipe (5) which is disconnectable from the monitor (1) so that said pipe may be flushed. The invention also relates to a method for sterilizing a concentrate suction pipe (5) forming a part of the above mentioned system. The invention further includes a cleansing chamber (10) intended to be included in the system.

Description: TITLE SYSTEM FOR PREPARATION OF A MEDICAL SOLUTION, SUCH AS FOR DIALYSIS AND METHOD FOR CLEANSING OF SUCH A SYSTEM. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a system for preparation of a medical solution, such as for dialysis, comprising a preferably conventional control monitor with an input for concentrate and a recirculation circuit connectable to said input for chemical and/or heat sterilisation and/or other cleansing of at least the liquid preparation circuit of the control monitor. The system is primarily intended for dialysis, though it is also suitable for many other purposes, for example for preparation of replacement liquid for hemodiafiltration and hemofiltration. The invention also relates to a method for sterilising a concentrate suction pipe forming a part of the above mentioned system, as well as a cleansing chamber belonging to the same system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION American Patents 4 158 034 and 4 293 409 describe a system for chemical sterilisation of a dialysis monitor including a recirculation circuit, such that components upstream of the inlet for the sterilisation fluid can also be steri- lized. In the known monitor, sterilisation fluid is drawn from a reservoir with the help of a pipe which is also used for sucking up a concentrate during preparation of dialysis fluid. The same system can also be heat sterilized. Thus, the pipe is instead placed in the heat chamber arranged at the start of the system. In American Patent 4 728 496 the system for a dialysis monitor arranged for heat sterilisation is shown schemati¬ cally. This system too includes a recirculation circuit which comprises substantially all the components in the monitor before the dialyser as well as a by-pass conduit for closing the circuit. No concentrate suction pipe is shown. In practise however the system is equipped with such a pipe which also in this case is inserted into the heat chamber at the start of the system for sterilisation. More recently use is being made of a removable concentrate suction pipe which is connected to the monitor via a connector on the monitor when concentrate is to taken from a substantially rigid container or reservoir. Alternatively the same connector can be connected to a flexible bag containing concentrate. With such a system it has been shown to be difficult to effectively cleanse the concen¬ trate suction pipe. This problem is solved with the aid of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention thus relates to a system for preparation of a medical solution, such as for dialysis, comprising a preferably conventional control monitor with an input for concentrate and a recirculation circuit connectable to said input for chemical and/or heat sterilisation and/or other cleansing of at least the liquid preparation circuit of the control monitor. The invention is characterized by a cleansing chamber connectable to the recirculation circuit, which chamber is arranged to be able to receive a concentrate suction pipe which is disconnectable from the monitor so that said pipe may be flushed. In this way the pipe can be cleansed at the same time as the monitor, primarily since the cleansing liquid can flow through both the pipe and the monitor. Preferably the system according to the invention is provided with a conduit connected, or connectable, to the concentrate input, the free end of which conduit terminates with a connector which is arranged to be able to be connected to either the pipe or a flexible concentrate bag. In this manner the concentrate can be stored either in a substantially stiff container or reservoir or in a flexible concentrate bag, for example consisting of two plastic sheets welded together. Furthermore, said connector should be arranged to also be directly connectable to an inlet of the recirculation circuit for closing thereof. If at the same time the cleansing chamber is provided with a second connector which is also connectable to said inlet, these connectors can be substantially identical, which simplifies and reduces the costs of the system. A simple construction is obtained, if the cleansing chamber can be such that it consists of a tube closed at one end and having substantially the same length as the pipe, which pipe is arranged to sealingly close the other end of the chamber. Should the system be adapted for chemical clean¬ sing, the cleansing chamber can form a container at its closed end, or be connectable to a container, for a preferably liquid cleansing agent. The invention further relates to a method for sterilising, or cleansing in another manner, a concentrate suction pipe forming a part of a system of the above described type. This method is characterized in that the pipe is connected to a recirculation circuit intended for cleansing fluid for flushing of the pipe. The pipe is preferably connected to an input for concen¬ trate via a conduit connected to the input, the conduit terminating with a connector which is connectable to the pipe so that the pipe may thereafter be introduced into a cleansing chamber which, in turn, is connected to an inlet of the recirculation circuit. An effective cleansing is obtained when the cleansing liquid is firstly led through the pipe and thereafter along its exterior, or vice versa, for cleansing of both its interior and exterior. The invention also relates to a cleansing chamber intended for a system of the above described type for carrying out the method described thereafter. The cleansing chamber is characterized in that it comprises an elongated tube closed, or closable, at its one end and having substan- tially the same length as the pipe, whereby the other end is connected, or connectable, to as well the pipe, as an inlet and an outlet for a cleansing liquid in such a manner that both interior and the exterior of the pipe are cleansed. If the chamber is to be adapted for chemical cleansing, the said closed, or closeable, end has the shape of, or is connectable to, a container for a cleansing agent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a portion of the front panel of a dialysis monitor with an input for concentrate and an inlet to a recirculation circuit. A conduit having a connector is connected to said input. Fig. 2 shows a concentrate suction pipe which is arranged to able to be connected to said connector. In the same manner Fig. 3 shows a flexible concentrate bag which is also connectable to the connector. Fig. 4 shows a cleansing chamber belonging to the system according to the invention. Fig. 5 shows a modification of the same chamber. Fig. 6 shows the flow path during cleansing of said pipe with the help of the chamber according to Fig. 4, though now on a larger scale. Finally, Fig. 7 shows in somewhat greater detail the system according to the invention connected for cleansing of the concentrate suction pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A portion of a monitor panel 1 is shown in Fig. 1, for example the front panel, though any panel could be poss¬ ible. Reference numeral 2 denotes a concentrate input to which a conduit 3 is connected. This conduit is preferably in the form of a flexible tube. The conduit 3 terminates with a connector 4 which can be connected to three differ- ent components, namely the concentrate suction pipe 5 shown in Fig. 2, the flexible concentrate bag 6 shown in Fig. 3 and an inlet 7 to a recirculation circuit 15 within the monitor. The concentrate input 2 is also connected to this circuit 15. The pipe 5 and the bag 6 are provided with connector components 8 and 9 adapted to the connector 4. Fig. 4 shows a cleansing chamber primarily intended for heat sterilisation and consisting of an elongated tube 11 which is closed at its one end 12 and whose opposite end is provided with a connector 13 which has substantially the same shape as the connector 4 and can therefore be con¬ nected to the inlet 7 of the recirculation circuit 15. The cleansing chamber 10 is further provided with an opening 14 through which the pipe 5 can be introduced and which can be sealed with the aid of the connection part 8 of the pipe 5. Fig. 5 shows a modification of the cleansing chamber according to Fig. 4. It has therefore been denoted by 10'. The difference is that at its closed end it comprises a container 12' for cleansing liquid. The container 12' can either be made in one piece with the tube 11' or be removably attached thereto. The inlet opening for the pipe is denoted by 14' in Fig. 5 and the connector part by 13'. Fig. 6 hereby shows the cleansing chamber according to Fig. 4 on a somewhat larger scale. As can be seen, in the shown embodiments the cleansing liquid is introduced through the connector part 13 and brought to flow along the outside of the pipe 5 to the lower closed end 12 of the tube 11. The liquid can thereafter flow along the pipe and thereafter through the connector 4 connected to the pipe. From Fig. 7 it can be seen that the liquid thereafter flows further along the conduit 3 and into the concentrate input 2. The direction of flow can of course also be totally reversed. The invention is naturally not restricted to solely the above described examples but can be varied within the scope of the appended claims. By the example the shown components can vary in both shape and function.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. System for preparation of a medical solution, such as for dialysis, comprising a preferably conventional control monitor (1) with an input (2) for concentrate and a recirculation circuit (15) connectable to said input for chemical and/or heat sterilisation and/or other cleansing of at least the liquid preparation circuit of the control monitor, characterized by a cleansing chamber (10) connectable to the recirculation circuit (15) , which chamber is arranged to be able to receive a concentrate suction pipe (5) which is disconnectable from the monitor so that said pipe can be flushed. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized by a conduit (3) connected or connectable to the concentrate input (2) , the free end of which conduit (3) terminates with a connector (4) which is arranged to be able to be connected to either the pipe (5) or a flexible concentrate bag (6) . 3. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the connector (4) is arranged to also be directly connected to an inlet (7) of the recirculation circuit (15) for closing thereof. 4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleansing chamber (10) is provided with a second connector (13) which is also connectable to said inlet (7) of the recirculation circuit (15) . 5. System according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the cleansing chamber (10) consists of a tube (11) closed at one end (12) having substantially the same length as the pipe (5) , which pipe is arranged to sealingly close the other end of the chamber ' (10). 6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that at its closed end the cleansing chamber forms a container (12') or is connected to a container, for a preferably liquid cleansing agent. 7. Method for sterilizing, or cleansing in another manner, a concentrate suction pipe (5) forming a part of a system according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the pipe (5) is connected to a recirculation circuit (15) intended for cleansing fluid for flushing of the pipe. 8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the pipe (5) is connected to an input (2) for concen¬ trate via a conduit (3) connected to the input, the conduit (3) terminating with a connector (4) which is connectable to the pipe (5) , and in that the pipe (5) is introduced into a cleansing chamber (10) which, in turn, is connected to an inlet (7) of the recirculation circuit (15) . 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the cleansing liquid is firstly led through the pipe (5) and thereafter along its exterior, or vice versa, for cleansing of both its interior and exterior. 10. Cleansing chamber (10) intended for a system according to any on of claims 1-6 for carrying out the method according to any of claims 7-9, characterized in that it comprises an elongated tube (11) closed, or closeable, at its one end (12) and having substantially the same length as the pipe (5) , whereby the other end is connected, or connectable to as well the pipe (5) , as an inlet (13) and an outlet (4) for a cleansing liquid in such a manner that both the interior and exterior of the pipe (5) are cleansed. 11. Chamber according to claim 10, characterized in that said closed, or closeable end has the shape of, or is connectable to, a container (12) for a cleansing agent.

Inventors: ARVIDSSON LARS, JOENSSON JOERGEN, MAKI GERRY, ARVIDSSON, LARS, JOENSSON, JOERGEN, MAKI, GERRY
Applicants: ARVIDSSON LARS, GAMBRO AB, JOENSSON JOERGEN, MAKI GERRY
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A61M1
IPC codes: A61J3, A61M1