Patent ID: 8317738

Claim:
A method of priming a circuit to be used in extracorporeal blood circulation, the method comprising: connecting a blood reservoir of the circuit to a source of priming solution that is not blood, the blood reservoir possessing a bottom, the circuit comprising: an oxygenator, an arterial line connected to the oxygenator, a pump, a first line connecting in a fluid communicating manner the pump and the bottom of the blood reservoir, a second line connecting in a fluid communicating manner the pump and the oxygenator, a venous line connected to the blood reservoir, a flexible collection container possessing an interior, and a third line branching from the venous line and having an open end opening into the interior of the collection container; positioning the collection container so that the open end of the third line is positioned elevationally below an objective height in the blood reservoir; introducing the priming solution that is not blood into the blood reservoir from the source while the third line is closed, the priming solution flowing from the blood reservoir through the first line, through the pump, through the second line, through the oxygenator and through the arterial line; and opening the third line after the priming solution in the blood reservoir is elevationally at or above the objective height so that the priming solution automatically flows into the collection container.