Patent ID: 7276041

Claim:
A disposable hemodialysis site sensor attachable to at least one of a blood line and a fistula needle for alerting medical personnel of the leakage of blood from an access site where the fistula needle enters into a patient's body and dislodgment of the fistula needle from the access site, the hemodialysis site sensor comprising: one or more membrane layers, at least one of the one or more membrane layers including one or more holes disposed therein to allow the passage of blood and vapor therethrough; the one or more membrane layers including a lower side adherable to skin of the patient; an electrical connection adapted to be electrically coupled to an analytical circuit and including one or more resistively connected sensing arrays disposed between the one or more membrane layers, a disconnection mechanism attachable to at least one of the blood line and the fistula needle and severing the electrical connection upon dislodgment of the fistula needle from the access site; wherein an electrical signal sent through the electrical connection changes when blood contacts at least one of the one or more sensing arrays or the electrical connection is severed by the disconnection mechanism, causing the analytical circuit to actuate an alarm notifying medical personnel of partial or total dislodgment of the fistula needle from the access site, and the hemodialysis site sensor disposable after a single use.