Patent ID: 7829018

Claim:
An active air removal (AAR) system for purging air from an integrated extracorporeal blood circuit providing extracorporeal oxygenation of a patient's blood during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery adapted to be performed on a patient in the presence of a perfusionist, the AAR system comprising: an air removal device incorporated in the extracorporeal blood circuit, the air removal device comprising: an air removal device housing enclosing a chamber; an air removal device purge port through the housing to the chamber; and an air sensor supported by the air removal device housing in relation to the chamber adapted to provide an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of fluid or air in the air removal device housing; an air removal device purge line coupled to the air removal device purge port and extending to a purge line connector adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source to apply suction to the air removal device purge port to draw air therefrom; and an AAR controller having a purge valve adapted to receive a portion of the purge line and AAR controller circuitry to open or close the purge line, the AAR controller circuitry further comprising: purge valve operating means for opening the purge valve in response to an air sensor signal indicative of the presence of air in the air removal device housing to allow air sensed in the air removal device to be purged through the purge line by the suction of the vacuum source; error state determining means for monitoring operations and conditions of the AAR system and determining an error state of the AAR system; and altering means for altering the perfusionist of the error state.