Apparatus for making extracorporeal blood circulation available

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus for making extracorporeal blood circulation available, in particular a heart-lung machine, comprising a venous connection and an arterial connection, between which a blood reservoir, a blood pump and a bubble detector for the detection of air bubbles are provided, with, downstream of the bubble detector, an arterial line leading to the arterial connection via an arterial clamp and a bypass leading via a bypass clamp back into the blood reservoir which is connected to a pump extracting air from the blood reservoir. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of operating such an apparatus.

主权项

1. A medical device comprising:
an infusion line connectable to the vasculature of a patient for infusion of an infusate into the patient's vasculature; a bubble detector on the infusion line; a bubble-removing device having an inlet port and an outlet port; a bypass line which extends from the infusion line at a location downstream of the bubble detector to the inlet port of the bubble-removing device; a return line which extends from the outlet port of the bubble removing device to the infusion line; an infusion line clamp for closing the infusion line at a location downstream of the location at which the recirculation line connects to the infusion line so as to cause infusate and any entrained bubbles flowing through the infusion line to be diverted into the bypass line; a bypass line clamp which, when closed, prevents flow through the bypass line and, when open, allows flow though the bypass line; a pump; and a controller; wherein the controller is in communication with the bubble detector, infusion line clamp and bypass line clamp, said controller being programmed to cause the infusion line clamp to close and to cause the bypass line clamp to open, in response to the detection of a bubble in the infusion line by the bubble detector, the closing of the infusion line clamp and opening of the bypass line claim thereby causing infusate any bubbles entrained therein to flow from the infusion line, through the bypass line, through the inlet port and into the bubble-removing device where any entrained bubbles are removed and the infusate then flows out of the outlet port, through the return line and back into the infusion line.