INTRAVENOUS-LINE AIR-ELIMINATION SYSTEM

摘要

An air elimination system is provided for an intravenous fluid delivery system for intravenous injection of fluid into a patient. An air-detection apparatus 5 is disposed in an intravenous fluid line 3. At the top end of the line 3 is attached a chamber 1, 2, 12 where air may be separated from the fluid. The separation chamber may be a drip chamber 12, a metering chamber 2 or the intravenous supply 1. When air is detected, a valve 11 or valves 7, 9 are switched, so that the intravenous fluid is prevented from flowing to the patient, and so that, when a pump 4 is turned on, the fluid is pumped to the separation chamber 1, 2, 12. In a preferred embodiment, the volume of pump's fluid capacity is greater than the volume of the fluid capacity of the intravenous line 31 between the pump 4 and the separation chamber 1, 2, 12, so that the pump can force air back up the intravenous line all the way to the separation chamber.