METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REMOVING A TOXIC SUBSTANCE FROM BLOOD

摘要

A method for removing a toxic substance from a patient utilizes a filtering device defining two fluid flow paths. The filtering device includes a membrane (138) between the flow paths which is selectively permeable to toxic substances. The filtering device includes a pump (146) and a reservoir (132) located along the second flow path between the membrane (138) and a second inlet port. The filtering device is inserted fully into a patient and connected to a blood vessel of the patient such that blood from the artery is shunted along the first fluid flow path. An outlet end (154) of the second fluid flow path is connected to the urinary bladder (UB) of the patient. The inlet end (136) of the second fluid flow path is disposed at the skin surface of the patient to enable a periodic refilling of the reservoir (132) with a working fluid. The pump (146) is operated to transfer working fluid along the second fluid flow path from the reservoir (132) to the urinary bladder of the patient while blood flows along the first fluid flow path, thereby enabling transfer to the toxic subtance from the patient's blood through the membrane (138) to the working fluid in the second fluid flow path.