Autotransfusion system with anticoagulant delivery system

Claim 2

An autotransfusion system with an anticoagulant delivery system comprising a wand having a flow passageway there though, said passageway having an inlet and an outlet, said wand adapted to be raised and lowered between different elevations above and below a reference elevation, means for moving liquid from said inlet to said outlet, means for controlling said moving means in accordance with the different elevations of said wand to afford a substantially predetermined movement of said liquid from said inlet to said outlet at said raised and lowered positions of said wand.

Claim 3

A system as in Claim 1 in which said predetermined movement is a constant movement.

Claim 4

A system as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which said moving means includes means for establishing a vacuum, and said controlling means is effective to vary said vacuum.

Claim 6

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a blood aspirating opening therein and adapted to move between different elevations above and below a reference elevation, a passageway through said wand forflow of aspirated blood therethrough, a blood reservoir, a tube for connecting said suction wand to discharge into said blood reservoir, means for connecting to a source of vacuum, means for subjecting said blood reservoirto a vacuum regulated from said vacuum source connecting means, and means responsive to variations in the elevation of said wand relative to said blood reservoir for correspondingly varying the magnitude of said vacuum in said blood reservoir.

Claim 7

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a blood aspirating opening therein and adapted to move between different elevations above and below a reference elevation, a passageway through said wand forflow of aspirated blood therethrough, a blood reservoir, a tube for connecting said suction wand to discharge into said blood reservoir, means for connecting to a source of vacuum, means for subjecting said blood reservoirto a vacuum regulated from said vacuum source connecting means, and means responsive to variations in the elevation of said wand relative to said blood reservoir for correspondingly varying the magnitude of said vacuum in said blood reservoir.

Claim 8

A device as in Claim 5 in which said means for subjecting said blood reservoir to a vacuum is a vacuum regulator, air conducting means con necting said vacuum regulator to said blood reservoir, and means for restricting the air f[ow through said air conducting means.

Claim 9

7, A device as in Claim 5 or Claim 6 comprising an anticoagulant delivery system, comprising an anticoagulant container at a fixed elevation above said blood reservoir, an anticoagulant tank fixed on and movable with said wand, a means for conducting anticoagulant from said container to said tank, and means for conducting anticoagulant from said tank into said blood flowing through said wand.

Claim 10

A device as in Claim 7 comprising a drip tube chamber effectively closed to the atmosphere and disposed below said anticoagulant container, means for conducting anticoagulant from said anticoagulant -55 container into the bottom of said drip tube chamberto leave a gas space in said chamber, means for conducting anticoagulant from said drip tube chamber to said passageway including a conduit closed to the atmosphere and open to the bottom of said drip tube chamber and open into said tank, and means responsive to pressure in said drip tube chamber for controlling said means for varying the amount of said vacuum. 60

Claim 11

A device as in Claim 7 or Claim 8 in which said blood flow passageway includes a venturi, and in which 60 said anticoagulant is conducted from said tank into said blood atthe location of said venturi.

Claim 13

A device as in Claim 10 including second means for connecting said blood bag and said blood reservoir effective for de-airing said blood bag.

Claim 14

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a blood aspirating opening and flow passageway therein and adapted to move between different elevations above and below a reference elevation, a tank mounted on and movable with said wand, a membrane permeable to air and impermeable to anticoagulant dividing said tank into an air chamber and an anticoagulant chamber, an anticoagulant container at a fixed elevation above said reference location and adapted to contain anticoagulant at the bottom thereof and having an enclosed space at the top thereof, means for including a tube for connecting anticoagulant from said anticoagulant source to said anticoagulant chamber, means for conducting 1() anticoagulant from said anticoagulant chamber into said blood flow passageway in said wand, means for 10 admitting air to said anticoagulant chamber, and means for conducting air from said air chamber into said enclosed space of said anticoagulant source.

Claim 15

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a blood aspirating opening and flow passageway therein and adapted to move between different elevations above and below a reference elevation, a tank mounted on and movable with said wand, a membrane permeable to air and impermeable to anticoagulant dividing said tank into an air chamber and an anticoagulant chamber, an anticoagulant container at a fixed elevation above said reference location and adapted to contain anticoagulant at the bottom thereof and having an enclosed space at the top thereof, means for including a tube for connecting anticoagulant from said anticoagulant source to said anticoagulant chamber, means for conducting 1() anticoagulant from said anticoagulant chamber into said blood flow passageway in said wand, means for 10 admitting air to said anticoagulant chamber, and means for conducting air from said air chamber into said enclosed space of said anticoagulant source.

Claim 16

A device as in Claim 12 in which said means for admitting air into said anticoagulant chamber required an air pressure threshold to be exceeded for air passage there through.

Claim 17

An autotransfusion system comprising a blood reservoir disposed at a particular elevation and

Claim 18

An autotransfusion system comprising a blood reservoir disposed at a particular elevation and

Claim 19

15 having an upper portion and a lower portion, a movable suction wand adapted to receive blood, means for connecting said suction wand to discharge said blood into said blood reservoir, a blood bag having an upper portion and a lower portion, means for disposing said blood bag at an elevation below said blood reservoir, means for conducting blood and air from said blood reservoir to said blood bag, and a closed conduit extending from said upper portion of said blood bag into said upper portion of said blood reservoir. 20 15. An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a blood aspirating opening and a blood flow passageway therein and adapted to move between a reference elevation and a high elevation above said reference elevation and a lower elevation below said reference elevation, an anticoagulant container, a drip tube chamber closed to the atmosphere and disposed below said anticoagulant reservoir and above said higher elevation, means connecting said anticoagulant reservoir and said drip tube chamber, 25 means including a tube for connecting said drip tube chamber to said blood flow passageway, means including a vacuum for inducing said aspirated blood to flow through said passageway of said wand, and means for varying the magnitude of said vacuum in accordance with pressure in said drip tube chamber.

Claim 20

15 having an upper portion and a lower portion, a movable suction wand adapted to receive blood, means for connecting said suction wand to discharge said blood into said blood reservoir, a blood bag having an upper portion and a lower portion, means for disposing said blood bag at an elevation below said blood reservoir, means for conducting blood and air from said blood reservoir to said blood bag, and a closed conduit extending from said upper portion of said blood bag into said upper portion of said blood reservoir. 20 15. An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a blood aspirating opening and a blood flow passageway therein and adapted to move between a reference elevation and a high elevation above said reference elevation and a lower elevation below said reference elevation, an anticoagulant container, a drip tube chamber closed to the atmosphere and disposed below said anticoagulant reservoir and above said higher elevation, means connecting said anticoagulant reservoir and said drip tube chamber, 25 means including a tube for connecting said drip tube chamber to said blood flow passageway, means including a vacuum for inducing said aspirated blood to flow through said passageway of said wand, and means for varying the magnitude of said vacuum in accordance with pressure in said drip tube chamber.

Claim 21

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a fluid passage therein and adapted to move between an elevation above a reference elevation and an elevation below said reference 30 elevation, a container adapted to contain an anticoagulant in the lower portion thereof and leaving a space above said anticoagulant, means for conducting anticoagulant from the lower portion of said chamber to said wand whereby fluid pressure at a predetermined location along said anticoagulant conducting means varies with changes in elevation of said wand, and means for subjecting said fluid passage of said wand to a subatmospheric pressure varying in accordance with changes of said fluid pressure at said predetermined 35 location.

Claim 22

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a suction wand having a fluid passage therein and adapted to move between an elevation above a reference elevation and an elevation below said reference 30 elevation, a container adapted to contain an anticoagulant in the lower portion thereof and leaving a space above said anticoagulant, means for conducting anticoagulant from the lower portion of said chamber to said wand whereby fluid pressure at a predetermined location along said anticoagulant conducting means varies with changes in elevation of said wand, and means for subjecting said fluid passage of said wand to a subatmospheric pressure varying in accordance with changes of said fluid pressure at said predetermined 35 location.

Claim 23

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a wand having a passageway for aspirating blood therqthrough, an anticoagulant container, said wand adapted to be operated at different elevations relative to said container, a tank for anticoagulant adapted to move with said movable wand, means connecting said anticoagulant tank with said passageway, and means for automatically refilling said anticoagulant tank from 40 said anticoagulant container.

Claim 24

An anticoagulant delivery system comprising a wand having a passageway for aspirating blood therqthrough, an anticoagulant container, said wand adapted to be operated at different elevations relative to said container, a tank for anticoagulant adapted to move with said movable wand, means connecting said anticoagulant tank with said passageway, and means for automatically refilling said anticoagulant tank from 40 said anticoagulant container.

Claim 25

A device as in Claim 17 including means for admitting air to apart of said anticoagulant tank as said anticoagulant flows from said tank for mixing with said blood flowing through said passageway, connecting means which allows said admitted air to flow from said tank to said anticoagulant container, connecting means for conducting anticoagulant from said anticoagulant container to said anticoagulant tank, and means for releasing anticoagulant for flowing through said anticoagulant conducting means from said container to said tank in response to said airflow to said container.

Claim 26

A device as in Claim 17 comprising means for maintaining said anticoagulant within said tank at a substantially constant pressure despite operation of said wand at said different elevations. 5()

Claim 27

A device as in Claim 19 in which said pressure is substantially atmospheric.

Claim 30

A device as in Claim 21 in which said flow inducing means includes a vacuum.

Claim 31

A device as in Claim 21 or Claim 23 comprising means for sensing the elevation of said wand relative 60 to said reservoir.

Claim 34

A device as in Claim 26 in which said membrane is contoured to provide a surface effective to permit 65 8 GB 2 139 094 A 8 said air admitted into said second chamber to readily reach said membrane in a variety of operating orientations of said wand.

Claim 35

.. A device as in Claim 27 in which said contour of said membrane is substantially cylindrical and which includes a cap on one end of said cylindrical contour.

Claim 36

Adevice as in Claims 12 or 18 or 19to 28 when dependenton Claim 18 in which said meansfor 5 admitting air into said anticoagulant chamber includes means for restricting the flow of said admitted air.

Claim 37

A system as in Claim 4 in which said liquid in said anticoagulant tank is held at or near atmospheriv, pressure.

Claim 38

A system as in Claim 4 in which said liquid in said anticoagulant tank is held at or near atmospheric pressure and said anticoagulant tank is automatically refilled.

Claim 39

An anticoagulant delivery system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 101 -Q Printed in the UK for HMSO, D8818935, 9184, 7102. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained. 19 i li

Claim 40

An anticoagulant delivery system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 101 -Q Printed in the UK for HMSO, D8818935, 9184, 7102. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained. 19 i li