JP2004113264A - Drip chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drip chamber capable of improving operability when level adjustment while maintaining the operability when pressure monitoring, suppressing a manufacture cost and easily shutting off the flow passages of both level adjusting line and pressure monitoring line. <P>SOLUTION: This drip chamber is provided with the level adjusting line 13 communicating with an air layer 7d in a housing space 7c for adjusting the level of a liquid surface, the pressure monitoring line 14 communicating with the side of the air layer 7d in the housing space 7c for measuring the pressure of blood, and an air filter 11 capable of making pass through only gas. A common line 10 communicating with the side of the air layer 7d of the housing space is extended, the tip side of the common line 10 is branched to attain the level adjusting line 13 and the pressure monitoring line 14 respectively and also the air filter 11 is connected to the common line 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drip chamber connected in the blood circuit for extracorporeal circulation of a patient's blood.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, at the time of dialysis treatment, a blood circuit is used to circulate the collected patient's blood extracorporeally and return it to the body again. Such a blood circuit is mainly composed of an arterial blood circuit and a venous blood circuit connected to a dialyzer.A blood pump is provided in the middle of the blood circuit to remove bubbles in extracorporeal circulation. Are connected.
[0003]
Among them, the drip chamber is a resin molded product having therein an accommodation space having an inner diameter larger than the flow path in the arterial blood circuit or the venous blood circuit, and examples thereof include those disclosed in Patent Document 1. . The conventional drip chamber disclosed in Patent Document 1 has an upper part connected to the upstream side of the blood circuit and a lower part connected to the downstream side of the blood circuit, so that during extracorporeal circulation of blood, A blood pool is formed at a lower portion, and an air layer is formed at an upper portion.
[0004]
From the upper part of the drip chamber, a level adjustment line and a pressure monitor line communicating with the air layer are respectively extended, and a syringe or the like is connected to the end of the level adjustment line, and is connected to the end of the pressure monitor line. Is connected to a pressure measuring means via an air filter which allows only gas to pass through. That is, the pressure monitor line is configured to constantly monitor the blood pressure of the patient during the dialysis treatment.
[0005]
On the other hand, a syringe is connected to the end of the level adjustment line, and if the syringe inserts air into or removes air from the air layer, the level of the blood pool in the drip chamber is adjusted. You can do it. The level adjustment line and the pressure monitor line are made of a flexible tube, and their base ends are fusion-fixed to the upper part (lid) of the drip chamber.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-56817
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional drip chamber, a level adjustment line and a pressure monitor line are respectively extended from the upper part thereof, and an air filter is connected to a tip of the pressure monitor line, while an air filter is connected to the level adjustment line. Therefore, there was a problem that workability was poor. That is, when a syringe is connected to the end of the level adjustment line, it is necessary to disinfect the tip of the syringe every time the syringe is connected in order to prevent blood contamination, which puts a heavy burden on the operator. .
[0008]
However, if an air filter is connected to the end of the level adjustment line in addition to the end of the pressure monitor line, it is possible to avoid the deterioration of the workability. In that case, however, such an air filter is extremely expensive. As a result, a new problem arises in that the manufacturing cost of the entire blood circuit increases. In addition, the air filter cannot reduce its outer dimensions in order to sufficiently maintain its filtering function.When an air filter is connected to the end of the level adjustment line, it interferes with an adjacent pressure monitor line, and The pressure monitor line may be bent or crushed.
[0009]
Furthermore, in the above-mentioned conventional drip chamber, when shutting off the flow paths of the connected level adjustment line and pressure monitor line, clamping work with forceps or the like is required for each, and there is also a problem that workability is poor. Was.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and can improve the workability at the time of level adjustment while maintaining the workability at the time of pressure monitoring, suppress the manufacturing cost, and provide a level adjustment line and a pressure monitor. An object of the present invention is to provide a drip chamber that can easily shut off both flow paths of a line.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is connected to a blood circuit for extracorporeally circulating the blood of a patient, and communicates with an air layer in a storage space formed therein to adjust a liquid level. In a drip chamber including a line, a pressure monitor line communicating with the air layer side in the storage space to measure the pressure of blood, and an air filter capable of passing only gas, the air layer side of the storage space And a common line communicating with the common line is extended, and the leading end side of the common line is branched to form the level adjustment line and the pressure monitor line, respectively, and the air filter is connected to the common line. .
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the drip chamber according to the first aspect, the common line, the level adjustment line, and the pressure monitor line each include a flexible tube, and these are mutually connected by a Y-tube or a T-tube. It is characterized by being connected.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
The drip chamber according to the present embodiment is connected in the middle of a blood circuit used at the time of dialysis treatment, and the blood circuit is formed of a flexible tube constituting a blood flow path, and circulates the patient's blood extracorporeally. What you get.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the blood circuit to which the drip chamber is applied includes an arterial blood circuit 1a having a distal end to which an arterial puncture needle a is connected via a mounting body 8, and a mounting body 9 having a distal end. And a venous blood circuit 1b to which a venous puncture needle b is connected via the venous blood circuit 1b. The base ends of the arterial blood circuit 1a and the venous blood circuit 1b are connected to the dialyzer 2 (blood purifier). It is configured to be connected to the blood inlet 2c and the blood outlet 2d, respectively.
[0015]
The dialyzer 2 has a substantially cylindrical tubular body having a blood inlet 2c and a blood outlet 2d formed on both sides thereof, and a dialysate inlet 2e and a dialysate outlet 2f formed on the upper surface. A plurality of hollow fiber membranes 3 (blood purification membranes) are provided in the housing, and the inside of the hollow fiber membrane 3 communicates with the blood inlet 2c and the blood outlet 2d, and the blood flowing through the blood circuit 1 is formed. Is formed, and the space between the outer peripheral surface of the hollow fiber membrane 3 and the inner peripheral wall of the housing communicates with the dialysate inlet 2e and the dialysate outlet 2f to form a main body of the dialysis apparatus. The dialysate flow path 2b through which the dialysate supplied from the flow path 4 can flow.
[0016]
Further, since a plurality of micropores are formed in the hollow fiber membrane 3, when the blood passes through the blood flow path 2a and the dialysate passes through the dialysate flow path 2b, the blood passes through the hollow fiber membrane 3 through the hollow fiber membrane 3. It is configured so that unnecessary substances (waste products) therein can be removed by dialysis to the dialysate side. The dialysate inlet 2e and the dialysate outlet 2f are connected to the dialyser body 4 via a dialysate inlet line 4a and a dialysate outlet line 4b, respectively, and the dialysate adjusted to a desired concentration is dialyzed. 2 can be introduced.
[0017]
In the middle of the arterial blood circuit 1a (that is, upstream of the dialyzer 2 in the blood circuit 1), a large-diameter flexible tube 6 having a slightly larger inner diameter than other parts and made of a soft resin is connected. An ironing type blood pump 5 is provided in the large-diameter flexible tube 6. That is, the blood pump 5 rotatively drives the large-diameter flexible tube 6 while squeezing, thereby allowing the blood of the patient collected from the arterial puncture needle a to flow through the blood circuit 1 and the dialyzer 2, It has an effect of returning the puncture needle b into the patient's body.
[0018]
In the middle of the venous blood circuit 1b (that is, downstream of the dialyzer 2 in the blood circuit 1), a drip chamber 7 for removing bubbles is connected. As shown in FIG. 2, the drip chamber 7 is made of a transparent resin chamber having a storage space 7c in which a predetermined volume (about 10 ml) of liquid (blood) can be stored, and blood flowing from the dialyzer 2 side. Is formed in the housing space 7c, and an outlet 7b through which blood in the housing space 7c flows toward the venous puncture needle b is formed.
[0019]
The inlet 7a is formed so as to protrude laterally from the upper side surface of the drip chamber 7 and has a flexible tube (a base end of the venous blood circuit 1b extending from the blood outlet 2d of the dialyzer 2 from the end thereof). Side) can be inserted and connected. On the other hand, the outlet 7b is formed so as to protrude downward from the lower end of the drip chamber 7, and is connected by inserting a flexible tube (constituting the distal end side of the venous blood circuit 1b) extending from the attachment body 9. I am getting it.
[0020]
In addition, a mesh 19 provided so as to cover the outlet 7b is formed below the accommodation space 7c. The mesh 19 is for filtering the blood drawn out of the drip chamber 7, and after the blood circulated extracorporeally by the blood circuit 1, the blood can be returned to the patient's body. Various meshes can be used in place of the mesh 19, for example, a cone-shaped one made of a hard resin may be provided so as to cover the outlet 7b, and blood may be filtered.
[0021]
With the above configuration, when blood of a patient is allowed to flow through the blood circuit 1, a predetermined amount of the blood is stored in the storage space 7c of the drip chamber 7, and an air layer 7d and a blood pool 7e are formed. Thus, by forming the air layer 7d in the accommodation space 7c, the air mixed in the blood is removed, and the injection of the air into the patient's body can be prevented.
[0022]
Here, a connection port 7f communicating with the air layer 7d is formed at the upper end surface of the drip chamber 7 of the present embodiment, and the base end of the common line 10 made of a flexible tube is connected to the connection port 7f. ing. In this manner, by connecting the base end of the common line 10 to the connection port 7f, the common line 10 is brought into a state of communicating with the air layer 7d of the drip chamber 7.
[0023]
In the middle of the common line 10, an air filter 11 that allows only gas to pass through is connected. More specifically, the air filter 11 is formed of a filter member having a large number of pores (micro holes) having a diameter capable of passing a gas such as air while blocking a fluid such as blood (of course, a solid). In other words, bacteria in blood can also be captured to prevent contamination.
[0024]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a Y-shaped tube 12 is connected to the end of the common line 10, and a level adjustment line 13 and a pressure monitor line 14 are connected to the Y-shaped tube 12, respectively. That is, in the figure, the distal end of the common line 10 is connected to the base end opening 12a of the Y-shaped tube 12, and the level adjustment line 13 and the pressure monitor line 14 are connected to the branch end openings 12b and 12c of the Y-shaped tube 12. The ends are connected.
[0025]
In other words, the common line 10 communicating with the air layer 7 d extends from the upper end surface of the drip chamber 7, and the leading end is branched to form the level adjustment line 13 and the pressure monitor line 14. Accordingly, both the common line 10 and the pressure monitor line 14 function as pressure monitor lines in a conventional drip chamber (each of which has a level adjustment line and a pressure monitor line separately extended), and the common line 10 and the level Both of the adjustment lines 13 function as level adjustment lines in the conventional drip chamber (the same), and the common line 10 is a line shared with both lines.
[0026]
At the end of the level adjustment line 13, a connection member 16 to which the end of the syringe 15 can be connected is formed, and the connection member 16 is formed with a cap 16a for closing an opening at the end of the level adjustment line 13. . Thus, during normal dialysis treatment, the cap 16a is closed, and the cap 16a can be opened and the syringe 15 can be connected only when adjustment of the liquid level is required.
[0027]
The distal end of the pressure monitor line 14 can be connected to a connection portion 17 formed in the dialysis device main body 4. When connected to the connection portion 17, the blood pressure measurement means 18 provided in the dialysis device main body 4 is connected. (See FIG. 1) and the pressure monitor line 14 can be connected. That is, the air in the air layer 7d reaches the blood pressure measuring means 18 via the common line 10 and the pressure monitor line 14, and measures the pressure.
[0028]
Thus, the blood pressure of the patient during the dialysis treatment can be constantly monitored, and the patient's condition change during the treatment can be reliably grasped. In the present embodiment, the blood pressure measuring means 18 is provided inside the dialysis device main body 4, but instead, the blood pressure measuring means 18 is arranged separately from the dialysis device main body 4. Alternatively, in addition to constantly monitoring the blood pressure, the blood pressure may be measured only at an arbitrary timing.
[0029]
Next, the operation of the drip chamber having the above configuration will be described.
After piercing the patient with the arterial puncture needle a and the venous puncture needle b, the blood pump 5 is driven while supplying the dialysate from the dialyzer body 4 to the dialyzer 2. Then, the blood collected from the arterial puncture needle a flows through the arterial blood circuit 1a, reaches the dialyzer 2, where it undergoes dialysis, and is discharged from the blood outlet 2d.
[0030]
The purified blood discharged from the dialyzer 2 is introduced into the drip chamber 7 before flowing through the venous blood circuit 1b and reaching the venous puncture needle b. Due to the introduction of blood, a blood pool 7e is formed in the lower part of the storage space 7c in the drip chamber 7, and the upper part of the blood pool 7e becomes an air layer 7d. The blood in the blood pool 7e is discharged from the outlet 7b while releasing the mixed air into the air layer 7d, and is returned to the patient via the venous puncture needle b.
[0031]
Thus, the blood collected from the arterial puncture needle a flows through the arterial blood circuit 1a, the blood flow path 2a of the dialyzer 2, and the venous blood circuit 1b, is circulated extracorporeally, and is returned to the patient from the venous puncture needle b. It is done. In the process, the blood purified by the dialyzer 2 is subjected to defoaming in the drip chamber 7.
[0032]
At the time of dialysis treatment, the air in the air layer 7d passes through the connection port 7f, reaches the common line 10, passes through the air filter 11, and reaches the blood pressure measuring means 18 via the pressure monitor line 14. Then, the pressure is measured by the blood pressure measuring means 18 and the blood pressure of the patient is recognized. In the process of the air flowing from the air layer 7 d to the blood pressure measuring means 18, the blood is filtered and purified by the air filter 11. is there.
[0033]
Therefore, for example, the blood or the priming liquid that has reached the common line 10 can be prevented from reaching the blood pressure measuring means 18 by the air filter 11, and the blood pressure measuring means 18 is damaged by mixing of these liquids. Can be prevented. Furthermore, since blood can be prevented from being mixed into the blood pressure measuring means 18, it is possible to prevent bacteria in the blood of the patient from adhering to the blood pressure measuring means 18 and contaminating the dialysis device main body 4.
[0034]
When measuring the pressure of the air layer 7d via the pressure monitor line 14, it is necessary to close the level adjustment line 13, which is the other line branched from the common line 10. The closing of the level adjustment line 13 can be performed by closing the cap 16a of the connecting member 16 at the distal end, or can be performed using a separate forceps or the like. Of course, it is preferable to close the cap 16a and use a separate forceps or the like in order to surely close the level adjustment line 13.
[0035]
By the way, during the dialysis treatment, if the liquid level of the blood pool 7e (that is, the blood level) in the storage space 7c of the drip chamber 7 becomes lower or higher than a predetermined value, the cap 16a of the connecting member 16 Is opened, and the tip of the syringe 15 is inserted to adjust the level. For example, when the blood level is lower than a predetermined level, the air in the air layer 7 d is led out to the syringe 15 via the level adjustment line 13 and the common line 10. Thus, as the volume of air in the air layer 7d decreases, the blood level increases, and the blood level can be adjusted to a predetermined position.
[0036]
Conversely, when the blood level is higher than a predetermined level, the air in the syringe 15 is introduced into the air layer 7d via the level adjustment line 13 and the common line 10. Accordingly, as the volume of air in the air layer 7d increases, more blood in the blood pool 7 is pushed out from the outlet 7b, and the blood level can be adjusted to a predetermined position.
[0037]
At the time of the level adjustment as described above, the air introduced from the syringe 15 and the air led out to the syringe 15 are filtered and purified by the air filter 11. That is, the air filter 11 can prevent the blood, the priming liquid, and the like reaching the common line 10 from reaching the syringe 15 or the connection member 16, and the connection member 16 and the syringe 15 are contaminated by these liquids. Can be avoided.
[0038]
Therefore, contamination of the connection member 16 and the syringe 15 is avoided, so that when the syringe 15 is connected to the tip of the level adjustment line 13, it is not always necessary to disinfect the tip, and workability can be improved. In addition, the air filter at the time of pressure monitoring and the air filter at the time of level adjustment can be shared, thereby suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost as compared with a case where separate air filters are connected to each of the level adjustment line and the pressure monitoring line. can do.
[0039]
Further, when both the level adjustment line 13 and the pressure monitor line 14 are cut off, it is sufficient to clamp the forceps or the like to the common line 10, as compared with the conventional one in which it is necessary to clamp the forceps or the like to both lines. In addition, the workability when the flow path is cut off can be improved.
[0040]
The present embodiment has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the common line 10, the level adjustment line 13, and the pressure monitor line 14 are mutually connected to the T-tube 12 '. , And the air filter 11 may be connected to the common line 19. That is, the distal end of the common line 10 is connected to the proximal opening 12'a of the T-tube 12 ', and the level adjustment line 13 and the pressure monitor are connected to the branch openings 12'b and 12'c of the T-tube 12'. The proximal end of the line 14 is connected.
[0041]
Thus, since the common line 10, the level adjustment line 13 and the pressure monitor line 14 are each made of a flexible tube and are connected to each other by the Y-tube 12 or the T-tube 12 ', the existing general-purpose parts are used. Thus, the air filter can be shared, and the manufacturing cost can be further reduced. Of course, instead of using a connector such as a Y-shaped tube or a T-shaped tube, an integrated flexible tube having a branched common line tip may be used, one of which may be a level adjustment line, and the other may be a pressure monitor line. .
[0042]
Furthermore, although the drip chamber of the present embodiment is connected in the middle of the venous blood circuit 1b, it may be applied to a drip chamber connected in the middle of the arterial blood circuit 1a. Further, in the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a blood circuit used for dialysis treatment, but can be applied to a drip chamber connected to another extracorporeal circulation circuit or the like. Although the inlet of the drip chamber according to the present embodiment is formed so as to protrude from the upper side surface to the side, it may be formed so as to protrude from the upper end surface (that is, provided in parallel with the common line).
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a common line communicating with the air layer side of the storage space is extended, and the leading end side of the common line is branched to form a level adjustment line and a pressure monitor line. Since the air filter is connected to the common line, the filtering function at the time of level adjustment and pressure monitoring can be performed by one air filter. Therefore, the workability at the time of level adjustment can be improved while maintaining the workability at the time of pressure monitoring, the manufacturing cost can be suppressed, and the flow paths of both the level adjustment line and the pressure monitor line can be easily cut off. .
[0044]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the common line, the level adjustment line, and the pressure monitor line are each formed of a flexible tube and are connected to each other by a Y-shaped tube or a T-shaped tube. Thus, it is possible to obtain a drip chamber having the effect of the first aspect, and it is possible to further reduce the manufacturing cost.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a blood circuit to which a drip chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a drip chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a common line, a level adjustment line, and a pressure monitor line in the drip chamber. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a common line, a level adjustment line, and a pressure monitor line in a drip chamber according to another embodiment of the present invention. Description]
Reference Signs List 1 blood circuit 1a arterial blood circuit 1b venous blood circuit 2 dialyzer 3 hollow fiber membrane 4 dialyzer main body 5 blood pump 6 large-diameter flexible tube 7 drip chamber 7a introduction port 7b ... Outlet 7c ... Accommodation space 7d ... Air layer 7e ... Blood pool 7f ... Connecting ports 8, 9 ... Attachment 10 ... Common line 11 ... Air filter 12 ... Y-shaped tube 12 '... T-shaped tube 13 ... Level adjustment line 14 ... pressure monitor line 15 ... syringe 16 ... connecting member 16a ... cap 17 ... connecting part 18 ... blood pressure measuring means 19 ... mesh

Claims (2)

A level adjustment line that is connected in the middle of a blood circuit that circulates the patient's blood extracorporeally and that communicates with an air layer in a storage space formed therein to adjust the level of the liquid level; In a drip chamber equipped with a pressure monitor line communicating with the layer side to measure the pressure of blood and an air filter capable of passing only gas,
A common line communicating with the air layer side of the housing space is extended, and the leading end side of the common line is branched to serve as the level adjustment line and the pressure monitor line, respectively, and the air filter is connected to the common line. A drip chamber, which is connected. The drip chamber according to claim 1, wherein the common line, the level adjustment line, and the pressure monitor line are each formed of a flexible tube, and are connected to each other by a Y-tube or a T-tube.

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