Title: Transfusion set for autologous blood transfusion
Technical Field
The invention relates to a transfusion set to be used in connection with autologous blood transfusion, said transfusion set comprising a reservoir adapted to be connected to a cannula in a patient through a first tubing and to a transfusion bag through a second tubing, where the reservoir and the transfusion bag are interconnected in a closed system, and where a pump is coupled between the reservoir and the transfusion bag for pumping the blood from the reservoir to the transfusion bag.
Background Art
It is known to collect blood or other fluids from patients during and after surgery. The fluid in question is collected in a reservoir. Subsequently the content of the reservoir is emptied into a transfusion bag which is then disconnected from the reservoir and used as a transfusion bag. The content in the transfusion bag is then transferred to the patient often after several hours. After the emptying of the reser- voir, the connection and consequently the closed system between said reservoir and the transfusion bag is interrupted with the result that said closed system cannot be used for several transfusions.
It is also known to transfer the blood or the fluid to a bag which is disconnected when it is desired to retransfer the content to the patient, whereafter the blood or the fluid is transferred directly from the patient into a reservoir.
EP Patent Application No.0 438 703 Al discloses a transfusion system where the reservoir and the transfusion bag are interconnected in a closed system, and where a pump is coupled between the reservoir and the transfusion bag for pumping the blood from said reservoir to the transfusion bag. As a result, the transfusion set can
be used without interrupting the sterile connection between the reservoir and the patient on one hand and the reservoir and the transfusion bag on the other hand. Accordingly, blood or another fluid can be retransf erred continuously or at suitable intervals to the patient from the transfusion bag without the closed system being interrupted.
Brief Description of the Invention
The object of the invention is to provide a transfusion set which is suitable for use in connection with relatively weak bleedings on a scale of 90 ml/min or less.
The transfusion set according to the invention is characterised in that the reservoir is connected to a separate suction device for generating a vacuum inside the reservoir, and that the pump is manually activable.
As a result the suction of the blood to the reservoir can be carried out independent of the pump, and the blood can be pumped to the transfusion bag by means of the pump while involving a minimum risk of air being sucked into said transfusion bag together with the blood. The latter is in particular due to the fact that the user can easily handle the pump and ensure that said pump is only activated when blood is present in the reservoir. The air sucked into the reservoir together with the blood due to leaks or the like factors is removed by means of the separate suction device.
When profuse bleedings for instance occur immediately after surgery it is possible to continuously retransfer the blood. When the bleedings instead are relatively weak, the retransfer can be carried out at intervals of several hours.
Moreover, the pump may be coupled in the second tubing through at least one one- -way valve in such a manner that the flow direction of the fluid or the blood through the second tubing is maintained in the desired direction.
For the manual transfer of the blood or the fluid from the reservoir to the transfusion bag, a pump of the balloon type may suitably be used, said pump operating in a conventionally known manner by a manual compression while co-acting with suitable one-way valves.
For the automatic transfer a hose pump may according to the invention advantageously be used.
The transfusion bag according to the invention may be associated with a third tubing to be coupled to the patient in such a manner that the connection between the transfusion bag and the patient is established in a relatively easy manner.
Furthermore, the reservoir may according to the invention comprise a filter for solid particles, such as blood clottings, meat and bone fragments etc. in such a manner that the blood or the fluid retransf erred to the patient has been subjected to a purification so as to remove these solid particles. Finally, the reservoir and/or the transfusion bag may according to the invention comprise a measuring device for registering the amount of blood collected.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing showing a diagrammatic view of the transfusion set according to the invention in use in connection with a patient.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
The transfusion set shown in the drawing comprises a reservoir 1 connected to a plurality of drainage catheters 18 through a first tubing 2 in a conventionally known manner by means of an assembly tubing and a so-called Luer coupling 17. The
drainage catheters can be in form of lengths of tubing connected to a patient 7, and which at the end adjacent the patient comprises a high number of openings at the placing position of the tubings in the wound(s) of the patient.
The reservoir 1 is connected to a transfusion bag 9 through a second tubing, said transfusion bag 9 being of a conventionally known type for suspension at a level above the patient 7. A pump 10 is coupled in the second tubing, said pump for instance being in form of a hose pump or a balloon pump. On both sides this pump comprises a one-way valve of a type conventionally known within the field in question. A coupling 11 also of the Luer type is coupled between the pump 10 and the transfusion bag 9. The transfusion bag 9 is connected to the patient through a third tubing in a conventionally known manner. The reservoir is connected to a water trap 14 through a tube 13 and further through an additional tube 15 to a vacuum source not shown in greater detail, said vacuum source ensuring that a vacuum is maintained inside the reservoir 1.
A filter 16 is arranged at the inlet of the reservoir 1, said filter collecting clotted blood particles or other particles of meat, bone or skin.
A divided scale is arranged on the transfusion bag 9 for registering the collected amount of blood or fluid in the transfusion bag 9.
The transfusion set according to the invention is used in the following manner. The transfusion set is connected to the drainage catheters 18 of the patient by means of the coupling 17, and subsequently a vacuum is generated inside the reservoir. As a result, blood or fluid is sucked into the reservoir 1 while the water trap 14 ensures a visible, correct procedure of the suction effect. At suitable intervals the blood or the fluid is pumped from the reservoir 1 into the transfusion bag 9. From the transfu- sion bag 9 the blood or the fluid can be retransferred to the patient according to need through the tubing 12 in a manner known per se. The pump 10 is manually activat-
able in such a manner that it is easily ensured that blood is always available at the activation.
The reservoir can be any known type of drainage chamber. The transfusion set is available as a sterile product compatible with the storage of blood for up to 18 hours.
5 Thus the transfusion set can advantageously be packed such that it can be delivered to the sterile area of an operating room, where the reservoir 1 and the transfusion bag 9 are typically mounted at the end of an operating table and typically outside the sterile area. Here vacuum is also provided by a connection to the vacuum source, viz. 150 mm Hg, of the operation room, optionally through a reduction container,
.0 viz. the water trap, with a 20 cm water column. The water trap can be used for indicating leaks, viz. many bubbles, or a correct function, viz. few or none bubbles.
The transfusion set can be used for collecting blood both during and after surgery, and an anticoagulant can optionally be added so as to prevent the blood from coagulating.
5 As mentioned above, the transfer of the blood to the transfusion bag 9 can be carried out at intervals. Then this transfer is advantageously carried out within a short period of time, i.e. less than 5 minutes, and without interrupting the closed system. During the transfer, the suction effect can, if desired, be interrupted for a short period.
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Many '0 modifications can be carried out without thereby deviating from the scope of the invention. The transfusion bag must be declutchable in case the blood or the fluid in question is to be retransferred to the patient round said transfusion bag. The latter is suitably carried out by means of the coupling 11.
Instead of the drainage catheter 18, the transfusion set can also be connected to a .5 suction set used for sucking blood and fluid from the patient during surgery.
Furthermore, the reservoir 1 and the pump 10 can be interconnected as a unit.