US 12,433,976 B2
Bicarbonate sensor for dialysis
Eric A. Grovender, Excelsior, MN (US); Thomas E. Meyer, Stillwater, MN (US); and Bryant J. Pudil, Plymouth, MN (US)
Assigned to Mozarc Medical US LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by MOZARC MEDICAL US LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/691,871.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/789,700, filed on Jan. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0215250 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. A61M 1/16 (2006.01); A61M 1/30 (2006.01); A61M 1/34 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 1/1607 (2014.02) [A61M 1/1609 (2014.02); A61M 1/1696 (2013.01); A61M 1/30 (2013.01); A61M 1/3486 (2014.02); A61M 1/165 (2014.02); A61M 2202/0014 (2013.01); A61M 2202/0225 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3368 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a dialysate flow path for use in dialysis, the dialysate flow path comprising a sorbent line comprising a sorbent cartridge, the dialysate flow path further comprising a bypass line configured to bypass the sorbent cartridge, the bypass line comprising an upstream end being upstream of the sorbent cartridge and a downstream end being downstream of the sorbent cartridge, the upstream end of the bypass line being coupled to the sorbent line at a first sorbent line location and the downstream end of the bypass line being coupled to the sorbent line at a second sorbent line location spaced from the first sorbent line location along the sorbent line;
a first fluid line fluidly connected to the dialysate flow path;
an acid source fluidly connected to the first fluid line;
at least one carbon dioxide sensor fluidly connected to the first fluid line upstream of the upstream end of the bypass line or downstream of the downstream end of the bypass line, the at least one carbon dioxide sensor being an infrared sensor, a thermal conductivity sensor, or a chemical carbon dioxide sensor, an entire portion of the sorbent line between the first sorbent line location and the second sorbent line location being fluidly unconnected to the at least one carbon dioxide sensor; and
a processor in communication with the at least one carbon dioxide sensor; the processor programmed to:
recirculate a dialysate in the bypass line of the dialysate flow path through a dialyzer without passing the dialysate through the sorbent line comprising the sorbent cartridge until the dialysate equilibrates with blood of a patient;
measure, after the dialysate equilibrates with the blood, the amount of carbon dioxide in the dialysate in an acidified solution and in a non-acidified solution using the at least one carbon dioxide sensor;
calculate, after the dialysate equilibrates with the blood, a total carbon dioxide and/or bicarbonate concentration in the dialysate based on the measured amount of carbon dioxide in the acidified solution and in the non-acidified solution; and
adjust the calculated total carbon dioxide and/or bicarbonate concentration based on a temperature and/or a conductivity of the dialysate.