U.S. patent application number 17/518060 was filed with the patent office on 2022-02-24 for articles for warming and monitoring patient during dialysis treatment.
The applicant listed for this patent is Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.. Invention is credited to Bert D. Egley, Jon Moss, Erik A. Quiroz.
Application Number | 20220054721 17/518060 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005947403 |
Filed Date | 2022-02-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220054721 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Quiroz; Erik A. ; et
al. |
February 24, 2022 |
Articles for Warming and Monitoring Patient During Dialysis
Treatment
Abstract
An article configured to warm and monitor a patient during a
dialysis treatment, the article includes one or more heating
elements. The article also includes one or more sensors configured
to monitor a condition of the patient during the dialysis
treatment. The article also includes a fabric portion configured to
receive the one or more heating elements and the one or more
sensors and position the one or more heating elements and the one
or more sensors on the patient during treatment. The article also
includes a transmitter configured to transmit information from the
one or more sensors to a dialysis machine and an electrical
connector configured to provide power to at least one of the one or
more heating elements and the one or more sensors.
Inventors: |
Quiroz; Erik A.; (Benicia,
CA) ; Moss; Jon; (Antioch, CA) ; Egley; Bert
D.; (Walnut Creek, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. |
Waltham |
MA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005947403 |
Appl. No.: |
17/518060 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15841020 |
Dec 13, 2017 |
11191881 |
|
|
17518060 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 2205/36 20130101;
A61M 2205/3653 20130101; A61F 2007/0036 20130101; A61B 5/6806
20130101; A61B 5/022 20130101; A61F 2007/0045 20130101; A61B 5/0002
20130101; A61B 5/6807 20130101; A61B 5/4836 20130101; A61F 7/007
20130101; A61M 2230/30 20130101; A61B 5/02042 20130101; A61M 1/282
20140204; A61B 5/02055 20130101; A61B 5/14552 20130101; A61M
2230/50 20130101; A61M 1/1601 20140204; A61M 2230/06 20130101; A61M
2205/3576 20130101; A61M 1/14 20130101; A61M 2205/18 20130101; A61M
1/28 20130101; A61M 2205/3368 20130101; A61M 2230/00 20130101; A61M
2205/15 20130101; A61B 5/02438 20130101; A61F 2007/0233 20130101;
A61F 7/0097 20130101; A61F 2007/0096 20130101; A61B 5/6866
20130101; A61M 1/3656 20140204 |
International
Class: |
A61M 1/16 20060101
A61M001/16; A61M 1/28 20060101 A61M001/28; A61M 1/36 20060101
A61M001/36; A61B 5/00 20060101 A61B005/00; A61F 7/00 20060101
A61F007/00; A61B 5/0205 20060101 A61B005/0205; A61B 5/024 20060101
A61B005/024; A61B 5/02 20060101 A61B005/02; A61M 1/14 20060101
A61M001/14; A61B 5/022 20060101 A61B005/022 |
Claims
1. An article configured to warm and monitor a patient during a
dialysis treatment, the article comprising: one or more heating
elements; one or more sensors configured to monitor a condition of
the patient during the dialysis treatment; a fabric portion
configured to receive the one or more heating elements and the one
or more sensors and position the one or more heating elements and
the one or more sensors on the patient during treatment; a
transmitter configured to transmit information from the one or more
sensors to a dialysis machine; and an electrical connector
configured to provide power to at least one of the one or more
heating elements and the one or more sensors.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of and claims
priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/841,020, filed on Dec. 13,
2017.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates to articles for warming and
monitoring a patient during a dialysis treatment.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Dialysis is a treatment used to support a patient with
insufficient renal function. The two principal dialysis methods are
hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
[0004] During hemodialysis ("HD"), the patient's blood is passed
through a dialyzer of a dialysis machine while also passing a
dialysis solution or dialysate through the dialyzer. A
semi-permeable membrane in the dialyzer separates the blood from
the dialysate within the dialyzer and allows diffusion and osmosis
exchanges to take place between the dialysate and the blood stream.
These exchanges across the membrane result in the removal of waste
products, including solutes like urea and creatinine, from the
blood. These exchanges also regulate the levels of other
substances, such as sodium and water, in the blood. In this way,
the dialysis machine acts as an artificial kidney for cleansing the
blood.
[0005] During peritoneal dialysis ("PD"), a patient's peritoneal
cavity is periodically infused with dialysis solution or dialysate.
The membranous lining of the patient's peritoneum acts as a natural
semi-permeable membrane that allows diffusion and osmosis exchanges
to take place between the solution and the blood stream. These
exchanges across the patient's peritoneum, like the continuous
exchange across the dialyzer in HD, result in the removal of waste
products, including solutes like urea and creatinine, from the
blood, and regulate the levels of other substances, such as sodium
and water, in the blood.
SUMMARY
[0006] In one aspect, an article configured to warm and monitor a
patient during a dialysis treatment, the article includes one or
more heating elements. The article also includes one or more
sensors configured to monitor a condition of the patient during the
dialysis treatment. The article also includes a fabric portion
configured to receive the one or more heating elements and the one
or more sensors and position the one or more heating elements and
the one or more sensors on the patient during treatment. The
article also includes a transmitter configured to transmit
information from the one or more sensors to a dialysis machine and
an electrical connector configured to provide power to at least one
of the one or more heating elements and the one or more
sensors.
[0007] In some implementations, the one or more heating elements
are individually controllable.
[0008] In some implementations, the one or more sensors includes an
ambient temperature sensor configured to monitor an ambient
temperature of a space in which the dialysis treatment is
occurring.
[0009] In some implementations, the one or more sensors includes a
blood oxygen monitor. In some implementations, the one or more
sensors includes a blood pressure monitor. In some implementations,
the one or more sensors includes a heart rate monitor. In some
implementations, the one or more sensors includes a temperature
sensor.
[0010] In some implementations, the one or more sensors includes a
wetness sensor. In some cases, the wetness sensor is configured to
be positioned proximate to a patient access and is configured to
detect a leak at the patient access when the article is on the
patient.
[0011] In some implementations, the one or more sensors includes an
accelerometer.
[0012] In some implementations, the article is a glove. In some
implementations, wherein the article is a sock. In some
implementations, the article is a blanket or a wrap.
[0013] In some implementations, the one or more heating elements
are separable from the fabric portion of the article. In some
implementations, the one or more sensors are separable from the
fabric portion of the article.
[0014] In another aspect, a dialysis system includes a dialysis
machine and an article configured to communicate with the dialysis
machine during a dialysis treatment. The article includes one or
more heating elements. The article also includes one or more
sensors configured to monitor a condition of the patient during the
dialysis treatment. The article also includes a fabric portion
configured to receive the one or more heating elements and the one
or more sensors and position the one or more heating elements and
the one or more sensors on the patient during treatment. The
article also includes a transmitter configured to transmit
information from the one or more sensors to the dialysis machine
and an electrical connector configured to provide power to at least
one of the one or more heating elements and the one or more
sensors.
[0015] In some implementations, the electrical connector connects
the article to the hemodialysis machine.
[0016] In some implementations, the dialysis machine includes a
controller configured to determine a condition of a patient based
on the information transmitted to the dialysis machine from the
transmitter. In some cases, the controller is further configured to
raise an alarm on the dialysis machine based on a determined
condition of the patient. In some cases, the condition of the
patient comprises information that the patient is disconnected from
the dialysis machine.
[0017] In another aspect, a method of heating and monitoring a
patient during a dialysis treatment using an article positioned on
the patient includes heating, by one or more heating elements of
the article, an area of the patient. The method also includes
monitoring, using one or more sensors of the article, a condition
of the patient. The method also includes transmitting, from a
transmitter of the article to a dialysis machine, information from
the one or more sensors.
[0018] In some implementations, the one or more heating elements
are individually controllable.
[0019] In some implementations, the article is a glove, a sock, a
blanket, or a wrap.
[0020] Advantages of the foregoing may include, but are not limited
to, one or more of those described below and herein elsewhere.
[0021] In some implementations, the article includes heating
elements to provide heating to the patient at areas on their body,
for example their extremities, where they may feel cold during a
dialysis treatment. In some instances, the amount of heating and
the location of heating may be adjustable during treatment based on
patient comfort.
[0022] In some implementations, the article includes one or more
sensors to monitor patient vital signs or other parameters (e.g.
blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, etc.) during dialysis
treatment. Because the article fits to the patient's anatomy, the
article holds the sensors more securely to the patient which may
reduce the likelihood of errors by the sensors caused by movement
or disconnection.
[0023] In some implementations, the sensors and/or heating elements
are removable from the article and can be cleaned. As such, the
sensors and/or heating elements can be used in treating multiple
patients and can be cleaned between patients. As a result, using
the article to heat and monitor patients is cost efficient and
sanitary.
[0024] In some implementations, the sensors in the article can
detect patient conditions and the article can provide patient
bio-feedback to the dialysis machine. The bio-feedback received at
the dialysis machine allows the dialysis machine to raise alarms
(e.g. a possible disconnect alarm) and/or adjust treatment
parameters based on the bio-feedback. As a result, more efficient
dialysis treatment can be performed.
[0025] The details of one or more implementations are set forth in
the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects
and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings,
and from the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a patient undergoing hemodialysis
treatment wearing warming and monitoring gloves and socks connected
to a hemodialysis machine.
[0027] FIG. 2A is a schematic of a front side of one of the warming
and monitoring gloves as worn by the patient in FIG. 1.
[0028] FIG. 2B is a schematic of a back side of one of the warming
and monitoring gloves as worn by the patient in FIG. 1.
[0029] FIG. 3A is a schematic of an inside of one of the warming
and monitoring socks as worn by the patient in FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 3B is a schematic of an outside of one of the warming
and monitoring socks as worn by the patient in FIG. 1.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a schematic of a warming and monitoring blanket
that can be worn by a patient during a dialysis treatment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] During a hemodialysis treatment, a patient's blood is
circulated outside of the patient's body to be cleaned of toxins.
During a peritoneal dialysis treatment, fluid is exchanged with the
patient in a peritoneal cavity to remove toxins from the patient.
In some cases, both of these procedures may cool the body
temperature of the patient to where the patient, or certain body
parts of the patient, feel uncomfortably cold.
[0033] In one aspect, a warming and monitoring garment can be
placed on the patient to warm the patient using one or more heating
elements and to monitor attributes of the patient during treatment
to be sent to the dialysis machine. The garment may, for example,
monitor the patient's body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate,
and/or blood oxygen level during treatment. The garment may also
monitor a status of the patient access, e.g., by using a wetness
detector to detect leaking at the access or by using an
accelerometer which may detect patient movement near the access.
The garment may communicate with the dialysis machine to provide
patient data gathered by the monitoring devices. The dialysis
machine may process the data and raise alarms, provide instructions
(e.g. heating instructions) to the garment, and/or display the
data.
Overview of System
[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a patient 100 undergoing a
hemodialysis treatment and wearing warming and monitoring gloves
102 and 104, and warming and monitoring socks 106 and 108. The
patient 100, the gloves 102 and 104, and the socks 106 and 108, are
connected to a hemodialysis machine 110. The patient 100 is
connected to an arterial line 112 of the hemodialysis machine 110
by a needle access on the patient's forearm. During treatment, the
patient's blood flows through the needle access and into the
arterial line 112. The arterial line 112 delivers the blood to a
dialyzer 114 of the hemodialysis machine 110. In the dialyzer 114,
a semipermeable membrane separates the blood from a dialysate
fluid. The dialyzer 114 cleans the blood as toxins flow from the
blood, through the semipermeable membrane, and into the dialysis
fluid. The cleaned blood flows out of the dialyzer 114 and into a
venous line 116. The venous line 116 is connected to the patient at
a second needle access on the patient's forearm. During treatment,
the cleaned blood flows from the venous line 116, through the
second needle access, and back into the patient.
[0035] During the hemodialysis treatment, as the patient's blood
circulates through arterial and venous lines 112 and 116 and
through the dialyzer 114, the blood loses temperature. As such, the
blood returned to the patient 100 by the venous line 116 is cooler
than the blood removed from the patient 100 by the arterial line
112. This drop in blood temperature may cause the patient to feel
cold, especially at their extremities, e.g. their hands and their
feet.
[0036] The gloves 102 and 104 and the socks 106 and 108 include
heating elements that are configured to warm the patient 100 during
a hemodialysis treatment. The gloves 102 and 104 and the socks 106
and 108 are connected to and receive power from the hemodialysis
machine 110 via wires 118. One or more sensors are also included in
the gloves 102 and 104 and the socks 106 and 108 that detect
conditions of the patient 100 during hemodialysis treatment.
Warming and Monitoring Articles
[0037] FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of a front side (FIG. 2A)
and a back side (FIG. 2B) of the glove 102 worn by the patient 100
in FIG. 1. The glove 102 includes a hand-covering portion 200 and a
forearm sleeve 202. The hand-covering portion 200 and the forearm
sleeve 202 are made of a flexible fabric (e.g., wool, cotton,
linen, silk, nylon, polyester, spandex, and rayon) that provides
insulation to the patient's hand and forearm. The hand-covering
portion 200 includes finger heating elements 204a-204e and a palm
heating element 206a on the front side of the glove 102 shown in
FIG. 2A. The front side of the glove 102 also includes a forearm
heating element 208a.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 2B, the back side of the glove 102 includes
finger heating elements 204f-j and a back-of-hand heating element
206b. The back side of the glove 102 also includes a second forearm
heating element 208b. The heating elements 204a-j, 206a-b, and
208a-b are removable from the glove 102. The heating elements
204a-j, 206a-b, and 208a-b fit into pockets in the glove 102 or are
attached to specific places on the glove 102 with hook and loop
fasteners, depending on the required heating element positioning on
the patient 100. The heating elements 204a-j, 206a-b, and 208a-b,
are individually controllable, i.e., can be turned off and on
independently of one another by a control device 222. The control
device 222 has a touch screen allowing for individual heating
elements to be selected. The heating elements 204a-j, 206a-b, and
208a-b are dispersed in a pattern across the glove 102 to cover
multiple areas of the hand and arm. The glove 102 includes a wire
118 to connect the glove 102 to the hemodialysis machine 110. The
heating elements 204a-j, 206a-b, and 208a-b receive power through
the wire 118.
[0039] The glove 102 also includes sensors which are removable from
the glove 102. The sensors fit into pockets or are attached to
specific places on the glove with hook and loop fasteners,
depending on the required sensor positioning on the patient. In
FIG. 2A, a wetness sensor 226, as it contacts the patient's skin,
is attached with hook and loop fasteners to the glove 102, rather
than slid inside a pocket. The glove 102 allows the sensors to be
securely held in place during treatment, which may reduce the
frequency of errors in sensor data caused by a sensor being out of
place or disconnected from the patient 100. As the sensors and the
heating elements are removable, the sensors and the heating
elements may be removed from the glove and cleaned between
treatments.
[0040] The sensors send sensor data to a transmitter 214 via wired
connections with the transmitter 214. The transmitter 214 then
transmits the sensor data wirelessly (e.g. via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi)
to the hemodialysis machine 110. The sensor data is used by the
hemodialysis machine 110 to monitor the patient 100, to adjust
parameters of the hemodialysis treatment, and/or to raise alarms
during treatment.
[0041] The glove 102 includes two temperature sensors 216 and 218.
The first temperature sensor 216 is located on the front of the
glove 102 and measures a body temperature of the patient 100. The
second temperature sensor 218 is located on the back of the glove
102 and measures an ambient temperature of the environment in which
the hemodialysis treatment is taking place. The patient's body
temperature and the ambient temperature are sent to the transmitter
214 for transmission to the hemodialysis machine 110.
[0042] The glove 102 also includes a blood pressure cuff 220 in the
forearm sleeve 202 of the glove 102. The blood pressure cuff 220
inflates and deflates automatically to take the patient's blood
pressure at set intervals. The blood pressure cuff 220 sends the
blood pressure data to the transmitter 214 for transmission to the
hemodialysis machine 110.
[0043] The glove 102 also includes a blood oxygen sensor 210 in one
of the fingers of the glove 102. Here, the blood oxygen sensor 210
is a pulse oximeter which is configured to determine the blood
oxygen level of the patient 100 as well as the patient's pulse,
thereby also functioning as a heart rate sensor. The blood oxygen
sensor 210 clamps on the top and bottom of the patient's index
finger and determines the patient's pulse and blood oxygen level.
The blood oxygen sensor 210 sends the pulse and blood oxygen data
to the transmitter 214 for transmission to the hemodialysis machine
110.
[0044] On the front side of the forearm sleeve 202, as shown in
FIG. 2A, the glove 102 includes an accelerometer 224 and a wetness
sensor 226. The accelerometer 224 and the wetness sensor 226 are
placed on the front side of the forearm sleeve 202 such that they
are proximate to a location of the patient's vascular access on the
patient's forearm. The wetness sensor 226 is positioned in the
glove such that the wetness sensor 226 may detect moisture leaking
out from the patient's vascular access. The accelerometer 224
senses acceleration of the patient's arm. The wetness sensor 226
sends data to the transmitter 214 for transmission to the
hemodialysis machine 110. The accelerometer 224 sends acceleration
data to the transmitter 214 for transmission to the hemodialysis
machine 110.
[0045] A controller 122 of the dialysis machine 110 can receive and
transmit electrical signals to and from systems of the dialysis
machine 110. For example, the controller 122 can receive electrical
signals from the transmitter of the glove 102 shown in FIGS. 2A-2B.
The electrical signals indicate a status of the patient 100 during
dialysis treatment. Based on the electrical signals, the controller
122 can modify operations of components of the dialysis machine
110, such as a pump speed of the peristaltic pump, a display, and
other electrical and electromechanical systems. The dialysis
machine 110 can present information received from the transmitter
214 (e.g. body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen level, etc.)
on a display 120. For example, the dialysis machine 110 may also
present alarms or messages to an operator or patient 100 on the
display 120, including disconnection alarms and movement warnings.
The dialysis machine 110 may also present warming information on
the display 120, for example, a diagram of which heating pads are
turned on in a glove 102 or a sock 106 being worn by the patient
100 during treatment may be graphically shown on the display
120.
[0046] During treatment, the controller 122 of the hemodialysis
machine 110 can combine acceleration data from the accelerometer
224 with wetness data from the wetness sensor 226 and data from
other sensors in the hemodialysis system, e.g., a venous pressure
sensor and an arterial pressure sensor, to monitor the patient 100
and/or the treatment. Based on the acceleration data from the
accelerometer 224 and the wetness data from the wetness sensor 226,
and data from other sensors, the controller 122 of the hemodialysis
machine 110 may calculate, for example, that any number of states
(e.g. connection, leak, disconnection) have occurred at the
patient's access.
[0047] The sensors in the glove 102 are wired to the transmitter
214 and communicate sensor data to the transmitter 214 via the
wires. The transmitter 214 wirelessly communicates the sensor data
to the hemodialysis machine 110 during treatment. The glove 102
also includes an electrical cable 118 that attaches to the dialysis
machine 110 and provides power to the heating elements 204a-j,
206a-b, and 208a-b and sensors of the glove 102.
[0048] FIG. 3A and 3B are illustrations of an inside (FIG. 3A) and
an outside (FIG. 3B) of the sock 106 worn by the patient 100 in
FIG. 1. The sock 106 includes a foot portion 300, a lower leg
portion 302, and an upper leg portion 304. The foot portion 300,
the lower leg portion 302, and the upper leg portion 304 are made
of a flexible fabric (e.g., wool, cotton, linen, silk, nylon,
polyester, spandex, and rayon) that also provides insulation to the
patient 100. The foot portion 300 includes a bottom heating element
306 and two ankle heating elements 308a-b. The lower leg portion
302 includes two lower leg heating elements 310a-b and the upper
leg portion includes two upper leg heating elements 312a-b. The
heating elements 306, 308a-b, and 310a-b are removable from the
stock 106. The heating elements 306, 308a-b, and 310a-b fit into
pockets in the sock 106 or are attached to specific places on the
sock 106 with hook and loop fasteners, depending on the required
heating element positioning on the patient 100. The heating
elements 306, 308a-b, and 310a-b are individually controllable,
i.e., can be turned off and on independently of one another by a
control device 326. The control device 326 has a touch screen
allowing for individual heating elements to be selected. The sock
106 includes a wire 314 to connect the sock 106 to the hemodialysis
machine 110. The heating elements 306, 308a-b, and 310a-b receive
power through the wire 314.
[0049] The sock 106 also includes sensors which are removable from
the sock 106. The sensors fit into pockets in the sock 106 or are
attached to specific places on the sock 106 with hook and loop
fasteners, depending on the required sensor positioning on the
patient 100. The sock 106 allows the sensors to be securely held in
place during the dialysis treatment, which may reduce the frequency
of errors in sensor data caused by a sensor being out of place or
disconnected from the patient 100. As the sensors and the heating
elements are removable, the sensors and the heating elements may be
removed from the glove and cleaned between treatments.
[0050] The sensors send sensor data to a transmitter 318 via wired
connections with the transmitter 318. The transmitter 318 then
transmits the sensor data wirelessly (e.g. via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi)
to the hemodialysis machine 110. The sensor data is used by the
hemodialysis machine 110 to monitor the patient 100, to adjust
parameters of the hemodialysis treatment, and/or to raise alarms
during treatment.
[0051] The sock 106 includes two temperature sensors 314 and 316.
The first temperature sensor 314 is located on the inside of the
sock 106 and measures a body temperature of the patient 100. The
second temperature sensor 316 is located on the back of the sock
106 and measures an ambient temperature of the environment in which
the hemodialysis treatment is taking place. The patient's body
temperature and the ambient temperature are sent to the transmitter
318 for transmission to the hemodialysis machine 110.
[0052] The sock 106 also includes a blood pressure cuff 320 in the
upper leg portion 304 of the sock 106. The blood pressure cuff 320
inflates and deflates automatically to take the patient's blood
pressure at set intervals. The blood pressure cuff 320 sends the
blood pressure data to the transmitter 318 for transmission to the
hemodialysis machine 110.
[0053] The sock 106 also includes a blood oxygen sensor 322 in one
of the toes of the sock 106. Here, the blood oxygen sensor 322 is a
pulse oximeter which is configured to determine the blood oxygen
level of the patient 100 as well as the patient's pulse, thereby
also functioning as a heart rate sensor. The blood oxygen sensor
322 clamps on the top and bottom of the patient's big toe and
determines the patient's pulse and blood oxygen level. The blood
oxygen sensor 322 sends the pulse and blood oxygen data to the
transmitter 318 for transmission to the hemodialysis machine
110.
Methods of Use
[0054] A method of using an article (e.g. the warming and
monitoring gloves 102 and 104, the warming and monitoring socks 106
and 108, or other warming and monitoring articles described herein)
during a dialysis treatment of a patient is described herein.
[0055] An operator (e.g., a patient, a physician, a nurse, a
medical practitioner) punctures an access site on skin of the
patient to access a corporeal blood circuit of the patient. Before
initiating the dialysis treatment, the operator disinfects and
cleans skin of the patient and then inserts an arterial needle into
an arterial access site and a venous needle into a venous access
site. The arterial needle and the venous needle, when inserted,
place the circulatory system of the patient 100 in fluid
communication with the dialysis machine 110.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 1, after inserting the arterial needle and
the venous needle, the operator places the gloves 102 and 104 and
the socks 106 and 108 on the patient's hands and legs. To put on
the glove 102, the patient 100 inserts his/her hand through the
opening 212 and to put on the sock 106, the patient 100 inserts
his/her leg through the opening 324. The sensors in the gloves 102
and 104 and the socks 106 and 108 are positioned on the patient 100
as the patient wears the gloves 102 and 104 and the socks 106 and
108. For example, the wetness sensor 226 is positioned over the
skin of the patient 100 in the vicinity of the patient's access
site when the patient is wearing glove 102. The flexible fabric of
the glove 102 holds the wetness sensor 226 in the vicinity of the
patient's access during treatment. The operator can shift the
placement and/or orientation of the glove 102 such that the
placement of the sensors is correct for the particular patient
being treated.
[0057] The operator then initiates the dialysis treatment on the
dialysis machine 110. Before initiating the dialysis treatment, the
operator can set various dialysis treatment parameters of the
dialysis machine 110. When the operator initiates the dialysis
treatment, a peristaltic pump of the dialysis machine circulates
the blood from the patient 100 through the dialyzer 114 to clean
and filter the blood. Blood travels from the patient 100 through
the arterial needle, along the arterial line set 112, and to the
dialyzer 114. After the dialyzer 114 filters the blood, filtered
blood exits the dialyzer 114 and travels along the venous line set
116 through the venous needle back to the patient 100. Within the
dialyzer 114, alongside the flowing blood, a dialysis solution that
can include salts, buffers, and/or acids removes toxins from the
blood.
[0058] During treatment, the transmitters 214 and 318, in the glove
102 and the sock 106, respectively, receive information from their
respective sensors and send that information to the hemodialysis
machine 110. Transmitters in the glove 104 and the sock 108 also
receive information from their respective sensors and send that
information to the hemodialysis machine 110.
[0059] For example, when the wetness sensor 226 of the glove 104
during hemodialysis treatment sends data to the controller 122 of
the hemodialysis machine 110 indicating that it is wet, the
accelerometer 224 sends data to the hemodialysis machine 110
indicating that the arm containing the patient's access has moved
at an acceleration rate that exceeds a predetermined threshold, and
the venous pressure sensors send data to the hemodialysis machine
indicating that the venous pressure is low, the hemodialysis
machine 110 calculates that a venous disconnect has occurred and
sounds an alarm. As another example, when the accelerometer 224
sends data to the hemodialysis machine 110 indicating that the arm
containing the patient's access has moved at an acceleration rate
that exceeds a predetermined threshold, but the data received from
the wetness sensor 226 indicates that it is dry and the data
received from the venous and arterial pressure sensors are
pressures within the hemodialysis system's normal operating range,
the hemodialysis machine calculates that the patient 100 has not
been disconnected. In such a case, the hemodialysis machine sounds
and displays an alarm warning the patient 100 to stop moving the
arm containing his/her access.
[0060] Also, during treatment, the warming performed by the glove
102 and the sock 106 can be controlled by the patient. The patient
100 can control the heating elements in the gloves 102 and 104 and
socks 106 and 108 using the control device 222. The control device
allows individual heating elements, i.e., any one of heating
elements 204a-j, 206a-b, and 208a-b, to be turned on or off
independently of the others.
[0061] After the hemodialysis treatment is complete, the operator
removes the gloves 102 and 104 and the socks 106 and 108 from the
patient 100. The operator then disconnects the hemodialysis machine
110 from the patient by removing the arterial and venous needles
from the patient's access. After the gloves 102 and 104 and the
socks 106 and 108 are removed from the patient, the sensors and the
heating elements may be removed from the gloves 102 and 104 and the
socks 106 and 108. The sensors and the heating elements may be
disinfected (e.g., by using a 1% bleach solution) before insertion
into another pair of gloves or socks for a subsequent treatment.
The flexible fabric portions of the gloves and socks may be washed
before receiving sensors and heating elements for a subsequent
treatment.
Alternative Implementations
[0062] The examples described herein can be implemented in a
variety of ways without departing from the scope of the
specification.
[0063] The warming and monitoring articles of FIGS. 1-3B have been
described as being used in hemodialysis treatments. Though, in
other implementations, the warming and monitoring articles can be
used for other appropriate medical treatments. For example, the
warming and monitoring articles described herein may be used during
a peritoneal dialysis treatment. During peritoneal dialysis,
dialysate is circulated through a catheter inside peritoneal cavity
of a patient and absorbs waste products from blood vessels in the
patient's peritoneum. The dialysate is then pumped out of the
patient's body by a peritoneal dialysis machine. The patient may
feel cold during a peritoneal dialysis procedure because the
dialysate fluid may not be warmed all the way to body temperature
and/or the exchange of waste products with the blood vessels in the
peritoneum may cool the body temperature of the patient.
[0064] The warming and monitoring article may instead be a glove
without a forearm sleeve, thereby covering only the patient's hand.
The warming and monitoring article may instead be a sock, covering
only the patient's lower leg and foot, or only the patient's foot.
These alternative implementations of the warming and monitoring
articles may not include all of the sensors and heating elements
described above in relation to the glove 102 and the sock 106.
[0065] The heating elements in the glove 102 and the sock 106 have
been described as separate heating elements that are individually
controllable. In some implementations, there may be one heating
element that wraps around a portion of the patient (e.g. a finger,
the forearm, the lower leg) rather than separate heating elements
on opposing sides of the article. In other implementations, there
may be one large heating element in the article (e.g. a hand shaped
heating element inside of a glove) that functions to heat an area
of the patient. In some implementations, there may be a pattern of
heating elements disposed in the article based on a location where
the article is placed on a patient and the anatomy of that
location. For example, heating elements may be disposed in a wrist
portion of a glove where blood vessels are close to the surface of
the skin. As such, heat may transfer more efficiently into the
blood from the heating elements. In another example, there may be
heating elements disposed in a portion of a wrap or blanket that
can be positioned by a patients' underarm where blood vessels are
also close to the surface.
[0066] While the warming and monitoring articles have been
described as having removable heating elements and sensors, in some
implementations, the heating elements and/or the sensors may be
permanently attached to the article, rather than being removable.
This may allow the heating elements and sensors to be sized based
on patient anatomy and fit to a particular article. For example,
gloves may be sized in small, medium, and large, and each would
have differing sizes of heating elements based on the surface area
of the skin needing to be heated.
[0067] While the warming and monitoring articles described with
respect to FIGS. 1-3B have been shown as gloves and socks, the
warming and monitoring article may instead be a blanket or a wrap
as shown in FIG. 4. The blanket in FIG. 4 includes heating elements
402a-c, sensors 404a-f, a transmitter 404g, a control device 404h,
and an electrical cable 406. For example, during peritoneal
dialysis, as the access to the patient is through the patient's
abdomen, it may be advantageous for the patient to use a blanket or
a wrap where sensors, such as an accelerometer 404b and a wetness
sensor 404a, may be positioned proximate to the patient's
access.
[0068] The warming and monitoring articles as described above are
described as having a control device with a touch screen through
which the patient or an operator can control the heating of the
individual heating elements in the article. In some
implementations, the heating of the individual heating elements may
be performed with a device external to the article, e.g., a remote
control device or the hemodialysis machine. The hemodialysis
machine, for example, may include a graphical user interface for
turning on/off heating elements. In some implementations, the
control device may present treatment information (e.g., an elapsed
time, a time remaining, a pumping rate) to the patient during
treatment.
[0069] The warming and monitoring articles described above are
described as being able to transmit information from sensors in the
article to a dialysis machine via a transmitter in the article. In
some implementations, the dialysis machine is configured to send
information to the article to change the performance of the article
or to display information on the control device. For example, based
on a body temperature reading at a temperature sensor on the
article, the controller of the dialysis machine may determine that
more or less patient heating is necessary and may prompt a user to
turn on or off certain heating elements.
[0070] The warming and monitoring articles described above are
described as having wired connections from the sensors to the
transmitter in the article. In some implementations, the sensors in
the article may communicate wirelessly (e.g., via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,
NFC, etc.) with the transmitter in the article. In some
implementations, the sensors in the article may communicate
wirelessly directly to the hemodialysis machine.
[0071] A number of implementations have been described.
Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may
be made. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of
the claims.
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