BLOOD LINE SEPARATION WARNING DEVICE FOR EXTRACORPOREAL CIRCUITS

摘要

A fluid-sensing device (11) for detecting whether a fistula needle (15, 19) connecting a patient (8) to an extracorporeal blood circuit of a dialysis machine is described. The fluid sensing device (11) includes a pair of electrodes (A, B) that are placed on the surface of the patient's body (8) adjacent to where the fistula needle (15, 19) is inserted into the patient. The electrodes (A, B) are connected via a pair of wires (42A, 42B) to a computer control and alarm circuit for the dialysis machine. If the fistula needle (15, 19) becomes detached from the patient (8) the electrodes (A, B) will sense the leakage of blood and a signal is sent to the computer control and alarm circuit. The computer control and alarm circuit immediately stops the blood pump and activates an alarm, thereby preventing a potentially catastrophic loss of blood from occurring.