System and method of monitoring and control of ultrafiltration volume during peritoneal dialysis using segmental bioimpedance

Abstract

A peritoneal dialysis (PD) system for infusing a volume of PD solution into a patient's peritoneal cavity in order to perform peritoneal dialysis on the patient includes a peritoneal cavity monitor (PCM) that measures this volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity by segmental bioimpedance spectroscopy (SBIS), to thereby determine an ultrafiltration volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity, and a switch, controlled by the PCM, for filling the patient's peritoneal cavity and draining the patient's peritoneal cavity when the ultrafiltration volume is unchanged over time, significantly decreased, or decreasing at a significant rate.

1 . A peritoneal dialysis (PD) system for infusing a volume of PD solution into a patient's peritoneal cavity in order to perform peritoneal dialysis on the patient, the system comprising:
 a peritoneal cavity monitor (PCM) that measures the volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity by segmental bioimpedance spectroscopy (SBIS), to thereby determine an ultrafiltration volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity; and   a switch, controlled by the PCM, for filling the patient's peritoneal cavity and draining the patient's peritoneal cavity when the ultrafiltration volume is unchanged over time, significantly decreased, or decreasing at a significant rate.   
     
     
         2 . A peritoneal dialysis (PD) system for infusing a volume of PD solution into a patient's peritoneal cavity in order to perform peritoneal dialysis on the patient, the system comprising:
 a peritoneal cavity monitor (PCM) that measures the volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity by segmental bioimpedance spectroscopy (SBIS), to thereby determine an ultrafiltration volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity; and   an alarm, controlled by the PCM, for indicating when the patient's peritoneal cavity is to be drained when the ultrafiltration volume is unchanged over time, significantly decreased, or decreasing at a significant rate.   
     
     
         3 . The peritoneal dialysis (PD) system of  claim 2 , wherein the switch is controlled by the PCM by wireless communication. 
     
     
         4 . A method of peritoneal dialysis of a patient, the method comprising:
 a) introducing a volume of peritoneal dialysis solution into the peritoneal cavity of the patient;   b) measuring periodically the volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity by segmental bioimpedance spectroscopy (SBIS), to thereby determine an ultrafiltration volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity; and   c) draining the patient's peritoneal cavity when the ultrafiltration volume is unchanged over time, significantly decreased, or decreasing at a significant rate.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further including refilling the peritoneal cavity of the patient with another volume of peritoneal dialysis solution.