Neonatal and Pediatric Blood Filtration System

Abstract

A blood filtration system may to couple to an infusion pump that is external to the blood filtration system. The blood filtration system may include a blood circuit, for instance a variable-volume blood circuit. An infusion port may be in communication with the blood circuit and may receive an infusion fluid pumped by the infusion pump. A filtration pump may extract a filtrate fluid from a filter. The filtrate fluid may include filtered plasma constituents. A fluid characteristic sensor may measure one or more of pressure or flow rate of the infusion fluid pumped by the infusion pump. A controller may monitor the fluid characteristic sensor to determine a change in the pressure or flow rate of the infusion fluid. The controller may modulate a speed of the variable-speed filtration pump based on the change in the pressure or flow rate of the infusion fluid.

1 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A blood filtration system for reducing one or more plasma constituents in blood of a patient, the system comprising:
 a variable-volume blood circuit including:
 a catheter configured for insertion into a blood stream of the patient; 
 a withdrawal line configured to couple with the catheter and having a first fluid capacity; 
 a return line configured to couple with the catheter and having a second fluid capacity; 
 a first filter configured to reduce an amount of one or more plasma constituents in blood flowing through the first filter and provide a filtrate fluid including the plasma constituents, wherein:
 the first filter has a third fluid capacity; 
 the first withdrawal line and the first return line are configured to couple with the first filter; and 
 
   one or more of a first withdrawal line extension, a first return line extension, or a second filter, wherein:
 the first withdrawal line extension has a fourth fluid capacity and is configured to couple with the withdrawal line to change a total fluid capacity of the variable-volume blood circuit; 
 the first return line extension has a fifth fluid capacity and is configured to couple with the return line to change the total fluid capacity of the variable-volume blood circuit; 
 the second filter has a sixth fluid capacity and is interchangeable with the first filter to change the total fluid capacity of the variable-volume blood circuit; and 
 wherein fluid flow characteristics of the first withdrawal line extension are normalized with fluid flow characteristics of a second withdrawal line extension. 
   
     
     
         54 . The blood filtration system of  claim 53 , wherein the total fluid capacity is a first total fluid capacity of the variable-volume blood circuit with the withdrawal line coupled with the first filter and the return line coupled to the first filter. 
     
     
         55 . The blood filtration system of  claim 54 , wherein the variable-volume blood circuit includes a second total fluid capacity with the first withdrawal line extension coupled to the withdrawal line, the withdrawal line coupled with the first filter, and the return line coupled with the first filter. 
     
     
         56 . The blood filtration system of  claim 55 , wherein the variable-volume blood circuit includes a third total fluid capacity with the withdrawal line coupled with the second filter and the return line coupled with the second filter. 
     
     
         57 . The blood filtration system of  claim 56 , wherein the variable-volume blood circuit includes a fourth total fluid capacity with the withdrawal line coupled with the first filter, the return line coupled with the first filter, and the first return line extension coupled with the return line. 
     
     
         58 . The blood filtration system of  claim 54 , wherein the variable-volume blood circuit includes a second total fluid capacity with the first withdrawal line coupled with the second filter and the first return line coupled with the second filter. 
     
     
         59 . The blood filtration system of  claim 53 , wherein a pressure differential across the first withdrawal line extension equals a pressure differential across the second withdrawal line extension. 
     
     
         60 . The blood filtration system of  claim 59 , wherein:
 the first withdrawal line has a first length and a first internal dimension to provide the first withdrawal line with a first pressure differential between a first end of the first withdrawal line and a second end of the first withdrawal line; and   the second withdrawal line has a second length and a second internal dimension to provide the second withdrawal line with the first pressure differential between a first end of the second withdrawal line and a second end of the second withdrawal line.   
     
     
         61 . The blood filtration system of  claim 53 , further comprising:
 an activation key coupled with the filter, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the first activation key to determine the total fluid capacity of the filter.