DESC:DESCRIPTION:
Field of the invention:
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the technical field of a system for monitoring dialysis patients, and in specific relates a system for a multi-functional dialysis machine to monitor multiple dialysis patients for avoiding intradialytic complications, for example, hypotension, muscle crampsnausea, vomiting, etc., during and after a dialysis treatment.
Background of the invention:
[0002] Dialysis is a medical procedure that takes the place of the kidneys' normal job of eliminating extra fluid and wastes from the blood including sodium, ammonia, potassium and urea. Acute renal failure, which occurs when kidney function has significantly declined to the point that uremic syndrome, poses a hazard to the body's physiology, or chronic renal failure, which occurs when the kidneys' function has been compromised for an extended period of time.
[0003] There are two main types of dialysis such as hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis and uses a machine to filter the blood outside of the body. Although hemodialysis increases the life span of patients with renal insufficiency, hemodialysis can effect remarkable changes such as reduced efficiency and ability to perform activities, social isolation, immobility, reduced self-confidence and, disappointment at the future and continuation of the treatment.
[0004] In addition to encountering many physiological changes, these patients face many mental and psychological stresses each of which in turn can disturb their mental status and sleep quality. As such, most of these patients are not adapted to problems and tensions, and develop disorders such as anxiety, depression and isolation which affect their health status and weaken their health promoting behaviours over time. This stress of the patients can also affect their nurses and make them stressful.
[0005] Generally, dialysis process takes 3 to 4 hours to complete in one session for one patient, and after completion of dialysis process, the patient may experience some of the related conditions such as low blood pressure (hypotension), nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, itching, sleep problems, infection, anemia, bone diseases, high blood pressure (hypertension), fluid overload, amyloidosis, fatigue, dietary restrictions, and dialysis disequilibrium syndrome.
[0006] Low blood pressure (hypotension) is one of the most common side effects of hemodialysis. It can be caused by the drop in fluid levels during dialysis. The drop in blood pressure can cause muscle cramping, which is uncomfortable. Low blood pressure can also cause headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, and light-headedness. Hypotension during dialysis can sometimes be caused by blood pooling in the lower extremities of body.
[0007] Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of hemodialysis. They can be caused by a variety of factors, including low blood pressure, fluid imbalance, mild gastroparesis, changes in electrolyte levels, fluid shifts, stress of the procedure, and the environment around the patient. There are a number of ways to reduce nausea and vomiting during hemodialysis. Medications, fluid management, heat therapies, and relaxation techniques can all be effective. Pleasant air or atmosphere can also help to reduce nausea and vomiting. Muscle cramps is also a frequent side effect of Hemodialysis. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalances can occur during dialysis, leading to muscle cramps and discomfort. According to studies, heat therapy can relieve patients' muscular cramps.
[0008] Currently, dialysis machines do not have the ability to detect nausea and vomiting sensation of patients. This means that the technician must manually monitor the patient for signs of nausea and vomiting. Additionally, existing dialysis machines do not provide any relaxation techniques to help reduce nausea and vomiting.
[0009] Therefore, there is a need fora system for a multi-functional dialysis machine to monitor multiple dialysis patients for avoiding intradialytic complications, for example, hypotension, muscle cramps nausea, vomiting, etc. during and after a dialysis treatment. There is also a need for a system that detects the intradialytic complications and provides a number of relaxation iterations for the dialysis patients. There is also a need for a system with the multi-functional dialysis machine that provides purified air to the dialysis patients by neutralizing positively charged dust particles, allergens, and even some airborne bacteria and viruses. Further, there is also a need for a system with the multi-functional dialysis machine that activates massaging devices for providing a massaging action for the dialysis patients during and after a dialysis treatment to improve blood circulation and potentially assist in managing low blood pressure.
Objectives of the invention:
[0010] The primary objective of the invention is to provide a system for a multi-functional dialysis machine to monitor multiple dialysis patients for avoiding intradialytic complications, for example, hypotension, muscle cramps nausea, vomiting, etc. during and after a dialysis treatment.
[0011] Another objective of the invention is to provide a system that detects the intradialytic complications and provides relaxation iterations for the dialysis patients.
[0012] Another objective of the invention is to provide a dialysis care chair for improving the blood circulation of the dialysis patients.
[0013] Another objective of the invention is to provide a system with an air purifier for a multi-functional dialysis machine to deliver a pleasant aroma in order to avoid nausea and vomiting conditions of the dialysis patients.
[0014] Another objective of the invention is to provide a dialysis care system that allows the dialysis patient from a standard position to a Trendelenburg position to increase the blood flow from the legs to the heart.
[0015] Another objective of the invention is to provide a system with the multi-functional dialysis machine that activates one or more massaging devices for providing a massaging action for the dialysis patients during and after a dialysis treatment to improve blood circulation and potentially assist in managing low blood pressure.
[0016] Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a system provided with one or more massaging devices that can provide a heat therapy to alleviate not only muscle cramps but also reduces nausea sensation by contacting the heating pouch on the abdominal area.
[0017] Further, another objective of the invention is to provide a system with the multi-functional dialysis machine that provides purified air to the dialysis patients by neutralizing positively charged dust particles, allergens, and even some airborne bacteria and viruses.
Summary of the invention:
[0018] The present disclosure proposes a system for a multi-functional dialysis machine to monitor dialysis patients and method thereof. The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
[0019] In order to overcome the above deficiencies of the prior art, the present disclosure is to solve the technical problem to provide a system for a multi-functional dialysis machine to monitor multiple dialysis patients for avoiding side effects or intradialytic complications, for example, hypotension, muscle cramps nausea, vomiting, etc. during and after a dialysis treatment.
[0020] According to an aspect, the invention provides a system with a dialysis chair for a multi-functional dialysis machine. The system comprises a stress monitoring patch, a calf massage apparatus, a beeswax air purifier, a handheld cramp massager, and a controller.
[0021] The stress monitoring patch is disposed on at least one handle of the dialysis chair. The stress monitoring patch is configured to detect one or more physiological parameters of a patient. The stress monitoring patch is a multi-layer integration of a temperature sensor, a skin conductance sensor, and a pulse-wave sensor. The physiological parameters comprise skin temperature, skin conductance, and pulse rate of the patient.
[0022] The calf massage apparatus is attached one front leg of the dialysis chair. The calf massage apparatus comprises a leg supporting plate, plurality of expandable cushions, and a submersible pump. The leg supporting plate with two U-shaped grooves is configured to support the patient’s legs and move the patient’s body to a Trendelenburg position to alleviate low blood pressure. The expandable cushions are disposed inside each U-shaped groove and are fluidly connected to a drain fluid connection. The expandable cushions are configured inflated and deflated periodically to massage the patient’s calf muscles whenever the expandable cushions are filled with a hot drain fluid from a dialyzer via a heat exchanger. The submersible pump is positioned at the bottom of a storage tank. The submersible pump is configured to transfer a used dialysate fluid from the storage tank to the expandable cushions through transfer channels.
[0023] In specific, the expandable cushions having small protrusions or bubbles to enhance blood circulation whenever the expandable cushions are filled with the hot drain fluid. The storage tank containing the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer is positioned within the leg supporting plate. The dialyzer is fluidly connected with the storage tank and the handheld cramp massager through the drain fluid connection. The drain fluid connection having a valve to supply or stop the fluid draining from the dialyzer. The drain fluid connection split into two connection pipes, where a first connection pipe is configured to transport the hot drain fluid to the storage tank and a second connection pipe is configured to transport the hot drain fluid to the handheld cramp massager that massages muscular cramps.
[0024] The heat exchanger is configured to heat the drain fluid from the dialyzer to obtain the hot drain fluid. The hot drain fluid is then transferred to the handheld cramp massager and the storage tank.
[0025] The beeswax air purifier is attached below a user interface of the multi-functional dialysis machine. The beeswax air purifier is configured to supply clean and pleasant air to the patient. In specific, the beeswax air purifier comprises a film layer and a sheet insert. The film layer is integrated with a heater, a blower, and a flap to route the purified air. The heater and the blower are arranged at the rear end of the film layer. The sheet insert is configured for receiving the film layer, where the film layer comprises either a favoured wax film sheet or an un-waxed layer. The controller activates the heater when the favoured wax film sheet is inserted into the sheet insert, and does not activate the heater when the un-waxed sheet is inserted into the sheet insert.
[0026] The handheld cramp massager is arranged beside the dialysis chair and is connected to the drain fluid connection of the multi-functional dialysis machine. The handheld cramp massager is configured to be heated by the drain fluid from the dialyzer. In specific, the handheld cramp massager comprises a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer is a heat insulating layer that is configured to maintain hotness in the handheld cramp massager. The bottom layer is a massaging layer that is designed to massage the patient’s muscles.
[0027] The controller of the multi-functional dialysis machine is connected to the stress monitoring patch, a drive unit of the leg supporting plate, the submersible pump, and the beeswax air purifier through a network. When it detects low blood pressure of the patient, the controller activates the valve to transfer the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer to the heat exchanger to obtain hot drain fluid. A notification is displayed by the controller on the user interface asking the patient to insert their legs into the leg supporting plate. The submersible pump is activated by the controller to fill the expandable cushions with the hot drain fluid. The controller then activates the chair's reclining motor to adjust the chair's back support to a 180° angle. The controller then activates the motor that is connected to the leg supporting plate and the chair base motor to change the patient's leg angle to 15° upwards. The leg supporting plate with two U-shaped grooves is configured to support the patient's legs. The leg supporting plate 104 is movably connected to the dialysis chair for changing a position of the patient's body to a Trendelenburg position to alleviate the low blood pressure. The leg supporting plate moves to the Trendelenburg position to alleviate low blood pressure. The Trendelenburg position is a medical position in which the patient’s head is lower than their feet. This position increases blood flow to the heart and brain.
[0028] In the Trendelenburg position, the patient is lying back with their legs raised above the level of the heart. The blood return circulation is improved when the patient 18 is in this Trendelenburg position. The Trendelenburg position serves to counteract gravity's effect, which can lead to blood pooling in the lower extremities. Elevating the patient’s legs aid to increase venous return, which is the flow of blood return to the heart from the patient’s body tissues. This aids to maintain better blood pressure during the dialysis treatment by preventing excessive drops in the blood pressure that can occur due to reduced blood flow to the heart and brain.
[0029] The controller analyzes the detected physiological parameters to activate the beeswax air purifier if the patient is experiencing nausea and vomiting based on the detected physiological parameters.
[0030] According to another aspect, the invention provides a method for operating the system of the multi-functional dialysis machine to monitor patients. At one step, the controller activates the valve to transfer the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer to the heat exchanger to obtain the hot drain fluid upon detection of low blood pressure of a patient. At another step, the controller transmits one or more notifications to the patient through the user interface to place legs into the two U-shaped grooves of the leg supporting plate. At another step, the controller further activates the submersible pump to fill the plurality of expandable cushions with the hot drain fluid through transfer channels, thereby inflating and deflating periodically to massage the patient’s calf muscles to improve blood circulation and alleviate the low blood pressure of the patient.
[0031] At another step, the controller further activates the chair’s reclining motor to adjust a chair’s back support at an angle of at least 180° in order to change the patient’s position to the Trendelenburg position. At another step, the controller further activates the motor connected to the leg supporting plate, and the chair base motor, respectively, to change the angle of the patient’s legs at least 15° upwards to treat the low blood pressure of the patient 18. Further, at another step, the controller analyzes the detected physiological parameters for activating the beeswax air purifier when the patient is experiencing the conditions of nausea and vomiting if the detected physiological parameters exceed a threshold limit.
[0032] Further, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims, and the attached drawings.
Detailed description of drawings:
[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention.
[0034] FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of a system for a multi-functional dialysis machine, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0035] FIG. 1B illustrates a schematic view of the multi-functional dialysis machine with the system, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0036] FIG. 1C illustrates a schematic side view of the multi-functional dialysis machine with a patient in a Trendelenburg position, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0037] FIG. 1D illustrates a schematic line diagram of the multi-functional dialysis machine, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0038] FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of the calf massage apparatus the multi-functional dialysis machine, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0039] FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of plurality of expandable cushions of the calf massage apparatus, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0040] FIG. 2C illustrates a perspective view of the patient’s leg in the calf massage apparatus, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0041] FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view depicting the patient facing towards a beeswax air purifier, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0042] FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective view of the beeswax air purifier, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0043] FIG. 3C illustrates a perspective view of opened beeswax air purifier, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
[0044] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart a method for operating the system with the dialysis chair for the multi-functional dialysis machine, in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
Detailed invention disclosure:
[0045] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps.
[0046] The present disclosure has been made with a view towards solving the problem with the prior art described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a system that is integrated with a multi-functional dialysis machine to mitigate side effects that patient undergo during the dialysis process.
[0047] According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1A refers to a block diagram of a system 100 for a multi-functional dialysis machine 10. FIG. 1B refers to a schematic view of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 with the system 100. FIG. 1C refers to a schematic side view of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 with a patient in Trendelenburg position. In one embodiment herein, the system 100 is configured to monitor multiple dialysis patients 18 for avoiding side effects or intradialytic complications, for example, hypotension, muscle cramps nausea, vomiting, etc. during and after a dialysis treatment. In one embodiment herein, the system 100 is configured to detect the intradialytic complications of the dialysis patients 18 during and after the dialysis treatment and provides relaxation iterations for the dialysis patients 18 to alleviate the intradialytic complications.
[0048] The multi-functional dialysis machine 10 is provided with a dialysis chair 12 that changes a standard position of the dialysis patent to a Trendelenburg position, thereby raising the blood return circulation from the legs to the heart of the dialysis patient 18. Blood pressure can be improved by changing the patient’s position during the dialysis treatment. For example, the blood flow return to the heart can be improved by elevating the legs. This position is commonly referred to as the Trendelenburg position, as shown in FIGs. 1B and 1C.
[0049] In the Trendelenburg position, the patient 18 is lying back with their legs raised above the level of the heart. The blood return circulation is improved when the patient 18 is in this Trendelenburg position. The Trendelenburg position serves to counteract gravity's effect, which can lead to blood pooling in the lower extremities. Elevating the patient’s legs aid to increase venous return, which is the flow of blood return to the heart from the patient’s body tissues. This aids to maintain better blood pressure during the dialysis treatment by preventing excessive drops in the blood pressure that can occur due to reduced blood flow to the heart and brain.
[0050] In one embodiment herein, the dialysis chair 12 of the multi-function dialysis machine 10 allows the patients 18 to change from the standard position to the Trendelenburg position. The elevation of the patient’s legs is achieved by raising the lower end of the dialysis chair 12. The patients 18 are comfortably reclined, and the patient’s legs are elevated above the level of the heart. While the Trendelenburg position aids to improve the blood flow and the blood pressure, it is essential to closely monitor the patient’s response during the change in posture.
[0051] In one embodiment herein, the blood circulation and the low blood pressure i.e., hypotension is improved and managed during the dialysis treatment by providing external massaging action at the calf of the dialysis patient 18. The venous flow and blood flow from the legs to the heart is stimulated by massaging the patient’s calves. This improved circulation might assist in maintaining the blood pressure of the dialysis patient 18 during the dialysis treatment. Further, blood pooling is potentially prevented or minimized by massaging the calves.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 1A, the system 100 is integrated with the multi-functional dialysis machine 10. The system 100 comprises the dialysis chair 12 to alleviate the discomfort of the patient 18. The dialysis chair 12 comprises a handle with a stress monitoring patch 102, a calf massage apparatus 138, and a leg supporting plate 104 with plurality of expandable cushions 106. The system 100 further comprises a beeswax air purifier 108, and a handheld cramp massager 110 as shown in FIG. 1A.
[0053] The stress monitoring patch 102 is configured to detect one or more physiological parameters of the patient 18 such as skin temperature, skin conductance, and pulse rate. The detected physiological parameters are used to determine if the patient 18 is experiencing nausea, vomiting, or muscle cramps. In specific, the stress monitoring patch 102 is connected to a controller 112 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 through either a network 114, where the network 114 could be a wired communicating path and a wireless communicating path. The wireless communicating path comprises, but not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, wireless local-area network (WLAN), etc.
[0054] The stress monitoring patch 102 is arranged on the entire length of the handle of the dialysis chair 12 to ensure that the stress monitoring patch 102 has a large surface area for detecting skin temperature, skin conductance, and pulse rate of the patient 18, as shown in FIG. 1B. The large surface area also helps to distribute the pressure of the stress monitoring patch 102 evenly over the patient’s skin, which reduces discomfort for the user. The stress monitoring patch 102 is made of a flexible material that provides comfort for the user. The flexibility of the stress monitoring patch 102 reduces discomfort.
[0055] The stress monitoring patch 102 is a multi-layer integration of a temperature sensor, and a skin conductance sensor, and a pulse-wave sensor. The skin contact area of the stress monitoring patch 102 is minimized by the multi-layer integration of the skin temperature sensor and the skin conductance sensor on the pulse-wave sensor. The multi-layer integration allows the temperature sensor and the skin conductance sensor to be placed closer together, which reduces the overall size of the stress monitoring patch 102.
[0056] The multi-layer integration of the temperature sensor and the skin conductance sensor is achieved using thin film technology. This technology allows the temperature sensor and the skin conductance sensor to be made very thin, further reducing the patch's overall size. The use of a thin film technology also makes the stress monitoring patch 102 more lightweight, which further enhances the wearing comfort of the stress monitoring patch 102.
[0057] In one embodiment, the leg supporting plate 104 is configured to movably connect to the dialysis chair 12 for changing a position of the patient's body to a Trendelenburg position to alleviate the low blood pressure. In one embodiment, the beeswax air purifier 108 is configured to supply clean and pleasant air to the patient 18. This purified air reduces nausea and vomiting, and moisturizes the patient’s skin.
[0058] In one embodiment, the handheld cramp massager 110 is configured to be heated by the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16. This heat relieves muscle cramps. The handheld cramp massager 110 is arranged beside the dialysis chair 12. The handheld cramp massager 110 is a small, portable device that is used to massage the patient’s muscles.
[0059] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1D refers to a schematic diagram of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10. At the start of the hemodialysis treatment, a dialysis nurse or a technician places two needles into the patient arm. Each needle is attached to two soft tubes, which are fluidly connected to the multi-functional dialysis machine 10. Blood flows from the patient’s body into the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 through one of the soft tubes. If the doctor prescribes blood thinner as part of the treatment, a blood thinner unit will be used to add the blood thinner to keep the blood from clotting while it’s in the multi-functional dialysis machine 10.
[0060] A pressure monitor and pump work together to keep the flow at the right rate. The patient’s blood enters the dialyzer 16, where the patient’s blood is filtered. Dialysate solution enters the dialyzer 16 from the dialysate tank. The dialysate solution draws the waste out of the patient’s blood. The cleaned patient’s blood goes through another pressure monitor and an air trap unit to make sure the cleaned patient’s blood is safe to go back into the patient’s body. The cleaned patient’s blood returns to the patient’s body through the second tube attached to the patient access site.
[0061] The used dialysate fluid is pumped into the system 100 through a valve 136. The used dialysate fluid is passed through the heat exchanger 140 to obtain the hot dialysate via a pump 20. The stress monitoring patch 102 continuously detects the patient’s skin temperature, skin conductance, pulse rate, etc. The detected sensory information is then transferred to the controller 112. The controller 112 is configured with threshold values for the skin temperature, skin conductance, and pulse rate. These threshold values are used to determine if the patient 18 is experiencing nausea and vomiting conditions. The controller 112 compares the detected sensory information with the threshold values. If the detected sensory information exceeds the threshold values, then the controller 112 determines that the patient 18 is experiencing the nausea and vomiting conditions.
[0062] The controller 112 alerts at least one technician by displaying the patient’s nausea and vomiting conditions on a user interface 116. This allows the technician to take appropriate action, such as providing the patient 18 with medication or changing the dialysis settings. Simultaneously, the controller 112 activates the beeswax air purifier 108 to supply pleasant and the purified air to the patient 18. The pleasant aroma of the purified air relaxes the patient 18 and alleviates the nausea and vomiting conditions. The purified air also serves as a moisturizer for the patient’s skin, which prevents dry skin. The pleasant aroma from the beeswax air purifier 108 reduces the user’s nausea and vomiting conditions. The purified air also enhances the breathing, which improves the patient’s overall comfort.
[0063] Further, the handheld cramp massager 110 is connected to the drain fluid connection 14 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10. The used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16 is passed through the heat exchanger 140, which heats the fluid. The heated fluid is then transferred to the handheld cramp massager 110.
[0064] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2A refers to a perspective view of the calf massage apparatus 138. FIG. 2B refers to a perspective view of the expandable cushions 106 of the calf massage apparatus 138. FIG. 2C refers to a perspective view of the patient’s leg in the calf massage apparatus 138. In one embodiment herein, the calf massage apparatus 138 is a part of the dialysis chair 12 that is designed to support the patient’s legs. The leg supporting plate 104 comprises two U-shaped grooves 118 that are designed to allow the patient to keep the legs inside. The expandable cushions 106 are disposed in the each groove 118 of the leg supporting plate 104, and are fluidly connected to the drain fluid connection 14 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10.
[0065] The leg supporting plate 104 is configured to be moved to the Trendelenburg position to alleviate the low blood pressure during the dialysis treatment. The Trendelenburg position is a medical position in which the patient’s head is lower than their feet. This position increases blood flow to the heart and brain. The expandable cushions 106 are configured to be inflated and deflated periodically to massage the patient’s calf muscles. This massage improves blood circulation and alleviates the low blood pressure of the patient 18.
[0066] The expandable cushions 106 are attached to the leg supporting plate 104. The expandable cushions 106 are filled with the hot drain fluid to massage the patient’s calf muscles and improve blood circulation. Initially, the expandable cushions 106 are in deflated position and don’t disturbs the patient 18 sleeping or sitting position. The expandable cushions 106 are also provided with small protrusions or bubbles to enhance the blood circulation. In one embodiment herein, the expandable cushions 106 are liquid confining members.
[0067] In one embodiment herein, the submersible pump 122 is positioned at the bottom of a storage tank 120. The submersible pump 122 is configured to transfer a used dialysate fluid from the storage tank 120 to the expandable cushions 106 through transfer channels 124. In specific, the storage tank 120 containing the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16 is positioned within the leg supporting plate 104.
[0068] In specific, the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16 is passed through a heat exchanger 140 for heating the used dialysate fluid and is transferred into the two connection pipes. A first connection pipe 14a transfers the hot drain fluid to the expandable cushions 106, and a second connection pipe 14b transfers a hot drain fluid to the handheld cramp massager 110. A pump or motor 20 is used to transfer the fluid from dialyzer 16 to the handheld cramp massager 110 and the expandable cushions 106.
[0069] In one embodiment, the dialyzer 16 is connected with the storage tank 120 and the handheld cramp massager 110 through the drain fluid connection 14. The drain fluid connection 14 having the valve 136 to supply or stop the fluid draining from the dialyzer 16, and the drain fluid connection 14 split into two connection pipes (14a, 14b), where a first connection pipe 14a is configured to transport the hot drain fluid to the storage tank 120 and a second connection pipe 14b is configured to transport the hot drain fluid to the handheld cramp massager 110 that massages muscular cramps.
[0070] In one embodiment herein, at least one pressure sensor is arranged in the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 to detect the blood pressure of the patient 18. When the patient’s blood pressure is low, the controller 112 alerts the technician and the patient 18 through the user interface 116 and also suggests the patient 18 to place the patient’s legs in the U-shaped grooves 118 of the leg supporting plate 104. The controller 112 activates the pump in a dialysate tank and the heat exchanger 140 to fill the expandable cushions 106 with the hot drain fluid. The expandable cushions 106 are inflated from the bottom up, which creates a pushing effect on the patient’s calves. This aids to increase the patient’s blood circulation. Once the expandable cushions 106 are filled to the maximum, the pump stops and the fluid drops down due to gravity. This deflates the expandable cushions 106. The expandable cushions 106 are inflated and deflated periodically to massage the patient’s calves and improve blood circulation.
[0071] In some embodiments, the expandable cushions 106 could be filled with hydrogel liquids instead of the hot drain fluid. Further, the hydrogel liquids are made up of 90-95% water, which aids to hydrate the skin and tissues of the calf. This aid to improve circulation and reduce inflammation. The hydrogel liquids are non-toxic and non-irritating, making them safe to use on all skin types.
[0072] In addition to the expandable cushions 106, the leg supporting plate 104 is used to change the patient’s position to the Trendelenburg position. The Trendelenburg position is a medical position in which the patient’s head is lower than their feet. This position increases blood flow to the heart and brain. To change the patient’s position to the Trendelenburg position, the controller 112 activates the chair’s reclining motor to arrange the chair’s back support to 180° angle, i.e., supine position. Next, the controller 112 activates a motor, which is connected to the leg supporting plate 104, and a chair base motor to change the legs angle of the patient 18 to 15 degrees upwards. Thereby, the leg supporting plate 104 moves to the Trendelenburg position to alleviate the low blood pressure. The Trendelenburg position is a medical position in which the patient’s head is lower than their feet. This position increases blood flow to the heart and brain.
[0073] In one embodiment, the inflation-deflation action to calf muscles and changing the position of chair 12 can be done simultaneously, where the positional change of chair 12 is performed very slowly so that patient 18 don’t feel any sudden change in their position. Thus, the patient 18 position is changed to the Trendelenburg position to alleviate the low blood pressure.
[0074] These two actions of providing inflation-deflation action to calf muscles and changing the position of chair is done simultaneously, where the positional change of chair is performed very slowly so that patient 18 don’t feel any sudden change in their position. The leg supporting plate 104 and the expandable cushions 106 are a valuable addition to any dialysis chair 12. The leg supporting plate 104 and the expandable cushions 106 can improve the blood circulation and alleviate the low blood pressure. The leg supporting plate 104 and the expandable cushions 106 change the patient’s position to the Trendelenburg position, which is beneficial for patients 18 with certain medical conditions.
[0075] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 3A refers to a perspective view depicting the patient facing towards the beeswax air purifier 108. FIG. 3B refers to a perspective view of the beeswax air purifier 108. FIG. 3C refers to a perspective view of opened beeswax air purifier 108. In one embodiment herein, the beeswax air purifier 108 is configured to supply clean and pleasant air to the patient 18. The beeswax air purifier 108 is configured to supply clean and pleasant purified air to the patient 18. This purified air reduces the nausea and vomiting conditions, and moisturizes the patient’s skin. The beeswax air purifier 108 is attached below the user interface 116 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10. In specific, the beeswax air purifier 108 is connected to the controller 112 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 through the network 114. The network 114 includes either a wired communicating path or a wireless communicating path. The wireless communicating path comprises, but not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, a wireless local-area network (WLAN), etc.
[0076] In one embodiment herein, the beeswax air purifier 108 comprises a blower 142, a film layer 126 integrated with a heater 144, a flap 130 to direct the purified air, and a housing 132 with an openable lid 134 to secure the blower 142 and the film layer 126.The blower 142 is configured to draw air into the beeswax air purifier 108. The air is then passed through the film layer 126, which is heated by the heater 144 to purify the air and removes any impurities to generate purified air. The flap 130 is configured to direct the purified air to the patient 18.
[0077] The film layer 126 is made with either a either a favoured wax film sheet or an un-waxed layer that has been shown to be effective at purifying air. The favoured wax film sheet comprises either beeswax sheets or lemon grass sheets or other flavoured sheets. The beeswax layer traps impurities in the air, such as dust, pollen, and bacteria. The heater 144 is configured to heat the air, which helps to kill any bacteria that may be present in the air and provide purified air. The flap 130 is configured to direct the purified air towards the patient 18. The flap 130 is adjusted to direct the air to the patient’s face, chest, or feet. In specific, the flap 130 is a movable barrier that controls the airflow through the beeswax air purifier 108. The flap 130 can be opened or closed to adjust the amount of the purified air that is filtered.
[0078] The combination of the blower 142, the film layer 126, and the heater 144 makes the beeswax air purifier 108 very effective at purifying air and making the purified air more pleasant to breathe. The beeswax air purifier 108 assists to reduce nausea and vomiting, and further to moisturize the patient’s skin. During dialysis, the patient’s skin can become dry. The purified air from the beeswax air purifier 108 moisturizes the patient’s skin and prevent dry skin.
[0079] The controller 112 activates the heater 144 when the favoured wax film sheet is inserted into the sheet insert 128, and does not activate the heater 144 when the un-waxed sheet is inserted into the sheet insert 128.
[0080] For instance, when the beeswax air purifier 108 is turned on by the controller 112, the blower 142 circulates the air through the beeswax air purifier 108. The air passes through the film layer 126, where the air is filtered and cleaned. The purified air is then routed towards the patient 18 via the flap 130 and the blower 142.
[0081] The heater 144 is only activated when the favoured wax film sheet such as either beeswax sheets or lemon grass sheets or other flavoured sheets is inserted into the sheet insert 128. This is because the favoured wax film sheet is designed to be used with heat. The heat aids to improve the performance of the beeswax air purifier 108 and remove more pollutants from the air.
[0082] In one embodiment, the dialysis nurse is needed provide input to the controller 112 for operation of the heater 144 in the beeswax air purifier 108 via the user interface 116. The dialysis nurse is allowed to input the nature of the film layer 126 such as whether the film layer 126 is either the favoured wax film sheet or the un-waxed sheet.
[0083] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the handheld cramp massager 110 is configured to be heated by the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16. This heat relieves muscle cramps. The handheld cramp massager 110 is arranged beside the dialysis chair 12. The handheld cramp massager 110 is a small, portable device that is used to massage the patient’s muscles. The handheld cramp massager 110 is fluidly connected to the drain fluid connection 14 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10, as shown in FIG. 1B. The used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16 is passed through the heat exchanger 140, which heats the fluid. The heated fluid is then transferred to the handheld cramp massager 110.
[0084] The handheld cramp massager 110 comprises two layers. A top layer is a heat insulating layer that is configured to maintain hotness in the handheld cramp massager 110. A bottom layer is a massaging layer that is designed to massage the patient’s muscles. The handheld cramp massager 110 also has a handle that makes it easy for the patient 18 to hold.
[0085] When the patient 18 is experiencing muscle cramps, the handheld cramp massager 110 is applied to the affected area. The heat from the handheld cramp massager 110 relaxes the muscles and relieve the cramps. The massaging layer is further configured to massage the muscles and improve blood circulation.
[0086] In addition to relieving muscle cramps, the handheld cramp massager 110 is capable of reducing nausea sensation. This is because the heat from the handheld cramp massager 110 stimulates the vagus nerve, which is a nerve that is involved in the control of nausea. The handheld cramp massager 110 is a safe and effective way to relieve muscle cramps and nausea. The handheld cramp massager 110 is a convenient and portable device that is used by patients 18 during dialysis treatment.
[0087] Further, the handheld cramp massager 110is made with a soft, flexible material that is comfortable to use. The handheld cramp massager 110is filled with a heated fluid that is safe for human contact. The handheld cramp massager 110is easy to clean and disinfect. The handheld cramp massager 110 is a valuable addition to any dialysis chair 12. The handheld cramp massager 110 relieves muscle cramps and nausea, which improves the patient’s comfort and make dialysis treatment more tolerable.
[0088] In one embodiment, whenever the patient 18 has muscular cramps, the patient 18uses the handheld cramp massager 110to help relieve the pain. By coming into touch with the body, this heat therapy not only lessens muscular cramping but also lessens nausea by contacting the handheld cramp massager 110on the abdominal area.
[0089] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 4 refers to a flowchart 400 of a method for operating the system 100 of the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 to monitor patients. At step 402, the controller 112 activates the valve 136 to transfer the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer 16 to the heat exchanger 140 to obtain the hot drain fluid upon detection of low blood pressure of a patient 18. At step 404, the controller 112 transmits one or more notifications to the patient 18 through the user interface 116 to place legs into the two U-shaped grooves 118 of the leg supporting plate 104. At step 406, the controller 112 further activates the submersible pump 122 to fill the plurality of expandable cushions 106 with the hot drain fluid through transfer channels 124, thereby inflating and deflating periodically to massage the patient’s calf muscles to improve blood circulation and alleviate the low blood pressure of the patient 18.
[0090] At step 408, the controller 112 further activates the chair’s reclining motor to adjust a chair’s back support at an angle of at least 180° in order to change the patient’s position to the Trendelenburg position. At step 410, the controller 112 further activates the motor connected to the leg supporting plate 104, and the chair base motor, respectively, to change the angle of the patient’s legs at least 15° upwards to treat the low blood pressure of the patient 18. Further, at step 412, the controller 112 analyzes the detected physiological parameters for activating the beeswax air purifier 108 when the patient 18 is experiencing the conditions of nausea and vomiting if the detected physiological parameters exceed a threshold limit.
[0091] Numerous advantages of the present disclosure may be apparent from the discussion above. In accordance with the present disclosure, a system 100 is disclosed that is integrated with a multi-functional dialysis machine 10 to mitigate side effects that patient 18 undergo during dialysis process.
[0092] The system 100 for the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 to monitor multiple dialysis patients 18 for avoiding intradialytic complications, for example, hypotension, muscle cramps nausea, vomiting, etc. during and after a dialysis treatment. The system 100 detects the intradialytic complications and provides relaxation iterations for the dialysis patients 18. The dialysis care chair for improving the blood circulation of the dialysis patients 18. The system 100 with an air purifier delivers a pleasant aroma in order to avoid nausea and vomiting conditions of the dialysis patients 18.
[0093] The dialysis care system 100 allows the dialysis patient 18 from a standard position to the Trendelenburg position to increase the blood flow from the legs to the heart. The system 100 with the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 activates one or more massaging devices for providing a massaging action for the dialysis patients 18 during and after a dialysis treatment to improve blood circulation and potentially assist in managing low blood pressure. The system 100 is provided with one or more massaging devices to provide a heat therapy to alleviate not only muscle cramps but also reduces nausea sensation by contacting the heating pouch on the abdominal area. The system 100 with the multi-functional dialysis machine 10 provides purified air to the dialysis patients 18 by neutralizing positively charged dust particles, allergens, and even some airborne bacteria and viruses.
[0094] It will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations can be made to the processes described in the foregoing examples without departing from the principles underlying the invention, and all such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this application.
,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
I/We claim
1. A system (100) for a multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients, comprising:
a stress monitoring patch (102) disposed on at least one handle of the dialysis chair (12), wherein the stress monitoring patch (102) is configured to detect one or more physiological parameters of a patient (18);
a calf massage apparatus (138) attached to one front leg of the dialysis chair (12), wherein the calf massage apparatus (138) comprises:
a leg supporting plate (104) with two U-shaped grooves (118) configured to receive and support the patient's legs and movably connect to the dialysis chair (12) for changing a position of the patient's body to a Trendelenburg position to alleviate low blood pressure;
plurality of expandable cushions (106) disposed within the each of the U-shaped groove (118) and fluidly connected to a drain fluid connection (16), wherein the plurality of expandable cushions (106) is configured to inflated and deflated periodically to massage the patient's calf muscles whenever the plurality of expandable cushions (106) is filled with a hot drain fluid from a dialyzer (16) via a heat exchanger (140);
a storage tank (120) disposed within the calf massage apparatus (138) and fluidly connected to a submersible pump (122), wherein the submersible pump (122) is configured to transfer a used dialysate fluid from the storage tank (120) to the plurality of expandable cushions (106) through transfer channels (124);
a beeswax air purifier (108) configured to supply clean and pleasant air to the patient (18);
a handheld cramp massager (110) fluidly connected to the drain fluid connection (16), wherein the handheld cramp massager (110) is configured to be heated by the drain fluid from the dialyzer (16); and
a controller (112) communicated with the stress monitoring patch (102), a drive unit of the leg supporting plate (104), the submersible pump (122), and the beeswax air purifier (108) through a network (114),
wherein the controller (112) is configured to:
activate a valve (136) to transfer the used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer (16) to the heat exchanger (140) when the controller (112) detects the low blood pressure of the patient (18);
send one or more notifications through the user interface (116) to the patient (18) for placing the legs into said the U-shaped grooves (118) of the leg supporting plate (104);
activate the submersible pump (122) to fill the plurality of expandable cushions (106) with the hot drain fluid;
activate a chair’s reclining motor to adjust the chair’s back support at an angle of at least 180° to change a position of the patient (18) to a Trendelenburg position;
activate the motor connected to the leg supporting plate (104), and a chair base motor, respectively, to change the angle of the patient’s legs at least 15° upwards to treat the low blood pressure of the patient (18); and
analyze the detected physiological parameters, and activate the beeswax air purifier (108) when the patient (18) is experiencing nausea and vomiting conditions based on the detected physiological parameters.
2. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stress monitoring patch (102) is a multi-layer integration of a temperature sensor, a skin conductance sensor and a pulse-wave sensor, wherein the one or more physiological parameters of the patient (18) include a skin temperature, a skin conductance, and a pulse rate.
3. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (112) is configured to:
compare stored data with the detected physiological parameters, and determine that the patient (18) is experiencing the conditions of nausea and vomiting if the detected physiological parameters exceed a threshold limit set by the stored data; and
alert a technician by displaying the patient's nausea and vomiting conditions through the user interface (116).
4. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of expandable cushions (106) having small protrusions to enhance blood circulation whenever the plurality of expandable cushions (106) is expanded after being filled with the hot drain fluid.
5. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage tank (120) and the handheld cramp massager (110) are fluidly connected to the dialyzer (16) through a first connection pipe (14a) and a second connection pipe (14b) for receiving the hot drain fluid.
6. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger (140) is configured to heat the drain fluid from the dialyzer (16) to obtain the hot drain fluid, wherein the hot drain fluid is then transferred to the handheld cramp massager (110) and the storage tank (120).
7. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beeswax air purifier (108) comprises:
a film layer (126) placed in front of a flap (130), a blower (142), and a heater (144), wherein the film layer (126) is heated by the heater (144) to clean and purify air and allows the purified air towards the patient (18) via the flap (130) and the blower (142), wherein the heater (144) and the blower (142) are arranged at the rear end of the film layer (126); and
a sheet insert (128) for receiving the film layer (126), where the film layer (126) comprises at least one of a favoured wax film sheet and an un-waxed layer,
wherein the controller (112) activates the heater (144) when the favoured wax film sheet is inserted into the sheet insert (128) as the film layer (126).
8. The system (100) for the multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handheld cramp massager (110) comprises a top layer to maintain heat at a temperature in the handheld cramp massager (110) and a bottom layer to provide massage actions to the patient's muscles, wherein the top layer is a heat insulating layer and the bottom layer is a massaging layer.
9. A method for operating a system (100) of a multi-functional dialysis machine (10) to monitor patients, comprising:
activating, by a controller (112), a valve (136) to transfer a used dialysate fluid from a dialyzer (16) to a heat exchanger (140) to obtain a hot drain fluid upon detection of low blood pressure of a patient (18);
transmitting, by the controller (112), one or more notifications to the patient (18) through a user interface (116) to place legs into two U-shaped grooves (118) of a leg supporting plate (104);
activating, by the controller (112), a submersible pump (122) to fill plurality of expandable cushions (106) with the hot drain fluid through transfer channels (124), thereby inflating and deflating the expandable cushions (106) periodically to massage the patient’s calf muscles to improve blood circulation and alleviate the low blood pressure of the patient (18);
activating, by the controller (112), a chair’s reclining motor to adjust a chair’s back support at an angle of at least 180° to change a position of the patient (18) to a Trendelenburg position;
activating, by the controller (112), a motor connected to the leg supporting plate (104), and a chair base motor, respectively, to change the angle of the patient’s legs at least 15° upwards to treat the low blood pressure of the patient (18); and
analyzing, by the controller (112), the detected physiological parameters for activating a beeswax air purifier (108) when the patient (18) is experiencing the conditions of nausea and vomiting if the detected physiological parameters exceed a threshold limit.