For people who require hemodialysis, home treatment is arguably their most attractive option; and it’s easy to understand why: rather than visit a dialysis center 3 days a week for the rest of their lives, most people would choose to undergo treatment from the comfort of their own home.

While there are advantages to having treatment administered by a certified medical professional, portable dialysis machines offer patients an unrivaled sense of freedom.

So how is this sense of independence made possible? With sensor technology.

Meet The Dream Team: How Bubble Detectors, Occlusion Sensors, Flow Meters, and Pressure Sensors Work Together

In order to make portable dialysis machines as safe and accessible as possible, different types of sensors should be engineered to work simultaneously.

To best understand how the sum of these parts make the dream of home hemodialysis a reality, let’s break down the role that each of these sensors must play.

Bubble Sensors Keep Air From Entering The Patient’s Veins

Air bubbles present a serious risk to the well-being of anyone who administers treatment with an IV. Why? Because they can make their way to the heart, lung, or brain, which could cause a stroke or a heart attack.

At a dialysis center, medical professionals watch diligently for the presence of air bubbles in IV lines.While sensors are a crucial part of large dialysis machines, too, they are arguably more important at home.To keep the threat of air embolism at bay, bubble sensors must be employed.  Bubble sensors, like the A430, are designed to monitor and alert portable dialysis machines to the presence of air in the line.

Occlusion Sensors Prevent BlockageCustom Occlusion Sensors

Occlusion sensors detect forces caused by pressure increases due to tube blockages that could possibly hinder the seamless cleansing of blood. Like bubble sensors, occlusion sensors can act on findings quickly. In most cases bubble sensors and occlusion sensors can be combined into one smaller package.

Pressure Sensors Monitor Patient Safety

Noninvasive pressure sensors can precisely measure pressure at critical points in the system, such as directly upstream of the blood pump, at the dialyzer inflow, and right before the blood is returned to a patient’s venous system. Ensuring blood is maintained at the proper pressure at all points in the process can be critical to preventing damage to the patient’s circulatory system or to the dialysis machine itself.

Ultrasonic Flow Meters Manage Flow Intensity

Flow Meters

Like sensors, not all dialysis patients are created equal. While they may share a similar affliction, everyone has their own unique treatment needs. For example, some people may require blood to pass through the dialyzer at a specific rate. Ultrasonic flow meters like the UF30610 noninvasive ultrasonic flow meter, help to ensure that blood is cleansed and transferred at the rate specified by the prescribing physician. Flow meters on the dialysate side of the system ensure proper blood filtration while flow meters on the blood side of the system ensure the correct amount of the patient’s blood has been cleaned.

Ready To Put It All Together? SMD Sensors Can Help!

If you’re interested in integrating bubble, occlusion, pressure, or flow sensors into your portable dialysis project, then call us today. We have already created sensor applications that combine both bubble and occlusion, but that’s not all we’re capable of: our experienced engineers will help map out and design sensors specifically for your needs.