Flow pulsatility dampening devices

1. A medical fluid infusion system comprising:

an infusion pump;

a fluid pathway for transporting a pulsatile flow of fluid from the infusion pump;

a dampening element in communication with the fluid pathway and operably independent from the infusion pump, the dampening element including a flexible fluid-contacting membrane and an enclosed area outside of the flexible membrane containing a compressible gas that absorbs pressure fluctuations of the pulsatile fluid flow to actively dampen the pressure fluctuations and to smoothen the pulsatile fluid flow, the dampening element operable as a fluid flow dampener in any orientation; and

a fluid flow sensor disposed along the fluid pathway downstream of the dampening element to measure the flowrate of the smoothened fluid flow.

2. The infusion system of claim 1 , wherein the infusion pump is a pulsatile infusion pump in communication with the fluid pathway, the infusion pump causing the pulsatile fluid flow.

3. The infusion system of claim 2 , which includes a control member operable with the fluid flow sensor and the infusion pump, the control member configured to receive flowrate information from the flow sensor and to adjust the infusion pump based on the flowrate information.

4. The infusion system of claim 1 , wherein the compressible gas includes air compressed from a compressed air source and an inner chamber holding the pumped fluid.

5. The infusion system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible membrane includes an expandable balloon or an expandable wall.

6. An infusion system comprising:

a fluid pathway;

an infusion pump for pumping a non-continuous flow of fluid through the fluid pathway;

a housing enclosing an expandable membrane, an inside of the membrane defining a chamber and that is in communication with the fluid pathway, an enclosed area outside of the chamber within the housing containing a compressible gas that absorbs pressure fluctuations of the non-continuous flowing fluid to smoothen the non-continuous flow, the housing and the chamber operable as a fluid flow dampener in any orientation; and

a fluid flow sensor disposed along the fluid pathway downstream of the housing, the fluid flow sensor configured to measure a flowrate of the smoothened fluid flow.

7. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 6 , wherein an inlet and an outlet of the chamber are arranged at least substantially parallel to one another so that the fluid has to change direction after entering the chamber.

8. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 6 , wherein the expandable membrane is an expandable balloon or an expandable wall.