System for controlling blood flow rate in an extracorporeal blood oxygenation circuit

1. A control system for use in a perfusion system during an end phase of perfusion support, the perfusion system having a pump to circulate blood from a reservoir via a main blood line towards an outlet of the main blood line, the control system configured to restrict the flow rate of blood in a venous line in which blood is permitted to flow from an inlet towards an outlet of the venous line, wherein the control system comprises:

a first flow sensor configured to determine a first flow value indicative of the flow rate in the venous line;

a second flow sensor configured to determine a second flow value indicative of the flow rate in the main blood line;

a controller configured to process the first flow value and the second flow value, and to modulate operation of the pump to maintain the throughput towards the outlet of the main blood line at a pre-determined flow rate; and

an adjustable restriction responsive to the controller, wherein the adjustable restriction is configured to reduce the flow rate in the venous line to maintain a flow rate that does not exceed a restriction threshold, and wherein

the controller is further configured to

receive, as an input, a pressure value indicative of the physiological blood pressure of a patient,

determine a difference between the second flow value and the pre-determined output flow rate, and to adjust pump parameters to reduce the difference,

initially, maintain the pre-determined output flow rate above the restriction threshold, and

subsequently, adjust the pre-determined output flow rate and/or the restriction threshold in response to a change in the pressure value.

2. The control system in accordance with claim 1 , further configured to determine if the first flow value exceeds the restriction threshold by a pre-determined margin, and configured to effect an adjustment of the adjustable restriction to maintain the flow rate below the restriction threshold.

3. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable restriction comprises a gradually actuatable occlusive device.

4. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to allow the restriction threshold and the pre-determined output flow rate to be set independently.

5. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the pre-determined output flow rate relative to the restriction threshold.

6. The control system according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to maintain the pre-determined output flow rate at a level selected from the group consisting of: above the restriction threshold, at the restriction threshold, and below the restriction threshold.

7. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure value comprises a value selected from the group consisting of: the Central Venous Pressure (CVP) and the Pulmonary Artery Diastolic Pressure (PAD).

8. The control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor and software instructions implemented by the processor permitting it to control the adjustable restriction in response to the first flow value.

9. The control system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second flow sensor is provided in the form of an arrangement deriving the second flow value from pump parameters or from operational characteristics of the pump.

10. A method of restricting the flow rate of blood in a perfusion system during an end phase of perfusion support, the perfusion system comprising a pump to circulate blood from a reservoir via a main blood line towards an outlet of the main blood line, the method being for restricting the flow rate of blood in a venous-line in which blood is permitted to flow from an inlet towards an outlet of the venous line, the method comprising:

determining, by a first flow sensor, a first flow value indicative of the flow rate in the venous line;

in response to the first flow value, controlling an adjustable restriction to reduce the flow rate in the venous line to maintain a flow rate that does not exceed a restriction threshold;

determining, by a second flow sensor, a second flow value indicative of the flow rate in the main blood line;

controlling operation of the pump to maintain throughput towards the outlet of the main blood line at a pre-determined flow rate;

monitoring a pressure value indicative of the physiological blood pressure of a patient;

determining if there is an output difference between the second flow value and the pre-determined output flow rate;

adjusting parameters of the pump to reduce the output difference;

initially, maintaining the pre-determined output flow rate above the restriction threshold;

determining if the physiological blood pressure exceeds a pressure threshold; and

subsequently, adjusting the pre-determined output flow rate and/or the restriction threshold in response to a change in the pressure value.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10 , further comprising:

determining if the first flow value exceeds the restriction threshold by a pre-determined margin, and

adjusting the adjustable restriction to maintain the flow rate below the restriction threshold.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising adjusting the pre-determined output flow rate relative to the restriction threshold.

13. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising synchronously adjusting the pre-determined output flow rate and the restriction threshold.

14. The method in accordance with claim 10 , comprising, while the pressure value is below the pre-determined pressure threshold, increasing the restriction threshold.

15. The method in accordance with claim 10 , comprising, while the pressure value exceeds the pre-determined pressure threshold, reducing the restriction threshold.