GB574803A - Apparatus for the treatment of blood - Google Patents

Abstract

574,803. Ultra-violet irradiation of blood. KNOTT, E. K. Jan. 5, 1943, No. 186. [Class 81 (ii)] Apparatus for treating blood by irradiation. before it is returned to the circulatory system of the patient, includes an exposure chamber 12 and means for interrupting, at predetermined intervals, the beam of ultra-violet irradiation directed by a generator 3 through a window of the exposure chamber. Blood, which has been withdrawn from the patient, is fed into a graduated container 56 from which it is withdrawn by a pump 31 and discharged into the exposure chamber 12. This chamber comprises a crystal front 26 preferably of quartz and a number of partitions 28, the spaces between which are connected by triangular apertures so that the blood flows to and fro across the crystal while moving from top to bottom of the chamber. The crystal 26 is attached to a sleeve 20 on the chamber by a clamping ring 25, the sleeve 20 being rotated by frictional contact with a driving wheel 30. This action keeps the crystal clean. The speed of rotation is preferably 1 r.p.m. Spaced a little from the quartz crystal 26 is an iris-type shutter 4 which is tripped to open by a pin 9 operated by a cam 10. The time of exposure of the blood to ultra-violet radiations from the generator 3 is regulated by a variable speed motor 35 which operates the cam 10, the friction wheel 30 and the pump 31; an adjustable "timer" is also fixed to the iris shutter. A fan 36, also driven by the motor 35, projects a stream of air between the shutter 4 and the crystal 26. This is stated to prevent the formation of ozone which would absorb ultra-violet energy in the region 2250/2750 A‹. To prevent over-pressure of the blood during re-injection into the patient, a stack pipe 58 and reservoir 59 may be provided or, alternatively, a spring-loaded by-pass valve. Specification 321,639, [Class 81 (ii)], is referred to.