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Detectors designed to discover air bubbles and/or foam in the blood that is returned to the body (usually through an arterio-venous fistula) by the extracorporeal blood circuit of a hemodialysis machine. These devices may detect the air bubbles (and also foam) using either ultrasonic sensors that detect changes in acoustic density or less frequently photoelectric sensors that detect infrared light by a photocell when a bubble is passing, otherwise the light is interrupted by the blood flow. Hemodialysis unit air bubble/foam detectors usually trigger alarms and activate automated mechanisms to stop the infusion.
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