A fluid conduit includes a first portion having a first porosity, a second portion disposed immediately adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having a second porosity that is greater than the first porosity, and a third portion of the fluid conduit disposed immediately adjacent to the second portion, the third portion having a third porosity that is less than the second porosity. Each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion may be integrally formed as a single, continuous piece defining the fluid conduit.

A pharmacologically acceptable emulsion of biocompatible solvent microdroplets is provided for treating atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke. Intravenous administration of the biocompatible solvent microdroplets enables the microdroplets to bind and dissolve free cholesterol, cholesterol esters or other fatty compounds within the plaque. A high level of selectivity is ensured from energy principals, by designing the microdroplets to have a low interfacial surface energy when binding to free cholesterol or cholesterol esters in arterial plaque and a high interfacial surface energy when coming into contact with blood cells or endothelial cells along the walls of blood vessels. A review of many compounds which may form the basis of the biocompatible solvent from which the microdroplets are fabricated, as well as their solubility parameters are provided. Furthermore, a specially designed catheter with a micromachined tip is also provided to allow the microdroplets to be generated directly within a blood vessel, as an alternative to emulsification.

A system and method for balancing flows of renal replacement fluid is disclosed. The method uses pressure controls and pressure sensing devices to more precisely meter and balance the flow of fresh dialysate and spent dialysate. The balancing system may use one or two balancing devices, such as a balance tube, a tortuous path, or a balance chamber.

A medical fluid delivery system includes: a medical fluid delivery machine including a component having at least one of associated output data or associated test data; at least one of a (i) component output replacement limit and a component output soft limit for the component or (ii) a component testing replacement limit or a component testing soft limit for the component; and a computer programmed to store at least one of (i) or (ii), and for (i) analyze the output data to provide a first indication of how well the component is performing relative to the component output replacement limit and the component output soft limit, and for (ii) analyze the test data to provide a second indication of how well the at least one component is testing relative to the component testing replacement limit and the component testing soft limit.

Devices, systems, and methods for medication infusion are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a patient access subassembly, a first fluid reservoir, a second fluid reservoir, and an assembly. The assembly can have a first configuration in which the patient access subassembly is in fluid communication with the first fluid reservoir via a first tube, a second configuration in which the first fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the second fluid reservoir, and a third configuration in which the first fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the patient access subassembly via a second tube, the first fluid reservoir fluidically isolated from the first tube in the third configuration.

A fluid conduit includes a first portion having a first porosity, a second portion disposed immediately adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having a second porosity that is greater than the first porosity, and a third portion of the fluid conduit disposed immediately adjacent to the second portion, the third portion having a third porosity that is less than the second porosity. Each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion may be integrally formed as a single, continuous piece defining the fluid conduit.

A dialysis system is provided that includes a dialysis machine and a potassium sensing device that is configured to measure the concentration of potassium in the patient's blood, in spent dialysate resulting from treating the patient, or in both. The potassium sensing device can be configured to generate a sensed value of the concentration of potassium. A control and computing unit, including a processor and a memory, is configured to receive the sensed value, compare the value with one or more values stored in the memory, and generate a control signal based on the comparison. A potassium infusion circuit uses the control signal to infuse supplemental potassium solution into the treatment dialysate, a replacement fluid, or both. The memory can include stored patient-historical and population data.

The present disclosure provides systems for controlling infusion of one or more supplements into blood received from a patient. The systems may include at least one extracorporeal circulatory support system including a pump, fluid conduits, and at least one sensor configured to measure one or more parameters of the blood. The system also may include a fluid flow regulator coupled to the extracorporeal circulatory support system; and a processor, a memory, and associated circuitry communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one fluid flow regulator. The system receives measurement signals corresponding to parameters of blood from the at least one sensor and determines one or more target values for the parameters of blood based on a patient profile and/or the measurements. The system may control the fluid flow regulator to cause an infusion of at least one supplemental fluid from a supplemental fluid source into the blood.

A fluid sampling or infusion device for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus comprises: a protective body (29) having a first aperture (30) and a second aperture (31) and comprising a connecting device (28) configured to connect, optionally in removable manner, the protective body (29) to a sampling or infusion site (20) of the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus (1); a needle assembly (33) comprising a first end (34) connected or connectable, optionally in removable manner, to a syringe (22) and a needle (35) protruding from a second end opposite the first end (34). The needle assembly (33) is movable inside the protective body (29) between a first position and a second position. In the first position the needle (35) is completely enclosed by the protective body (29) and in the second position the needle (35) protrudes from the second aperture (31) to pierce the sampling or infusion site (20).

An apparatus for extracorporeal treatment of fluid and a process of setting up a medical apparatus for the delivery or collection of fluids are disclosed. According to the apparatus and the process, a control unit (10) is configured calculate set values of two or more of the fluid flow rates based on a fluid flow rate set by the operator and on a prescribed dose value (D.sub.set).