A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system includes a PD fluid pump; a patient line for receiving used PD fluid pumped by the PD fluid pump during a patient drain; a pressure sensor positioned and arranged to sense a negative pressure associated with the PD fluid pumped during the patient drain; and a control unit configured to (i) determine or know a flowrate of the PD fluid pumped during the patient drain, (ii) determine an applied negative pressure at which the PD fluid pump is to pump the PD fluid during the patient drain, the applied pressure based on a pressure drop corresponding to the determined or known flowrate, and (iii) use sensed negative pressure from the pressure sensor to cause the PD fluid pump to pump the PD fluid during the patient drain at the applied negative pressure.

Pressure sensors, including optical pressure sensors for automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) systems, and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an APD system includes a diaphragm positioned over an opening in a cavity of a disposable set. The diaphragm has an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The diaphragm is configured to deform in response to a force applied against the diaphragm due to pressure of fluid within the cavity. The APD system further includes a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the fluid within cavity. The pressure sensor includes a light source and a photosensor. The light source is configured to irradiate the outer surface of the diaphragm with light, and the photosensor is configured to measure an amount of the light that is reflected off of the outer surface of the diaphragm and directed

A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system includes a cycler having a micropump actuator, a pressure transducer, and at least one valve actuator; a disposable set including a micropump head sized and shaped for mating with and being driven by the micropump actuator, a pressure sensor configured to operably communicate with the pressure transducer, and at least one fluid valve portion or a portion of at least one fluid line for interfacing with the at least one valve actuator; and a control unit, wherein the disposable set may be arranged to allow, and the control unit may be programmed to operate the micropump actuator and the at least one valve actuator, so that fresh and used dialysis fluid flows through the micropump head in a same direction. The system may also dampen pressure fluctuations via pressure pods, and may analyze the outputs from the pressure pods for patient empty and occlusion detection.

Pressure sensors, including pressure sensors for automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) systems, and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an APD system includes a diaphragm positioned over an opening in a disposable set that includes one or more fluid lines. The diaphragm is affixed to the disposable set about a periphery of the opening. The APD system further includes a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of fluid flowing through the disposable set. The pressure sensor includes a load cell and an indenter. The indenter can be moveable along an axis such that, when the diaphragm is aligned with the axis, a convexly curved surface of the indenter can be positioned against the diaphragm. When the indenter is contacting the diaphragm, the load cell can measure a force applied to the load cell by the diaphragm and/or by the fluid flowing through the disposable set.

A system and method are disclosed for the automated collection of dialysis data. An example method includes receiving and aggregating dialysis data comprising a fill volume amount and a drain volume amount for at least one continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (“CAPD”) cycle. The method also includes calculating an amount of ultrafiltration removed for each CAPD cycle by subtracting the fill volume amount from the drain volume amount for the respective CAPD cycle, and storing ultrafiltration data that is indicative of the amount of ultrafiltration removed as part of the aggregated dialysis data. The method further includes determining or receiving an indication that a dialysis machine is connected. After the dialysis machine is connected, the method includes transmitting the aggregated dialysis data to the dialysis machine to enable the aggregated dialysis data to be combined with additional dialysis data generated by the dialysis machine for determining total dialysis data.

A personalized chronic care system including (i) a sensor; (ii) a data receiving device separate from the sensor and configured to receive data directly or indirectly from the sensor; (iii) a data analytics device separate from the sensor and including at least one algorithm configured to analyze the sensor data and provide an analyzed data outcome; and (iv) at least one output device separate from the sensor and in communication with the data analytics device, the at least one output device configured to receive and communicate the analyzed data outcome to a health care provider.

A dialysate mixing machine may be configured to make dialysate on demand using, among other things, a plurality of concentrates in solid tablet form. For example, a prescription may be received by the dialysate mixing machine indicating the particular chemical constituents and amounts of each chemical constituent to be included in the dialysate. Based on the prescription, the dialysate mixing machine can determine the number of tablets required for each chemical constituent (and, e.g., the required amounts of other chemical constituents that are not in tablet form). The tablets are automatically dispensed and mixed with purified water, bicarbonate, and sodium chloride in a mixing chamber to produce the dialysate according to the prescription. The dialysate mixing machine may be used with and/or coupled to a dialysis machine (e.g., a hemodialysis (HD) machine designed for home use) to provide the dialysate on demand for a dialysis treatment.

A peritoneal dialysis system includes a cycler, a disposable set operable with the cycler and including a patient line and a drain line, one of (i) a water purifier for supplying purified water for mixing to form fresh dialysis fluid at the disposable set, (ii) at least one fresh dialysis fluid container provided as part of the disposable set for supplying fresh dialysis fluid, or (iii) a dialysis fluid preparation unit configured to supply fresh dialysis fluid to the disposable set, and at least one flow path insulator provided at the cycler, the water purifier, the dialysis fluid preparation unit, and/or along the drain line. The flow path insulator is configured to separate used dialysis fluid flowing along the drain line into flow segments to limit any current flowing from the patient to a drain.

Improvements in fluid volume measurement systems are disclosed for a pneumatically actuated diaphragm pump in general, and a peritoneal dialysis cycler using a pump cassette in particular. Pump fluid volume measurements are based on pressure measurements in a pump control chamber and a reference chamber in a two-chamber model, with different sections being modeled using a combination of adiabatic, isothermal and polytropic processes. Real time or instantaneous fluid flow measurements in a pump chamber of the diaphragm pump are also disclosed, in this case using a one-chamber ideal gas model and using a high speed processor to obtain and process pump control chamber pressures during fluid flow into or out of the pump chamber. Improved heater control circuitry is also disclosed, to provide added or redundant safety measures, or to reduce current leakage from a heater element during pulse width modulation control of the heater element. Improvements are also disclosed in an application of negative pressure during a drain phase in peritoneal dialysis therapy, and to control an amount of intraperitoneal fluid accumulation during the therapy. Improvements in efficiency are also disclosed in movement of fluid into and out of a two-pump cassette and a heater bag of the peritoneal dialysis cycler, and in synchronization of operation of two or more pumps in the peritoneal dialysis cycler or other fluid handling devices using a multi-pump arrangement.

A dialysis fluid apparatus includes a flexible dialysis fluid container, a holder structured such that the flexible dialysis fluid container is held vertically within the holder and conforms to a shape of the holder, a pressure sensor positioned and arranged to sense a pressure of a fluid held within the flexible dialysis fluid container, and a control unit configured to (i) store at least one cross-sectional area of the flexible dialysis fluid container, (ii) calculate a head height using the pressure of the fluid held within the flexible dialysis fluid container, and (iii) calculate a volume of the fluid held within the flexible dialysis fluid container using the cross-sectional area and the head height.