The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. In one set of embodiments, a hemodialysis system may include a blood flow path and a dialysate flow path, where the dialysate flow path includes one or more of a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. Preparation of dialysate by the preparation circuit, in some instances, may be decoupled from patient dialysis. In some cases, the circuits are defined, at least partially, within one or more cassettes, optionally interconnected with conduits, pumps, or the like. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the hemodialysis system. In some cases, a gas supply may be provided in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path and/or the dialyzer that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate to pass through the dialyzer and urge blood in the blood flow path back to the patient. Such a system may be useful, for example, in certain emergency situations (e.g., a power failure) where it is desirable to return as much blood to the patient as possible. The hemodialysis system may also include, in another aspect of the invention, one or more fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, or the like, which can be actuated using a control fluid, such as air. In some cases, the control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using an external pump or other device, which may be detachable in certain instances. In one embodiment, one or more of the fluid handling devices may be generally rigid (e.g., having a spheroid shape), optionally with a diaphragm contained within the device, dividing it into first and second compartments.

The present disclosure relates to a medical treatment apparatus which includes at least one port, a device for closing, a compressed-air source and a control device and/or closed-loop control device. The port serves to establish fluid communication between at least one fluid line of the treatment apparatus associated with the interior of a treatment apparatus and a connector of a fluid line of a disposable associated with the exterior of the treatment apparatus. The sealing device is designed as a rinsing cap and serves to seal an interior of the port with respect to an exterior of the treatment apparatus. The compressed-air source is used to introduce air into the port along at least one sterile-air line. The control device and/or closed-loop control device is programmed to cause the compressed-air source to build-up and/or maintain a predetermined minimum overpressure in the sterile-air line, the compressed-air source and/or inside the port.

Provided is a blood purification apparatus configured to keep a blood pump from being driven until a puncture needle is removed. The blood purification apparatus includes a blood circuit which is coupled with a puncture needle punctured into a patient and through which blood from the patient flows; a blood pump that is provided to the blood circuit and delivers liquid in the blood circuit by being driven; a needle removal detector that detects removal of the puncture needle from the patient; and a controller that starts a blood return process to return the blood in the blood circuit to the patient and puts the blood pump in a non-active state in response to determination that the blood return process ends.

The present invention relates to an insert piece for a blood tubing set that includes a first connection site for connecting a first tubing portion of the blood tubing set to the insert piece; a second connection site for connecting a second tubing portion of the blood tubing set to the insert piece; a third connection site for connecting a third tubing portion of the blood tubing set to the insert piece; a first main line for conducting a first liquid through the insert piece; a second main line for conducting the first liquid through the insert piece; a secondary line for conducting a second liquid into at least one of the first main line, and the second main line; and a connection portion which connects both main lines to each other or to the second connection site.

A renal failure therapy system includes a dialyzer; a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer; a housing supporting the dialyzer, the blood circuit and the dialysis fluid circuit; and at least one electrical socket held by the housing, the electrical socket providing a voltage output dedicated to a particular voltage type of external electrical device for powering or charging the external electrical device, the at least one electrical socket including electrical insulation for protecting a patient while powering the external electrical device.

A separation membrane module includes a separation membrane including a hydrophobic polymer, a hydrophilic polymer, and polymer A, wherein the polymer A includes a hydrophilic unit and a hydrophobic unit, and is a copolymer having an alkyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms at a side-chain terminal of the hydrophobic unit, the separation membrane module having a retention rate of an albumin sieving coefficient of 86% or more at 60 minutes after circulation start relative to an albumin sieving coefficient at 10 minutes after circulation start when 2 L of bovine blood containing 50 U/ml of heparin, and having a hematocrit of 30% by volume and a total protein concentration of 6 to 7 g/dl is circulated at a flow rate of 100 ml/min at 37° C. and a filtration flow rate of 10 ml/(min.Math.m.sup.2).

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for a protective-conductor connection to at least two fluid-conducting lines 11, 12, in particular to at least two fluid-conducting lines which are guided outwards from the interior of a housing 1 of a medico-technical device, in particular the housing of a blood treatment device. The circuit arrangement comprises a plurality of protection apparatuses 16A, 16B; 17A, 17B for electrical contacting which are designed such that an electrical connection to a fluid in the line can be produced using each protection apparatus for electrical contacting. In the circuit arrangement, at least two protection apparatuses 16A, 16B; 17A, 17B for electrical contacting are assigned to each fluid-conducting line 11, 12. As a result, two protective measures are taken for each fluid-conducting line. In addition, the protection apparatuses 16A, 16B; 17A, 17B of one fluid-conducting line 11; 12 are each electrically connected to another protection apparatus 16A, 16B; 17A, 17B of another fluid-conducting line 11; 12. The protective-conductor concept according to the invention improves safety for the patient and makes it possible to test the protective-conductor connection in a simple manner.

The invention relates to a method for producing a device for material exchange between two mediums, in which at least one mat of semipermeable hollow fibres (3) is wound onto a winding core (2), which has at least one core opening (2a) in its outer surface for a first in- or out-flowing medium, and the winding core (2) is arranged in an axially extending housing (1) having at least one housing opening (1a) for the first in- or out-flowing medium and the axial end regions of the housing (1) are sealed by an adhesive (4) arranged around the hollow fibres (3), wherein at least one chamber region (5) surrounding the hollow fibres (3) is formed via the adhesion between the axial end regions (1b, 1c) of the housing (1) and between the winding core (2) and the housing (1), through which chamber region the first medium can flow via the core opening (2a) and the housing opening (1a), wherein the axial distance between the core opening (2a) and the housing opening (1a) is adjusted to a desired value of multiple possible values via the axial shifting of the winding core (2) relative to the hollow fibre winding (3) arranged around the winding core (2) and relative to the housing (1), and the hollow fibres (3) are adhered to the side of the housing (1) near to the housing opening (1a) in a region between the axial end surface of the housing and the housing opening (1a), and the hollow fibres (3) are adhered to the side of the housing (1) near to the core opening (2a) in a region between the axial end surface of the housing and the core opening (2a). The invention also relates to a number of multiple devices for material exchange between two mediums, wherein all devices comprise at least identical housings (1) and winding cores (2) that are identical at least in regions.

A dialyzer housing manufacturing system includes a molding device configured to mold a dialyzer housing, and a tool coupled to a robotic arm and configured to retrieve the dialyzer housing from the molding device after the dialyzer housing is molded. The tool includes a frame, a first suction cup connected to a first portion of the frame, and a second suction cup connected to a second portion of the frame, the second suction cup being oriented about 70 degrees to about 110 degrees relative to the first suction cup.

The present technology provides micro fabricated filtration devices, methods of making such devices, and uses for microfabricated filtration devices. The devices may allow diffusion to occur between two fluids with improved transport resistance characteristics as compared to conventional filtration devices. The devices may include a compound structure that includes a porous membrane overlying a support structure. The support structure may define a cavity and a plurality of recesses formed in a way that can allow modified convective flow of a first fluid to provide improved diffusive transport between the first fluid and a second fluid through the membrane.