An implantable device for treating hypervolemia includes an expandable chamber, a rigid chamber coupled to the expandable chamber, a first valve in fluid communication with both the expandable chamber and the rigid chamber, a second valve in fluid communication with the rigid chamber and an exterior of the implantable device, and an osmotic fluid. The expandable chamber includes a first semipermeable membrane. The rigid chamber includes a piston. The first valve has an open position to permit fluid flow between the expandable chamber and the rigid chamber. The second valve has an open position to permit fluid flow from the rigid chamber to the exterior of the implantable device. The osmotic fluid has a higher osmotic concentration than bodily fluid. The osmotic fluid is designed to absorb water from the bodily fluid through the first semipermeable membrane.

A catheter (100) for treating hypervolemia in a patient includes a luminal ingress (112) joined to a luminal egress (114) at a distal end portion (116) of the catheter having a closed distal end (102). The distal end portion is configured to at least temporarily reside within a vessel of the patient, the distal end portion including a semipermeable membrane. The luminal ingress is designed to convey an influent having a first osmotic concentration to the distal end portion. The semipermeable membrane is configured to pass blood-borne water from the vessel into the distal portion. The blood-borne water is absorbed by the influent to produce an effluent having a second osmotic concentration lower than the first osmotic concentration. Systems (200) with the catheter and methods for treating hypervolemia are also disclosed.

Dialysis systems and methods are described which can include a number of features. The dialysis systems described can be to provide dialysis therapy to a patient in the comfort of their own home. The dialysis system can be configured to prepare purified water from a tap water source in real-time that is used for creating a dialysate solution. The dialysis systems described also include features that make it easy for a patient to self-administer therapy.

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for blood and other biological fluid purification using a membrane with cell containing vascular channel systems and filtration channel systems. Also disclosed are methods of making the apparatus as well as methods of making membranes.

The invention concerns the field of medical devices, more particularly devices for joint extraction, within an organism, of at least one metal cation and at least one target molecule. In order to do this, the device comprises: a) at least one ligand exhibiting specific affinity for the target molecule; b) at least one means for extraction of the metal cation, said means being a perfusion fluid comprising at least one chelating agent, the perfusion fluid being contained in a dialysis or microdialysis system. The use of these devices makes it possible, for example, to prevent and/or treat pathologies linked to dysregulation of the homeostasis of metals and/or target molecules in the organism, for example neurological diseases and/or proteinopathies.

Described are means for the direct and continuous connection of a catheter to the lumen of any tubular anatomical structure, or ductus, without medically significant leakage. A port implanted at the body surface with piping to a periductal collar allows drug or radionuclide delivery that bypasses the upstream lumen. The port allows injection, infusion, aspiration, or attachment of an automatic ambulatory pump. A superparamagnetic nanoparticle carrier-bound drug, for example, can be introduced into the lumen to pass downstream until the particles, with or without the drug still bound, are drawn into the lumen wall by a magnetized jacket surrounding the ductus. Such constitutes a method of drug targeting whereby a segment of a vessel or the territory supplied by a branch of that segment can be circumscribed for exposure to the drug. A jacket with side-entry connector positioned in surrounding relation to a lesion requiring treatment can itself be magnetized.

Bioartificial ultrafiltration devices comprising a scaffold comprising a population of cells enclosed in a matrix and disposed adjacent a plurality of channels are provided. The population of cells provides molecules such as therapeutic molecules to a subject in need thereof and is supported by the nutrients filtered in an ultrafiltrate from the blood of the subject. The plurality of channels in the scaffold facilitate the transportation of the ultrafiltrate and exchange of molecules between the ultrafiltrate and the population of cells.

A portable device for removal of metabolic waste from the blood of patient having kidney disease or in need of hemodialysis is provided. Methods of hemodialysis employing the portable device beneficially obtain a dialysate by electrokinetic means from excess fluid in the peripheral blood of the patient in need thereof. The methods employ a branched microfluidic channel for the use of ion concentration polarization to separate charged from neutral species in blood to obtain the dialysate for undergoing hemodialysis. Beneficially the methods and device are resistant to biofouling, remove the need for a dialysate and/or dialysate reservoir, and provide a disposable, wearable device.

The present disclosure describes intravascular oxygenation systems and methods with one or more of improved oxygen diffusion flux, improved resistance to bubble formation on the surface of non-porous hollow fibers, and reduced size. The systems and methods include a pneumatic inlet coupled to a pneumatic source that provides a gas containing oxygen at a high pressure. A plurality of hollow fiber membranes (HFM) are in pneumatic communication with the pneumatic inlet to receive the gas containing oxygen and with an outlet to exhaust a partially deoxygenated gas. An electronic controller drives the motor to oscillate the plurality of HFMs to cause a diffusive flux of the gas containing oxygen from the plurality of HFMs into a region of interest of a subject. The electronic controller may drive the motor according to an oscillation pattern, which may include a macro-oscillation with superimposed micro-oscillations.

The present invention relates to a purification/filtration system using reverse electro-osmotic flow through a composite or hybrid membrane element. The invention also relates to a process for purifying an electrolyte solution using such system. The invention further relates to a water purification system, a water desalination system and an implantable artificial kidney, comprising a reverse electro-osmotic filtration system according to the invention.