A dialysis system includes a dialysis fluid metering pump; at least one volumetric balancing chamber including a first fixed volume chamber and a first diaphragm positioned and arranged to extend back and forth within the first volumetric balancing chamber; a first outlet line extending between the first volumetric balancing chamber and an inlet to the dialysis fluid metering pump; a second outlet line extending between the first volumetric balancing chamber and a drain line; a first inlet line extending between the first volumetric balancing chamber and an outlet from the dialysis fluid metering pump; a second inlet line extending between the first volumetric balancing chamber and a used dialysis fluid line.

The invention relates to a dialysis device that provides recirculating flow dialysis in a wearable and portable format. It uses an exchangeable purification unit holding a volume of dialysate and/or a sorbent system for the in-situ regeneration of dialysate. The invented dialysis device comprises a carrier that is mounted on a replaceable cartridge. The carrier holds the electronics, user-interface, actuators and sensors. It actuates, controls and monitors the dialysis operation. The cartridge is a replaceable part that is connected to the patient via a flexible tubing. It consists of a reusable housing with a memory chip and holds a disposable inlay containing the purification unit with fluid lines, connectors, dialysate and/or sorbents in combination with a nanofilter. The cartridge is intended for use during the day, as a wearable system. The cartridge can be enlarged with an extension set to offer more capacity. The extended cartridge is intended to be used during the night as a bedside device.

A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system includes a first volumetric balancing chamber including a first fixed volume chamber and a first diaphragm positioned and arranged to extend back and forth within the first fixed volume chamber, the first diaphragm separating a fresh PD fluid side from a used PD fluid side of the first volumetric balancing chamber; a second volumetric balancing chamber including a second fixed volume chamber and a second diaphragm positioned and arranged to extend back and forth within the second fixed volume chamber, the second diaphragm separating a fresh PD fluid side from a used PD fluid side of the second volumetric balancing chamber; and a PD fluid pump positioned and arranged to pump used PD fluid back and forth between the used PD fluid sides of the first and second volumetric balancing chamber.

A peritoneal dialysis system includes a control unit configured to cause (i) a fluid inlet valve and a fluid outlet valve to occlude a fluid inlet line and a fluid outlet line, respectively, while a linear actuator moves a piston to create a positive pressure within a pump housing, the positive pressure measured by a pressure sensor, and (ii) the fluid inlet valve to occlude the fluid inlet line and the fluid outlet valve to open the fluid outlet line, while the linear actuator moves the piston so as to maintain the positive pressure within the pump housing while fluid is pumped out of the fluid pump chamber via the opened fluid outlet line.

A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system having an air-aided pumping sequence is disclosed herein. In an example, a PD system includes a housing, a PD fluid pump housed by the housing, an airtrap, a fluid line extending from the airtrap, a fluid line valve positioned and arranged to operate with the fluid line, a gas line extending from an upper portion of the airtrap, and a gas line valve positioned and arranged to operate with the gas line. The system also includes a control unit configured to cause the fluid line valve to close, the gas line valve to open, and the PD fluid pump to pump gas from the airtrap into the gas line after a patient drain to create a pocket of gas in the fluid line and push residual used PD fluid towards a drain line.

Fluid removal systems and methods for removing a fluid from a tissue site are presented. The systems include a semi-permeable inbound conduit, which is fluidly coupled to a treatment-fluid delivery unit, for placement proximate to the tissue site, and a semi-permeable outbound conduit, which is fluidly coupled to the inbound conduit and to a treatment-fluid collector, for placement proximate to the tissue site of a patient. The treatment-fluid collector receives a treatment fluid and a recruited fluid from the tissue site. A recruited-fluid determination unit may be coupled to the treatment-fluid collector to determine a volume of the recruited fluid recruited from the patient. The treatment fluid is any fluid (including a gas) that pulls the fluid from an interstitial and intracellular space. A reduced-pressure treatment subsystem may also be included, among other things, for removing ascites and other fluids from a body cavity.

A tube occluder includes a body within which an end of the tube is attached; a twisting lug formed with or attached to the tube, the twisting lug including an outwardly extending shape; and a sleeve in rotational communication with the body, the sleeve including an internal profile that matingly engages the outwardly extending shape of the twisting lug, the sleeve rotatable relative to the body in a first direction such that the internal profile causes the twisting lug to twist the tube closed, the sleeve rotatable in a second direction such that the internal profile causes the twisting lug to twist the tube open. A tube occluding method includes enabling a user to rotate the sleeve relative to the body, causing the internal profile to turn the twisting lug and to twist the tube closed while the end of the tube remains secured within the body.

A dialysis machine (e.g., a peritoneal dialysis (PD) machine) can include a pressure sensor mounted at a proximal end of a patient line made of a distensible material that provides PD solution to a patient through a catheter. During treatment, an occlusion can occur at different locations in the patient line and/or the catheter. When an incremental volume of additional solution is provided to the patient line while the occlusion is present, a change in pressure results. The change in pressure depends on dimensions and a distensibility of a non-occluded portion of the patient line. If the change in pressure, the incremental volume, properties related to the distensibility of the patient line, and some of the dimensions of the patient line are known, a location of the occlusion can be inferred. An occlusion type can be inferred based on the location of the occlusion.

The invention involves a unique, useful, novel and nonobvious device through which the blood of a patient afflicted with ARDS can have its O.sub.2 level augmented while reducing the CO.sub.2 level. This is achieved by disclosing a unique, useful, novel and nonobvious complex intravascular catheter which creates a system of intravascular, exo-pulmonary oxygenation of the blood.

Described are peritoneal dialysis systems and methods that involve the use of crossflow filtration of a used dialysate withdrawn from the peritoneal space of a patient. The filtration forms a retentate containing amounts of an osmotic agent and a permeate containing amounts of water and nitrogen-containing waste products of the patient. The retentate, or a fraction thereof, can be returned to the peritoneal space of the patient to return osmotic agent to the patient. The permeate, or a fraction thereof, can be discarded to discard nitrogen-containing waste products of the patient.