Various types of a medical device are described which is used as an implantable renal replacement therapy (an implantable artificial kidney). This device removes toxins and excess water from blood of patients with kidney failure or end stage renal disease. Additionally, other configurations of the device can be used as an external (extracorporeal) device.

The invention relates to a dialysis machine capable of performing ultrafiltration without the need for a dedicated ultrafiltration pump. The system uses a pair of membrane flow balance pumps wherein the operation and/or the volume flow rate of the pumps can be modified during operation to bring about a net movement of dialysate either into or from the dialyser. The direction of flow of the dialysate in the dialyzer is reversible and the dialyzer can comprise two dialysate inlets, one at each end, and two dialysate outlets, one at each end.

An extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus is provided comprising a filtration unit (2) connected to a blood circuit (17) and to a dialysis fluid circuit (32), a preparation device (9) for preparing and regulating the composition of the dialysis fluid; a control unit (12) is configured for determining or receiving a proposed value (Cond.sub.prop) of a conductivity for the dialysis fluid in the dialysis supply line (8) and to determine a set value (Cond.sub.set) for the conductivity in the dialysis fluid as a function of the proposed value (Cond.sub.prop) and as a function of at least one of a second parameter (UF volume/W; WL/W) indicative of a patient fluid overload and a third parameter (g.sub.conc) chosen in the group including: a glucose concentration in the patient and a concentration-related parameter of at least glucose in the patient.

A method of separating blood into two or more components and subsequently washing a component, comprising providing a blood storage container containing an initial blood composition, and a blood separation circuit comprising a separator. The method also comprises separating and washing cellular material within the same blood separation circuit.

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).

In the removal of white blood cells from blood, the efficiency of white blood cell removal by a filter is improved. Centrifugal force is applied to blood placed in a blood bag by centrifugal separation to form a plurality of separation layers having a concentration gradient of white blood cells. The separation layers are passed through a filter in ascending order of white blood cell concentration to remove the white blood cells from the separation layers. The separation layers from which the white blood cells have been removed are received in a first blood component bag.

The invention relates to the balancing of fluid streams in a dialysis system. In particular the invention relates to a cassette for conveying a first and a second fluid stream in a dialysis system, wherein the first and the second fluid streams can be medical fluid streams such as for example dialysate streams or blood streams, wherein the cassette has a sensor as a device for balancing the first and the second fluid stream, and wherein the sensor has a first channel for the first fluid stream and a second channel for the second fluid stream. The invention further relates to a dialysis system, which is configured to accommodate at least one cassette which is configured as described above. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an arrangement by which two channels for the first and the second fluid streams are formed. In addition, the invention relates to a method for construction of the two channels or the arrangement.

An example dialysis system includes a dialysis machine and a receiver coded with at least one of an address or a personal identification number (PIN). The dialysis machine is configured to perform a prescribed dialysis treatment on a patient, generate ultrafiltration (UF) removed data over the prescribed dialysis treatment performed by the dialysis machine, and transmit the UF removed data. The example receiver is configured to receive sensor data from a sensor attached to the patient. The at least one coded address or PIN ensures that the sensor data is received by the receiver as opposed to another receiver.

The present invention relates to a method of identifying a filter, wherein the filter has at least one retentate side and at least one permeate side which are separated from one another by at least one filter medium, wherein the method comprises generating a pressure in a fluid, in particular in a liquid, on the retentate side or on the permeate side by means of a pressure source, in particular by means of a pump; switching off the pressure source; and the measurement of the pressure development in the fluid over time subsequent to the switching off of the pressure source.

Methods and systems are presented for analyzing the blood of a living being. Equations are presented for volume-aware extension of the concept of Hematocrit. A method for calculating these volume-aware measures and using said measures to evaluate and guide possible treatments is described. A system comprising an automated analyzer and a processor and other components is described which can carry out said calculations. Methods of treatment for volume abnormalities are described which are guided by the volume-aware Hct measures. In one exemplary embodiment, a method of treatment for plasma volume excess using ultrafiltration is described. In another exemplary embodiment, a method of treatment for red cell volume excess using erythrocytapheresis is described.