A system and method for balancing flows of renal replacement fluid is disclosed. The method uses pressure controls and pressure sensing devices to more precisely meter and balance the flow of fresh dialysate and spent dialysate. The balancing system may use one or two balancing devices, such as a balance tube, a tortuous path, or a balance chamber.

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 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.

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.

A patient fluid removal compensation volume may be determined to make up for the patient fluid removal that does not occur during machine down times, and the patient fluid removal rate may be increased until the compensating volume is satisfied.

A blood purification device includes a device body and a cassette. The cassette includes: a casing that accommodates a removal water receptacle; and pump tube. The device body includes fingers, a driving unit, and a housing. The cassette can be attached to and removed from the housing of the device body so that the pump tubes are positioned between the plurality of fingers and the outer surfaces of the casing.

It is described an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus (1) with a user interface (12) device capable configuring and allowing execution of one or more isolated ultrafiltration tasks during the course of a dialysis treatment. The extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus (1) is controlled in a normal mode, where dialysis fluid is fed to the blood treatment unit (2), and in an isolated ultrafiltration mode, where fresh dialysis fluid is no longer fed to the blood treatment unit (2).

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).

A dialysis machine has a blood circuit, a blood pump, a dialyzer, a venous pressure sensor, a substituate line, and a control unit. The control unit can operate the blood pump in a first operating mode and in a special operating mode, and start the special operating mode after a trigger event. In the special operating mode, a blood pump conveying rate is controlled via a default value or regulated to a desired value, with the default or desired value being derived from a value determined before the started special mode or corresponding to the value. The presence of an obstacle is polled before the special mode, and depending on the presence thereof, the start of the special mode is blocked or delayed and/or the selection of the default value or the desired value on the presence of the obstacle differs from the selection without the presence of the obstacle.

The present specification describes a modular, portable hemofiltration system, for providing improved clearance levels of blood toxins, which includes at least one roller pump that is designed and operated to generate a rapidly varying pressure profile of fluid within at least a blood circuit of the hemofiltration system.