The invention provides apheresis devices and their use for substantial removal of all types of cfDNA for treatment of various diseases and during perfusion of an organ and/or anatomical cavity, to limit the negative effects of circulating cfDNA during organ transplantation and thus improve the quality and survival of transplanted organs, and reduce unfavorable transplantation outcomes such as transplant dysfunction, ischemia-reperfusion injury, graft rejection, and organ failure.

Compounds, systems, kits, methods, and/or apparatuses may be operative to reduce amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide in a patient, including a central nervous system (CNS) of the patient and/or a periphery (non-CNS portion) of the patient. In some embodiments, a displacer fluid comprising a Aβ displacer may be introduced to the patient to bind to a blood protein, such as albumin, that binds Aβ (for instance, Aβ peptide or non-plaque Aβ) in the patient periphery. Binding of the displacer to the blood protein may facilitate more free Aβ peptide (for instance, Aβ monomers) in the periphery for clearance via natural processes, such as through the liver or kidneys, and/or artificial processes, such as dialysis. Increased removal of the free Aβ peptide in the periphery may ultimately lead to less Aβ peptide in the CNS, which may decrease Aβ plaque formation in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients. Other embodiments are described.

Apparatus and method for photo-chemical oxidation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system for treating a dialysis fluid includes: a nanostructured photo-electrochemical anode; a source of light configured to illuminate the photo-electrochemical anode; and a cathode that is permeable to oxygen provided to the dialysis fluid and non-permeable to a liquid of the dialysis fluid. The photo-electrochemical anode is configured to remove urea from the dialysis fluid by converting the urea in the dialysis fluid into oxidation products through a photo electrochemical reaction.

The present invention concerns an extracorporeal circuit for regional scoagulation of blood comprising a line for taking the blood from the patient, a first filtering unit, and a line for returning the blood to the patient defining a main circuit, the extracorporeal circuit comprising a secondary circuit for recirculation of the plasma water comprising: a calcium removal assembly adapted to provide a solution with low calcium content in said main circuit;
the extracorporeal circuit further comprising: first means for the infusion of said solution with low calcium content into said main circuit upstream of said first filtering unit and of said calcium removal assembly with respect to the blood flow direction in the main circuit and second means for the infusion of an electrolytic re-establishment solution located downstream of said first means with respect to the direction of the blood flow in said main circuit.

The present invention relates to the field of medical devices, more particularly the field of devices for extracting circulating molecules from the blood of a mammal, and their therapeutic uses, in particular in treating sepsis, cytokine release syndrome and/or any other form of systemic inflammatory response or cytokine shock, caused by bacterial, parasitic, fungal or viral infections, in particular caused by a viral infection, for example coronaviruses with human respiratory tract tropism.

According to the invention, to treat severe progression of viral infections, in particular SARS-CoV-2 infections, heparin or one of its derivatives and/or another pharmaceutically acceptable polyanion is used in therapeutic apheresis, wherein a patient's blood is treated in an extracorporeal circuit such that a) blood cells are separated from plasma, b) a suitable amount of heparin/heparin derivative or pharmaceutically acceptable polyanion is added to the plasma, c) the pH of the plasma is decreased to <6 by means of a suitable buffer, d) precipitated substances are separated out, e) excess heparin and/or polyanion is adsorbed on an adsorber, f) the pH is increased back to the physiological value, and g) the treated plasma together, in parallel or successively with blood cells and, where necessary, a saline solution is reinfused into the patient.

A blood treatment method is described that is adapted to at least partially eliminate the carbon dioxide content of the type comprising a step of drawing a blood flow. Advantageously according to the invention, the method further comprises the steps of: acidifying the blood flow with transformation of the related blood bicarbonate content into gaseous carbon dioxide; and eliminating the gaseous carbon dioxide content by means of a pressure gradient.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids) from a subject, e.g., from or beneath the skin of a subject. In some cases, the blood (or other bodily fluids) may be deposited on a membrane or other substrate. For example, blood may be absorbed in a substrate, and dried in some cases to produce a dried blood spot. In one aspect, the present invention is generally directed to devices and methods for receiving blood from a subject, e.g., from the skin, using devices including a substance transfer component (which may contain, for example, one or more microneedles), and directing the blood on a substrate, e.g., for absorbing blood. The substrate, in some embodiments, may comprise filter paper or cotton-based paper. After absorption of some blood onto the substrate, the substrate may be removed from the device and shipped or analyzed. In some cases, the device itself may be shipped or analyzed. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the device may be sealed such that the substrate is contained within an airtight portion of the device, optionally containing desiccant. Other aspects are generally directed at other devices for receiving blood (or other bodily fluids), kits involving such devices, methods of making such devices, methods of using such devices, and the like.

Dialysis is enhanced by using nanoclay sorbents to better absorb body wastes in a flow-through system. The nanoclay sorbents, using montmorillonite, bentonite, and other clays, absorb significantly more ammonium, phosphate, and creatinine, and the like, than conventional sorbents. The montmorillonite, the bentonite, and the other clays may be used in wearable systems, such as a wearable peritoneal dialysis system, in which a dialysis fluid is circulated through a filter with the nanoclay sorbents. Waste products are absorbed by the montmorillonite, the bentonite, and the other clays and the dialysis fluid is recycled to a patient's peritoneum. Using an ion-exchange capability of the montmorillonite, the bentonite, and the other clays, waste ions in the dialysis fluid are replaced with desirable ions, such as calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. The nanoclay sorbents are also useful for refreshing a dialysis fluid used in hemodialysis and thus reducing a quantity of the dialysis fluid needed for the hemodialysis.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for the regeneration of spent dialysis solutions. The present invention further relates to systems and methods for continuously regenerating spent dialysis solution during dialysis. The present invention further relates to systems and methods for conducting dialysis that further include using chemical and physical separators in conjunction with ion exchange cartridges and/or adsorption cartridges.