An apparatus is described for extracorporeal blood treatment (1), comprising a treatment unit (2), an extracorporeal blood circuit (8) and a fluid evacuation line (10). The apparatus comprises a control unit (21) connected with a pressure sensor (13, 14) and with a blood pump (9) and configured to move the blood pump (9), generating a variable flow (Q(t)) with a constant component (Q.sub.b) and a variable component (Qvar(t)) having a nil average value; the variable flow generates, in the expansion chamber (11, 12), a progression of the pressure that is variable over time (P(t)) with a pressure component (Pvar(t)) oscillating about an average value (P.sub.avg). The control unit receives, from the sensor, a plurality of values (P.sub.j) and calculates the average value of the pressure (P.sub.avg), acquires an estimated value of volume variation (AP) in the expansion chamber (11, 12) connected to the variable flow component (Qvar(t)), calculates, as a function of the pressure values (P.sub.j), an estimated value of pressure variation (AP) in the expansion chamber (11; 12) that is representative of the oscillating pressure component (Pvar(t)) and determines a representative magnitude of a blood level (L) in the expansion chamber (11, 12) as a function of the average value (P.sub.avg) of the pressure (P(t)), of the estimated value of volume variation (AV) and of the estimated pressure variation (AP) in the expansion chamber.

Devices can be used to detect a level of a fluid in a medical fluid reservoir. Methods for controlling the flow rate of a medical pump, and/or the occlusion amount of a medical fluid tube, that are based on the detected level of fluid in the medical reservoir can be used in a clinical setting.

A blood purification device includes a chamber, a liquid feed line, an air introduction unit, a liquid level adjustment unit, and a control unit. The chamber is provided on a blood circuit for extracorporeally circulating patient's blood and introduces purified plasma obtained by purifying plasma separated by a plasma separator provided on the blood circuit, or a replenishing liquid for replenishing the plasma separated by the plasma separator, into the blood circuit. The liquid feed line is capable of sending the purified plasma or the replenishing liquid to the chamber. The air introduction unit is capable of introducing air into the liquid feed line. The liquid level adjustment unit is capable of adjusting a liquid level height in the chamber. At the end of blood purification treatment, the control unit performs a liquid recovery process for sending the purified plasma or the replenishing liquid to the chamber via the liquid feed line while introducing air into the liquid feed line by the air introduction unit and maintains the liquid level height in the chamber at a predetermined liquid level height by the liquid level adjustment unit.

Techniques and apparatuses for determining an estimated cardiac output for a patient during dialysis treatment are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may include a memory and logic coupled to the memory. The logic may be configured to determine an upper body oxygen consumption for a patient, determine, during a dialysis process: a hemoglobin concentration and a venous oxygen saturation measured via an optical blood monitor operably coupled to an extracorporeal circuit of a dialysis system performing the dialysis process,; an arterial oxygen saturation measured via a pulse oximeter operably coupled to the extracorporeal circuit; an arterial-venous oxygen content difference based on the arterial oxygen saturation and the venous oxygen saturation; and an upper body blood flow (UBBF) as (upper body oxygen consumption)/(arterial-venous oxygen content difference), and determine a treatment recommendation based on the upper body blood flow. Other embodiments are described.

A blood circulation system that can be connected to a human body is provided. The system may include a roller pump, a blood removal line through which blood removed from the human body flows to the roller pump, a blood transfer line that transfers blood, which is sent from the roller pump, to the human body, means for measuring a blood removal rate provided in the blood removal line to measure a blood removal rate parameter of blood flowing through the blood removal line and a control unit, wherein the control unit is programmed to control a blood transfer rate of the roller pump by controlling a rotational speed of the roller pump with a control signal, such that a transfer rate of blood flowing through the blood transfer line is synchronized with a removal rate calculated from the blood removal rate parameter.

A peritoneal dialysis system includes a cycler, a disposable set operable with the cycler and including a patient line and a drain line, one of (i) a water purifier for supplying purified water for mixing to form fresh dialysis fluid at the disposable set, (ii) at least one fresh dialysis fluid container provided as part of the disposable set for supplying fresh dialysis fluid, or (iii) a dialysis fluid preparation unit configured to supply fresh dialysis fluid to the disposable set, and at least one flow path insulator provided at the cycler, the water purifier, the dialysis fluid preparation unit, and/or along the drain line. The flow path insulator is configured to separate used dialysis fluid flowing along the drain line into flow segments to limit any current flowing from the patient to a drain.

A connector arrangement (10) for connecting to a fluid chamber (6) of a blood treatment unit (4) for extracorporeal blood treatments. The connector arrangement (10) includes a connector device (11) with a connector body (47) comprising a port opening (43) and an interior wall (50) defining a port space (39) designed to receive a first fluid port (8A) of the fluid chamber (6). The connector device (11) also incorporates a fluid path (35a) extending from the port space (39) to a first end opening (51) of the connector device (11), and an air path (36a) extending from the port space (39) to a second end opening (52) of the connector device (11), wherein the fluid path (35a) and the air path (36a) are separate paths. Also a system (1) for extracorporeal blood treatment including the connector arrangement (10) and a method for priming the fluid chamber (6).

A fluid filtration system comprising a cross-flow filter is arranged to permit a first pump to recirculate part of the retentate of the filter to the inlet of the cross-flow filter and a second pump to return part of the permeate to the inlet of the cross-flow filter. A third pump is configured supply source fluid to the inlet of the filter. The flow path between the second pump and the cross-flow filter inlet may include an adsorption filter that may selectively remove contaminants, toxins, or pathogens in the permeate. A controller may control the first, second and third pumps to provide predetermined flow ratios among the fluid flow paths of the system in order to achieve a desired filtration level. This system may be applicable to the removal of harmful substances from blood, by first separating the plasma from the blood and then removing harmful substances from the plasma.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for regenerating a dialysis solution, wherein the apparatus has a first circuit and a second circuit, with the first circuit having a container for receiving the consumed dialysis solution, the primary side of a filter connected downstream of the container, and a return line from the primary side of the filter into the container, with the filter being configured to prepare purified water from the consumed dialysis solution, and with the second circuit having the secondary side of the filter, the dialyzate side of a dialyzer, and a return line from the dialyzate side of the dialyzer into the container. The present invention further relates to a method of regenerating a dialysis solution.

Techniques and apparatuses for determining an estimated cardiac output for a patient during dialysis treatment are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may include a memory and logic coupled to the memory. The logic may be configured to determine an upper body oxygen consumption for a patient, determine, during a dialysis process: a hemoglobin concentration and a venous oxygen saturation measured via an optical blood monitor operably coupled to an extracorporeal circuit of a dialysis system performing the dialysis process; an arterial oxygen saturation measured via a pulse oximeter operably coupled to the extracorporeal circuit; an arterial-venous oxygen content difference based on the arterial oxygen saturation and the venous oxygen saturation; and an upper body blood flow (UBBF) as (upper body oxygen consumption)/(arterial-venous oxygen content difference), and determine a treatment recommendation based on the upper body blood flow. Other embodiments are described.