A fluid flow sensing and bubble detecting apparatus includes a housing comprising a channel configured to receive a tube through which fluid flows; a sensor apparatus disposed within the housing, which includes a first sensor operable to measure flow rate of fluid and to detect bubbles in flowing fluid; and a temperature sensor operable to detect temperature of the flowing fluid; and a processor connected to receive fluid flow rate data obtained by the first sensor, to receive bubble detection data obtained by the first sensor, and to receive fluid temperature data obtained by the temperature sensor, wherein when a tube through which fluid flows is disposed in the channel of the housing, the first sensor measures the flow rate of the flowing fluid and detects bubbles therein, and the temperature sensor measures the temperature of the flowing fluid, and the processor calculates in a short period of time a fluid flow rate corrected for temperature. All sensors are non-invasive and have no direct contact to the fluid in the tube, which might be blood. In accordance with additional embodiments, the fluid flow rate is additionally corrected for hemoglobin or hematocrit, and the effect of oxygen saturation on the hemoglobin or hematocrit data.

The invention relates to a gas bubble detector for determining gas bubbles in a fluid. The gas bubble detector can be used in any application requiring a determination whether gas bubbles exist in the fluid. The gas bubble detector has a photodetector, a light source, and a chamber in which the presence of gas bubbles are detected.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system and method for detection of a transient air bubble in an arterial blood flow path during dialysis (e.g., hemodialysis). The system uses measurements from an optical sensor to remove one or more effects of common factors affecting the absorbance of the light incident on the arterial tubing. These factors include color of medium within the arterial tubing, tubing color, angle of illumination, and temperature of the optical detector. A variance of the measurements from the optical sensor are used to determine whether an air bubble is present.

A wearable ultrafiltration apparatus is provided. The apparatus can include a first ultrafilter for filtering a patient's blood along a first fluid path and a second ultrafilter for filtering the patient's blood along a second fluid path. The apparatus can also include a valve being positionable in a first position for directing the patient's blood along the first fluid path. The valve can also be positioned in a second position for directing the patient's blood along the second fluid path. When the valve is in the first position, blood can flow along the first fluid path and prevent blood from flowing along the second fluid path. When the valve is in the second position, blood can flow along the second fluid path and prevent blood from flowing along the first fluid path. When the valve is in the first position, the second ultrafilter can be idle and capable of being serviced or replaced and when the valve is in the second position, the first ultrafilter can be idle and capable of being serviced or replaced. Therefore, when a ultrafilter fouls, blood can be directed to the other ultrafilter while the fouled ultrafilter is being serviced or replaced.

Disclosed is an assembly for detecting the presence of a gas in a liquid contained or circulating in a conduit including an element for supporting the conduit and a sensor allowing the transmission and reception of acoustic or light waves. The sensor is arranged on the support of the conduit facing the one and the same side of the conduit and the support element includes a waveguide capable of routing the wave transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor to the receiver of the sensor.

The present invention relates to a dialysis machine having a dialyzer, an extracorporeal blood circuit, a dialysis solution circuit, and a control unit, wherein a blood leak sensor is arranged downstream of the dialyzer in the dialysis solution circuit, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate an error routine when the signal of the blood leak sensor shows an indication of a presumed blood leak, and wherein a further sensor is furthermore arranged downstream of the dialyzer in the dialysis solution circuit, wherein the control unit is configured to use the signal of the further sensor correlated in time with the signal of the blood leak sensor as a suppression criterion for the initiation of the error routine.

A pressure measuring device 30 installs on a tube 11 for transferring a medium BL so as to measure a pressure of the medium BL inside the tube 11. The pressure measuring device 30 includes a main body portion 31 mountable to the tube 11, polarizing means 34 disposed in the main body portion 31 so that light oscillating in a specific direction is transmitted therethrough, an image acquisition unit 32 disposed in the main body portion 31 so that image information on a pressure receiver that is deformed in response to the received pressure is acquired through the polarizing means 34, and a control unit 100 that converts the image information acquired by the image acquisition unit 32 into pressure information about the pressure.

A portable hemodialysis system is provided including a disposable cartridge and a reused dialysis machine. The disposable cartridge includes a dialyzer, and a dialysate flow path and a blood flow path which flow in opposing directions through the dialyzer. The disposable cartridge includes pressure and fluid flow sensors for measuring the pressure and fluid flow in the dialysate flow path and blood flow path. In addition, the disposable cartridge possesses pump actuators (but not pump motors) for pumping dialysate and blood through their respective flow paths. Preferably, the disposable cartridge includes a filter for removing waste products from dialysate.

A method of removing blood from an extracorporeal blood circuit and/or a functional device, each of which is connectable or connected with a blood treatment apparatus for the purpose of a blood treatment of a patient, after concluding a blood treatment session, the method comprising operating a blood pump in a second conveying direction which is opposite to a first conveying direction of the blood pump which is customary during the blood treatment, and an arterial line section of the extracorporeal blood circuit is or will be connected with a venous line section of the extracorporeal blood circuit.

A pressure measuring device 30 installs on a tube 11 for transferring a medium (e.g., blood in a extracorporeal blood circulator) so as to measure a pressure of the medium inside the tube 11. The pressure measuring device 30 includes a main body portion 31 mountable to the tube 11, an image acquisition unit 32 disposed in the main body portion 31 so as to acquire image information on a pressure receiver that is deformed in response to the received pressure of the medium inside the tube 11, and a control unit 100 that converts the image information acquired by the image acquisition unit into pressure information about the pressure.