A method of draining a device for extracorporeal blood treatment, wherein the device comprises a dialyzer which is divided by means of a membrane into a first chamber and a second chamber, an arterial line connected to a blood inlet of the first chamber, a venous line connected to a blood outlet of the first chamber, a dialysis fluid line for fresh dialysis fluid connected to a dialysis fluid inlet of the second chamber and a dialysis fluid line for used dialysis fluid connected to a dialysis fluid outlet of the second chamber, a blood pump disposed in the arterial line, a venous expansion chamber disposed in the venous line and an air detector unit downstream of the venous expansion chamber, and wherein the method comprises the following steps of: connecting a patient-side port of the arterial line to a patient-side port of the venous line; generating a negative pressure in the second chamber; operating the blood pump in a first direction and draining the arterial and venous lines in the first direction via the membrane and the second chamber; and stopping the blood pump and draining the arterial and venous lines in a second direction opposed to the first direction via the membrane and the second chamber.

A method for the re-anticoagulation of platelet rich plasma in a blood apheresis system includes priming the blood apheresis system with anticoagulant, such that a volume of anticoagulant is transferred to a PRP container. The method may then transfer the anticoagulant within the PRP container to a red blood cell container, and collect a volume of platelet rich plasma within the PRP container. The platelet rich plasma may be collected in a plurality of cycles. Between collection cycles, the method may transfer a portion of the volume of anticoagulant from the red blood cell container to the PRP container.

A method to determine a type of blood circuit attached to an extracorporeal blood treatment console including: pumping a liquid through a blood passage of the blood circuit, sensing a first pressure in: the blood passage while the passage is closed and pumping stopped, pumping an additional amount of the liquid into the blood passage while the blood passage is and remains closed and thereafter sensing a second pressure, and determine a dimensional characteristic of a fluid passage in the blood passage based on the additional amount of the liquid and the second pressure.

The invention relates to a method of purging gas bubbles from a target zone of an extracorporeal blood circuit of a dialysis machine, wherein the target zone is flowed through by flushing liquid which enters into the target zone through an inflow and exits it again through an outflow, wherein the inflow differs from the arterial port and the outflow differs from the venous port of the extracorporeal blood circuit. The invention furthermore relates to a dialysis machine having an extracorporeal blood circuit and a control unit, with the extracorporeal blood circuit having an inflow and an outflow for flushing liquid, with the inflow differing from the arterial port and the outflow differing from the venous port of the extracorporeal blood circuit, and with the control unit being configured to carry out a method in accordance with the invention. The invention furthermore relates to a disposable for the dialysis treatment, wherein the disposable comprises an arterial line, elements of a blood pump, a dialyzer and a venous line, wherein the disposable has an interface for the inflow of flushing liquid in the arterial line and an interface for the outflow of flushing liquid in the venous line, and wherein the interface for the inflow differs from the arterial port and the interface for the outflow differs from the venous port of the hose set.

Provided is a priming method including a step of filling a priming liquid in a hollow-fiber membrane module in which hollow-fiber membranes are packed in a vessel having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a filtrate discharge port at a linear velocity of 20 cm/min or more and 550 cm/min or less through the inlet port or the outlet port in an amount of 15% or more relative to a volume of the hollow-fiber membrane module. According to the present invention, the effective filtration area at the time of cell suspension treatment is increased, and the recovery rate of cells and the filtration rate can be improved. Further, since the cell treatment can be completed while maintaining the closed environment, the obtained cells can be provided for therapeutic applications.

Filtration systems and methods using a pump and pressure sensor are provided for improved efficiency in fluid filtration systems. A filtration system includes a pre-filter container joined to a post-filter container by a filter line having a filter. To reduce the time required for filtration a pump and pressure sensor are included in a filter inlet flow path. The pump also is used to provide air management in the system via pre-filtration evacuation of air from at least the filter.

The invention relates to a method of purging gas bubbles from at least one target zone of an extracorporeal blood circuit, preferably of an extracorporeal blood circuit of a dialysis machine, with a flushing liquid, wherein the flow rate and/or the pressure of the flushing liquid in the extracorporeal blood circuit is/are inconstant at least at times during the flushing process; and/or wherein the flow rate of the flushing liquid in the extracorporeal blood circuit lies above a range of possible flow rates at least at times during the flushing process, which range is used during the treatment for the blood. The invention furthermore relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment unit having an extracorporeal blood circuit, a pump and a control unit, with the control unit being configured to carry out a flushing process in accordance with the invention. The invention furthermore relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment unit having an extracorporeal blood circuit, a pump and a control unit, with the control unit being configured such that the conveying speed for blood is slowly increased after a standstill of the pump or after an operation of the pump at throttled speed.

The invention relates to a method of flushing an extracorporeal blood circuit, preferably an extracorporeal blood circuit of a dialysis machine, with a flushing liquid, wherein the flushing liquid contains an anticoagulant agent, preferably heparin. The invention further relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment unit, preferably to a dialysis machine, having an extracorporeal blood circuit and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out a flushing method in accordance with one of the preceding claims before the start of the treatment and/or intermittently during the treatment.

A dialysis system includes a dialysis instrument including a blood pump, a dialysate inlet pump, a dialysate outlet pump, and at least one fluid velocity sensor, each sensor including an emitter and a receiver, a dialyzer arranged (i) to receive blood pumped by the blood pump, (ii) to receive fresh dialysate pumped by the dialysate inlet pump and (iii) such that used dialysate is pumped from the dialyzer by the dialysate outlet pump, and a disposable cassette including a to-dialyzer dialysate pathway carrying dialysate pumped by the dialysate inlet pump and a from-dialyzer dialysate pathway carrying used dialysate pumped by the dialysate outlet pump, wherein at least one of the to-dialyzer dialysate pathway or the from-dialyzer dialysate pathway includes at least one sensing area so positioned and arranged such that when the disposable cassette is mounted to the instrument, the sensing area is coupled operably with both the emitter and the receiver of the at least one fluid velocity sensor.

A drain cassette for a dialysis unit has a fluid channel between venous and arterial connection ports, and a valve may controllably open and close fluid communication between a drain outlet port and the venous connection port or the arterial connection port. A blood circuit assembly and drain cassette may be removable from the dialysis unit, e.g., by hand and without the use of tools. A blood circuit assembly may include a single, unitary member that defines portions of a pair of blood pumps, control valves, channels to accurately position flexible tubing for an occluder, an air trap support, and/or other portions of the assembly. A blood circuit assembly engagement device may assist with retaining a blood circuit assembly on the dialysis unit, and/or with removal of the assembly. An actuator may operate a retainer element and an ejector element that interact with the assembly.