A disposable cartridge for use in a hemodialysis machine has a blood flow path for carrying a volume of blood to be treated in a dialyser and a dialysate flow path, isolated from the blood flow path, for delivering a flow of dialysate solution through the dialyser. The cartridge is received in an engine section of the machine. The engine section has first and second platens which close when the cartridge is inserted to retain the cartridge. Actuators and sensors arranged on the second platen control operation of the cartridge.

Provided is a calibration method for flowmeters in a blood dialysis system, whereby highly accurate calibration can be performed even by omitting a reference flowmeter not directly relating to dialysis therapy. This calibration method comprises: while preventing outflow into a blood channel in a blood purifier, supplying a liquid to a channel, said channel passing through an inflow flowmeter and an outflow flowmeter; and then calibrating the inflow flowmeter and the outflow flowmeter correction whereby, at the time of liquid supply, a value measured by the outflow flowmeter is equalized to a value measured by inflow flowmeter.

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.

An apparatus is described for extracorporeal blood treatment, comprising a treatment unit, an extracorporeal blood circuit and a fluid evacuation line. The apparatus comprises a control unit connected to a pressure sensor and a blood pump, the blood pump generating a variable flow with a constant component and a variable component. The control unit receives, from the pressure sensor, a plurality of values and calculates the average pressure value, acquires an estimated value of volume variation in the expansion chamber connected to the variable flow component, calculates, as a function of the pressure values, an estimated value of pressure variation in the expansion chamber that is representative of an oscillating pressure component and determines a representative magnitude of a blood level in the expansion chamber as a function of the average pressure value, the estimated value of volume variation and the estimated pressure variation in the expansion chamber.

The invention relates to a device (1) for a medical treatment apparatus for measuring the flow of liquids in a lumen(S) to be inserted, having a receptacle (D) and a first ultrasonic transducer (US1), wherein the receptacle (D) in the device (1) has a first guide side (A) and a second guide side (P), so that an inserted lumen(S) has approximately a trapezoidal course in lateral projection, wherein the first ultrasonic transducer (US1) is arranged at a first trapezoid corner, and wherein the first ultrasonic transducer (US1) in operation is designed to perform a measurement in or against the direction of flow in the lumen(S), respectively. The invention furthermore also relates to an ensemble with a corresponding device and a lumen.

A balancing method and a balancing device (100, 101, 200, 201, 301, 303) for determining a fluid balance between a flow quantity in a first flow path (FW1) and a flow quantity in a second flow path (FW2) are disclosed. The disclosed balancing device (100, 101, 200, 201, 301, 303) comprises the following elements:

a differential flow measuring unit (D) for measuring the differential flow between a flow in the first flow path (FW1) and a flow in the second flow path (FW2),

a branch from one of the two flow paths (FW1, FW2) for diverting fluid from one of the two flow paths into the other flow path (W),

a device for setting the flow quantity (P11, P12) in the additional flow path, which can be controlled in such a way that the measured differential flow fulfills a predetermined condition,

and with a device (K) for determining the flow quantity in the additional flow path as a measure of the fluid balance.

A device and method for detecting recirculation for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus and an apparatus with a device for detecting recirculation are based on targeted haemodilution by administration of a substituate bolus, causing a pressure change in venous and arterial branches of the extracorporeal circuit due to a viscosity change of flowing fluid. Recirculation is detected based on detection of the pressure change. The device includes a control unit cooperating with a device for conveying blood and a device for supplying substituate. The control unit provides an operating mode for detecting recirculation, in which blood flow rate is reduced during administration of a substituate bolus. With simultaneous substituate bolus administration and reduction of blood flow rate, the composition of fluid flow is optimized for detection of recirculation, so that fairly large pressure changes result in venous and arterial branches, thereby improving sensitivity and reliability of the measurement method.

The invention relates to a device for reversing the blood flow for an extracorporeal blood treatment device, comprising an extracorporeal blood circuit (I), which includes an arterial blood line (108A) leading from a patient to a blood treatment unit (204) and a venous blood line (106A) leading from the blood treatment unit to the patient. Furthermore, the invention relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment device with a device for reversing the blood flow, and to a method for determining the reversal of the blood flow during an extracorporeal blood treatment. The device for reversing the blood flow for an extracorporeal blood treatment device according to the invention comprises two valve bodies (102, 104) which are rotated relative to one another for reversing the blood flow. The device for reversing the blood flow according to the invention is characterized by a communication device (210) for receiving an electromagnetic high-frequency field from a read unit (270) of the extracorporeal blood treatment device and for generating at least one identifier characterizing the position of the valve bodies which can be read by the read device.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) systems, devices and methods wherein a portable ECLS device is used to deliver cardiovascular support to a humans or animal patient (or harvested organ(s)) during pre-hospital or inter-hospital transport.

An extracorporeal blood filtering machine can include a blood circuit, an effluent circuit, and a source fluid circuit and can be controlled by a controller. The extracorporeal blood filtering machine can also include access ports for connecting the source fluid circuit to the blood circuit, as well as blood sensors to detect possible issues with the extracorporeal blood filtering machine. The extracorporeal blood filtering machine can include density sensors and flow sensors that enable it to be more accurate and to operate while being transported. The extracorporeal blood filtering machine can further include a user interface and can display fluid inflow/outflow information. A medical fluid container can automatically empty after being filled. An apparatus for supporting a medical fluid container can include a hanger and an attachment member with the apparatus able to adjust to ensure the medical fluid container remains properly oriented directly under a medical fluid container scale.