A filtration cell (10) for a biological sample including an upper chamber for receiving the biological sample to be filtered, a lower chamber in fluid communication with the upper chamber, and a filtration membrane (14) positioned between the upper chamber and the lower chamber is disclosed. A surface of the filtration membrane has a contact angle >90. The flow of the biological sample through the upper chamber may be tangential to the filtration membrane and a filtrate passing through the filtration membrane may be collected in the lower chamber. Also, a method of filtering a biological sample including passing the biological sample through an upper chamber of a filtration cell as described above and collecting a filtrate in the lower chamber is disclosed.

There is described a method of use of a mass exchanger. In the method the mass exchanger comprises: a first channel for accommodating flow of a liquid to be treated; and a second channel for accommodating flow of a treatment agent, the first and second channels have a permeable membrane provided between them, so as to allow transfer of selected species between the first channel and the second channel. The steps of the mass transfer method comprise passing the liquid to be treated along the first channel and introducing a mixture of liquid and gas into the second channel to provide a two-phase treatment agent. It is desirable to provide a means of adjusting the concentration of gas species in a liquid such as blood, while simultaneously controlling the temperature of the liquid and optionally adjusting the concentration of ionic and/or dissolved species in that liquid. By this method and mass exchanger providing a two-phase treatment agent, it is possible to simultaneously deliver gaseous species (e.g. oxygen) into the treated liquid, while making use of the high heat capacity of the liquid phase of the treatment agent to transfer significant heat into or from the treated liquid.

An apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment comprises a control unit (100) connected to a blood pump (10) configured to deliver a blood flow rate in a blood circuit of the apparatus (1), to a diuretic pump (27) configured to deliver a flow rate (Q.sub.d) of a 5diuretic (e.g. furosemide) and to an osmotic agent pump (30) configured to deliver a flow rate (Q.sub.oa) of an osmotic agent (e.g. albumin) to be infused in the blood circuit or in the vascular system of the patient (P). The control unit (100) is configured for receiving at least one input patient parameter (e.g. blood 10pressure) and/or at least one input apparatus parameter (e.g. access pressure) and, during an extracorporeal blood treatment, to drive the diuretic pump (27) and/or the osmotic agent pump (30) as a function of said at least one input patient parameter and/or as a function of at least one input apparatus parameter, in order to15achieve an improved and better fluid removal from the patient (P).

A peritoneal dialysis (PD) system (10) includes a PD machine (20); a patient line (50) extending from the PD machine (20); and a filter set (100) including a filter housing (102) having an upper housing plate (102u) and a lower housing plate (102l), and a filter membrane (112, such as a sterilizing grade or a bacteria reduction filter membrane) located between the upper housing plate (102u) and the lower housing plate (102l), the filter set (100) further including a lumen-side connector (104) configured to connect to the patient line (50), the lumen-side connector (104) connected to the filter housing (102) via at least one of a fresh PD fluid tube (106a) or a used PD fluid tube (106b). A method for manufacturing the filter set (100) is also disclosed.

A peritoneal dialysis (PD) system (10) includes a PD machine (20); a patient line (50) extending from the PD machine (20); and a filter set (100) in fluid communication with the patient line (50), the filter set (100) including a filter membrane (120, such as a sterilizing grade or a bacteria reduction filter membrane) positioned and arranged such that fresh PD fluid flows through the filter membrane (120) into a filtered fluid compartment (106f), wherein the filtered fluid compartment (106f) includes an outlet (106t) to a port (106p), and wherein the port (106p) is in fluid communication with a used PD fluid tube (106u) positioned and arranged to carry used PD fluid past the filter membrane (120) without contacting the filter membrane (120). A method for priming filter set (100) is also disclosed.

Hemofilters for in vivo filtration of blood are disclosed. The hemofilters disclosed herein provide an optimal flow of blood through the filtration channels while maintaining a pressure gradient across the filtration channel walls to enhance filtration and minimize turbulence and stagnation of blood in the hemofilter.

Parallel plate devices for hemofiltration or hemodialysis are provided. A parallel plate device includes a parallel plate assembly having an aligned stack of stackable plate subunits, each stackable plate subunit having a through channel for blood, where the blood channels are opened up at opposite ends of the parallel plate assembly. The parallel plate assembly is configured to form filtrate/dialysate channels interleaved with the blood channels, adjacent channels being separated by a silicon nanoporous filtration membrane. A blood conduit adaptor is attached to the parallel plate assembly at each of the ends, and is configured to distribute blood to or collect blood from the blood channels. Also provided are systems and methods for using the parallel plate devices.

An occluder, and methods for occlusion, that employs first and second opposed occluding members associated with each other, a tube contacting member connected to, or comprising at least a portion of, at least one of the first and second occluding members, and a force actuator constructed and positioned to apply a force to at least one of the first and second occluding members. The application of the force by the force actuator may cause the tube contacting member to move between a tube occluding position and an open position. A release member may be configured and positioned to enable an operator to manually move the tube contacting member from the tube occluding position to the open position even with no force applied to the at least one of the first and second occluding members by the force actuator. In one embodiment, the force actuator may apply the force sufficient to bend both the first and second occluding members, so that upon the application of the force by the force actuator (such as an air bladder), the first and second occluding members (e.g., spring plates pivotally connected at opposite ends) bend and the tube contacting member may move between the tube occluding position and the open position.

Components for a medical infusion fluid handling system, such as an APD system, in which one or more lines (such as solution lines), spikes or other connection ports may be automatically capped and/or de-capped. This feature may provide advantages, such as a reduced likelihood of contamination since no human interaction is required to de-cap and connect the one or more lines, the spikes or the other connection ports. For example, a fluid handling cassette may include one or more caps that cover a corresponding spike and include a raised and/or recessed feature to assist in removal of the one or more caps from the cassette. A solution line cap may include a hole and a recess, a groove or other feature to engage with a spike cap and enable removal of the spike cap.

A fluid handling cassette, such as that useable with an automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) cycler device or other infusion apparatus, may include a generally planar body having at least one pump chamber formed as a depression in a first side of the body and a plurality of flowpaths for a fluid that includes a channel. A patient line port may be arranged for connection to a patient line and be in fluid communication with the at least one pump chamber via at least a first one of said flowpaths, and an optional membrane may be attached to the first side of the body over the at least one pump chamber. In one embodiment, the membrane may have a pump chamber portion with an unstressed shape that generally conforms to the depression of the at least one pump chamber in the body and is arranged to be movable for movement of the fluid in a useable space of the at least one pump chamber. One or more spacers may be provided in the at least one pump chamber to prevent the membrane from contacting an inner wall of the at least one pump chamber. The patient line, a drain line, and/or a heater bag line may be positioned to be separately occludable in relation to one or more solution lines that are connectable to the cassette.