The present invention provides a method for hemodiafiltration which applies dialysate gradient across a multi-chambered hemodiafiltrator having a plurality of compartmentalized tubular dialysate chambers. An acidic dialysate with urea at a concentration is applied to a first dialysate chamber. A less acidic dialysate with a lower concentration of urea than those for the first dialysate chamber is applied to a second dialysate chamber. A basic dialysate with no urea but with ammonia at a concentration up to a concentration detected in normal human blood is applied to a last dialysate chamber. The concentrations of urea for the first and second dialysate chambers decrease over time to zero prior to conclusion of hemodiafiltration.

An apparatus for exchanging small molecules with a fluid includes a small-molecule conduit for providing a first fluid having a first type of small molecule, a target fluid conduit for providing a target fluid having a second type of small molecule therein, and a carrier fluid conduit for providing a carrier fluid that is configured (i) to receive at least some of the first type of small molecule from the first fluid and transfer at least some of the first type of small molecule to the target fluid and (ii) to receive at least some of the second type of small molecule from the target fluid and transfer at least some of the second type of small molecule to the first fluid. The apparatus further includes an exchange module having an exchange chamber in fluid communication with the small-molecule conduit, the target fluid conduit and the carrier fluid conduit.

A blood circuit assembly for a dialysis unit may include an organizing tray, a pair of pneumatic pumps mounted to the organizing tray for circulating blood received from a patient through a circuit including a dialyzer unit and returned to the patient, an air trap mounted to the organizing tray arranged to remove air from blood circulating in the circuit, a pair of dialyzer connections arranged to connect to the inlet and outlet of a dialyzer unit, and a pair of blood line connectors, one inlet blood line connector for receiving blood from the patient and providing blood to the pneumatic pumps and the other outlet blood line connector for returning blood to the patient.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for removing carbon dioxide from a target fluid, such as, for example, blood, to treat hypercarbic respiratory failure or another condition. A device is provided including first and second membrane components for removing dissolved gaseous carbon dioxide and bicarbonate from the fluid, which can be done simultaneously. The device can be in the form of a cartridge configured for use in a dialysis system. A method of treatment is also provided, involving drawing blood from a patient and bringing the patient's blood in contact with a first membrane component having a sweep gas passing therethrough, and a second membrane component having a dialysate passing therethrough. The dialysate's composition can be selected such that charge neutrality is maintained.

A dialyzer composed of: first and second dialyzation chambers, and an intermediate chamber interposed between the first and second dialyzation chambers. Each of the chambers has a respective one of a blood inlet or outlet and a dialysate inlet or outlet arranged so that blood and dialysate flow in counter-current to one another in both chambers. The intermediate chamber is connected to form a dialysate-free blood flow passage between the blood chambers and is configured to maintain a substantially uniform blood flow.

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.

A portable hemodialysis system is provided including a dialyzer, a closed loop blood flow path which transports blood from a patient to the dialyzer and back to the patient, and a closed loop dialysate flow path which transports dialysate through the dialyzer. In addition, the hemodialysis system includes two reservoirs which can be alternately placed in the dialysis flow path using various controllable fluid valves. The hemodialysis system may include a sorbent filter in the dialysate flow path which filters used dialysate. Alternatively, the filter may be positioned within a separate closed loop filter flow path which is isolated from the blood flow path and dialysate flow path. For this embodiment, the hemodialysis system includes additional controllable fluid valves which selectively connect the filter flow path to the reservoir which is not currently providing dialysis treatment to a patient.

A modular assembly for a portable hemodialysis system may include a dialysis unit, e.g., that contains suitable components for performing hemodialysis, such as a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer, and a power unit having a housing that contains suitable components for providing operating power to the pumps of the dialysis unit. The power unit may be selectively connected to the dialysis unit and provide power (e.g., pneumatic power in the form of pressure and/or vacuum) to the dialysis unit for the pumps when connected to the dialysis unit, but may be incapable of providing power to the dialysis unit when disconnected from the dialysis unit. The dialysis unit and the power unit are sized and weighted to each be carried by hand by a human.

A dialysis fluid system includes a dialysis fluid inlet; a dialysis fluid outlet; a pump positioned and arranged to pump dialysis fluid through the dialysis fluid inlet and the dialysis fluid outlet; and an inductive heater located between the dialysis fluid inlet and the dialysis fluid outlet, the inductive heater including a fluid flowpath positioned and arranged to receive non-heated dialysis fluid from the dialysis fluid inlet and to output heated dialysis fluid to the a dialysis fluid outlet, a conductive heater element located within the fluid flowpath so as to be or act as a secondary coil of a transformer, and a primary coil of the transformer located outside of the fluid flowpath and positioned so as to magnetically induce a current into the conductive heater element, causing the conductive heater element and surrounding fluid to heat.

An implantable or wearable kidney enclosure that is cylindrical, ovoid, or otherwise non-angular e.g., not rectangular or cuboid), having a circular or oval hemofilter that provides a blood flow pattern from an internal, central artery source radially outwards. Due to the efficient flow of the circular filter design, the enclosure can be made in a cylindrical low profile shape, resulting in a compact enclosure highly suitable for implantable and wearable dialysis applications.