A blood purification apparatus that is capable of, with no preparatory operations, performing substitution by supplying dialysate in a dialysate introduction line to a blood circuit during ultrafiltration treatment, or performing blood return by immediately supplying the dialysate in the dialysate introduction line to the blood circuit after the ultrafiltration treatment. A blood purification apparatus includes a dialyzer, a dialysate introduction line, a dialysate drain line L2 through which drain liquid from the dialyzer is drained, and an ultrafiltration pump capable of removing water from the blood in the blood circuit. The blood purification apparatus is capable of performing substitution or blood return by supplying the dialysate in the dialysate introduction line L1 to the blood circuit. In an ultrafiltration treatment in which the ultrafiltration pump is activated while the introduction of the dialysate into the dialyzer is stopped, dialysate delivery is performed while the introduction of the dialysate into the dialyzer is prevented.

A control unit (30) is arranged to control a dialysis fluid distribution system (12) comprising two volumetric pumps (P1, P2) and a dialyzer (13). The control unit (30) is operable in a calibration mode, to establish a bypass flow path that bypasses the dialyzer (13) and extends between the pumps (P1, P2) and to operate the pumps (P1, P2) at first and second calibration speeds so as to balance the flow rates generated by the pumps (P1, P2), e.g. based on a measured pressure or fluid level in dialysis fluid distribution system (12). The control unit (30) determines, based on the first and second calibration speeds, a relation between the stroke volumes of the pumps (P1, P2). The control unit (30) is further operable in a treatment mode, to establish a main flow path that extends between the first and second pumps (P1, P2) via the dialyzer (13) and to control the first and second pumps (P1, P2), based on the relation between their stroke volumes, to operate at a respective treatment frequency so as to generate a selected ultrafiltration rate in the dialyzer (13).

A dialysate-extracting apparatus is provided in which scattering of dialysate that may occur when an opening-and-closing device is detached from a collecting port can be prevented and the cleanliness of the collecting port can be assuredly maintained. The dialysate-extracting apparatus includes a dialysate-extracting device connected to a dialysate flow route and having a collecting port from which dialysate flowing in the dialysate flow route is collectable, and an opening-and-closing device detachable from and attachable to the dialysate-extracting device in such a manner as to open and close the collecting port and including a seal portion that seals the collecting port in a closed state. When the opening-and-closing device is detached from the dialysate-extracting device, a part of the opening-and-closing device that is on an inner side with respect to the seal portion is bendable and displaceable toward the collecting port.

The present invention relates to a method of monitoring the bicarbonate content and the sodium content of a dialysis solution, wherein the dialysis solution is prepared while adding a bicarbonate component and an acidic sodium component, and wherein the method comprises the following steps: a. adding the acidic sodium component and measuring the conductivity (LF.sub.ist,Na); b. adding the bicarbonate component and measuring the increase in conductivity (LF.sub.ist,BiC) caused by adding the bicarbonate component; c. determining the increase in conductivity (LF.sub.exp,Bic) expected due to the addition of the bicarbonate component; d. checking whether the measured increase in conductivity (LF.sub.ist,Bic) lies in an expected range of the increase in conductivity (LF.sub.exp,Bic); e. determining the total conductivity (LF.sub.exp,D) expected after the addition of the bicarbonate component and of the acidic sodium component; f. measuring the total conductivity (LF.sub.ist,D) after the addition of the bicarbonate component and of the acidic sodium component; and g. checking whether the measured total conductivity (LF.sub.ist,D) lies in an expected range of the total conductivity (LF.sub.exp,D),

wherein the measurement of the conductivity in accordance with step a.; the measurement of the increase in conductivity in accordance with step b.; and the measurement of the total conductivity in accordance with step f. are carried out by one and the same conductivity measurement cell.

A method for operating a dialysis machine to conduct a dialysis treatment on a patient (e.g., a peritoneal dialysis machine) may include transferring dialysate from a first bag, and automatically determining the dialysate from the first bag has completely transferred. After determining the dialysate has completely transferred from the first bag, switching from the first bag to a second bag of dialysate. The method may further include transferring dialysate from the second bag in response to the detection of the completed transfer of the first bag, and automatically determining the dialysate from the second bag has completely transferred. The method may further include determining if the respective first or second bag has completely transferred by comparing a dialysate bag volume transferred to the patient to a detected volume of the respective first or second bag. Systems with dialysis machines for performing such a method are disclosed as well.

A blood based solute monitoring system for measuring at least one blood solute species that has a first recirculation flow path in fluid communication with a dialyzer. The first recirculation flow path is configured to allow a fluid to recirculate through a dialyzer such that the concentration of at least one solute species in the fluid becomes equilibrated to the solute species concentration of the blood in a blood compartment of the dialyzer. The blood solute monitoring system has at least one sensor to measure a fluid characteristic.

An apparatus and a method for extracorporeal blood treatment, especially for hemodialysis, wherein blood of a patient is flushed with a dialysate in a dialyzer and wherein a variable correlated with the plasma sodium concentration of the blood is measured. The composition of the dialysate then is adjusted in response to the variable measured so that the plasma sodium concentration of the blood at least at the end of the blood treatment has the same value as at the beginning. For measuring the variable correlated with the plasma sodium concentration of the blood, for example a bypass operation can be implemented in which the dialysate is guided past the dialyzer so that a residual volume on the side of the used dialysate at least partially adopts the concentration of the substances dissolved on the blood side.

A device for extracorporeal blood treatment, in particular a dialysis device, including an internal fluidic system for a treatment liquid, in particular for a dialysis liquid, the internal fluidic system having at least two liquid connectors for connecting a substantially cylindrical filter element, in particular a dialyzer, to the internal fluidic system for passing a treatment liquid through the filter element, and including a mounting for exchangeably holding the filter element in such a way that the filter element can be connected to the liquid connectors of the internal fluidic system and to an extracorporeal blood line in an intended manner, wherein the mounting for holding the filter element is designed in such a way that a cylinder longitudinal axis of the filter element is substantially horizontally aligned.

An extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus comprises: a blood treatment device (2) comprising a blood chamber (3) and a fluid chamber (4) separated from one another by a semipermeable membrane (5); an extracorporeal blood circuit (17) comprising a blood withdrawal line (6) connected to an inlet port (3a) of the blood chamber (3) and a blood return line (7) connected to an outlet port (3b) of the blood chamber (3); a blood pump (21) configured to be coupled to the blood withdrawal line (6); a hydraulic circuit (100) connectable to the fluid chamber (4), wherein the hydraulic circuit (100) comprises a fluid preparation device (9) connected to a water network (14) and configured to dilute concentrates in water to prepare a treatment fluid; a control unit (12) connected to the preparation device (9) and to the blood pump (21). The control unit (12) is configured to execute the following procedure: setting the hydraulic circuit (100) so that the fluid preparation device (9) bypasses the fluid chamber (4); controlling the fluid preparation device (9) to prepare the treatment fluid while bypassing the fluid chamber (4); and simultaneously controlling the blood pump (21) to perform pure ultrafiltration of a patient (P) connected to the extracorporeal blood circuit (17).

A dialysis machine has at least one filter for the filtration of dialysis liquid and a device for determining calcification of the dialysis machine. The device has one or more sensors configured and arranged to detect either downstream, or upstream and downstream, of the at least one filter an ion concentration or a parameter representative of the ion concentration or of its change of the dialysis liquid, of a solution serving the decalcification or of another measuring solution. The device for determining the calcification of the dialysis machine has an evaluation or calcification unit configured to determine the calcification of the dialysis machine based on the ion concentration or parameter value detected by the sensor or sensors.