A device and methods for treating renal failure are disclosed. One embodiment of the device is an implantable peritoneal dialysis device. When in use, the device can have a semi-permeable reservoir implanted in the peritoneal cavity. The reservoir can receive blood waste and drain through one or more conduits, via a pump, to the biological bladder. Solids and/or a solution benefiting dialysis can be pumped to the reservoir and/or implanted in the peritoneal cavity.

The present disclosure relates to an artificial, extracorporeal system for supporting the function of the liver of a patient suffering from liver failure, which is characterized in that it comprises a first high-flux or high cut-off hollow fiber membrane dialyzer which is perfused on the lumen side with the patient's blood and wherein a buffered aqueous solution comprising human serum albumin is passed in a continuous flow through the filtrate space of said first dialyzer, a second hollow fiber membrane dialyzer which removes water-soluble substances from the dialysate of said first dialyzer, and a third, integrated hollow fiber membrane dialyzer which is perfused with the retentate of second hemodialyzer and which allows the passage of certain amounts of albumin over the membrane wall into the filtrate space which is populated with adsorbent material. The system can be used for the treatment of acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure.

The invention provides a method and an apparatus or system for dialysis. The method and apparatus or system are useful for removing an undesirable protein-binding substance such as a toxin from a biological fluid such as blood or blood plasma. As such, the method and apparatus or system are useful for treating a subject in need of dialysis such as a subject suffering from hepatic disease. The methods feature a) dialyzing a biological fluid against a dialysis fluid containing an adsorber for a protein-binding substance to be removed through a semipermeable membrane, b) adjusting the dialysis fluid so that the binding affinity of the adsorber for the protein-bound substance to be removed is lowered and the substance to be removed passes into solution, and c) balancing the volume or flow of one or more fluids in the apparatus or system suitable for dialyzing a biological fluid containing a protein-binding substance to be removed. The apparatus or system features a) a biological fluid circuit (3); b) a dialysis fluid circuit (2); c) a means (4; 6; 7; 8; 9) for solubilizing the protein-binding substance to be removed; d) a dialysis, filtration or diafiltration device (5); e) a balancing system or apparatus suitable for balancing the volume or flow of one or more fluids in the apparatus or system suitable for dialyzing a biological fluid containing a protein-binding substance to be removed; and f) a dialysate regeneration unit.

The present invention relates to a dialysis machine having an extracorporeal blood circuit; a dialyzer; and a dialysate circuit, wherein a blood pump is arranged in the extracorporeal blood circuit; wherein the dialyzer has a dialysate membrane which separates its blood side from its dialysate side; wherein the dialysis machine has a control unit which is configured to carry out a conditioning cycle which comprises a conditioning phase in which an ultrafiltration rate exceeds the blood flow through the dialyzer conveyed by the blood pump.

The present disclosure relates to a dialysis apparatus comprising a membrane having at least one protein from the lipocalin family bound thereon. The disclosure further relates to methods of removing non-polar, hydrophobic and/or protein bound uremic toxins from a target subject utilizing the dialysis apparatus described herein as well as methods of extracorporeal detoxification.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed, embodiments of which provide single pass dialysis to remove water and uremic toxins is performed simultaneously with the albumin dialysis therapy by passing the albumin solution through a dialysis filter which dialyses it before the solution is returned to the cycler. In embodiments, the single pass dialysis stage is upstream of the albumin filtering stage.

The present invention generally relates to a process suitable for extracorporeal lung support. The process comprises contacting blood with a dialysis liquid separated by a semipermeable membrane. Oxygen is introduced into blood and/or into the dialysis liquid prior to contacting blood and dialysis liquid being separated by the semipermeable membrane. The process is versatile and allows for blood oxygenation as well as removal of at least one undesired substance occurring in the blood, selected from carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and hydrogen cations, from blood. Thereby, the present invention takes advantage of the Haldane effect in the extracorporeal contacting step. The undesired substance can be efficiently transported across a semipermeable membrane to the dialysis liquid. In contrast to extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal methods of the prior art (ECCCbR), the present invention employs a versatile dialysis liquid that allows to adjust the pH and buffering capacity of the dialysis liquid, to add fluids to the dialysis liquid and/or to the blood and to remove substances from the blood in the extracorporeal circuit, depending on the conditions and needs. The present invention also provides regeneration and recycling of the dialysis liquid, and thus for its repeated use. The present invention is suitable for treating human or animal subjects suffering from lung failure or lung disorders.

The present invention generally relates to a process suitable for extracorporeal lung support. The process relies on exposing blood, separated by a semipermeable membrane from the dialysis liquid. The dialysis liquid of the present invention comprises a buffering agent and has a high buffering capacity for H* ions. Carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and hydrogen cations can be efficiently transported across a semipermeable membrane to the dialysis liquid. The present invention also allows for the regeneration and recycling of the dialysis liquid, and thus for its recycling and repeated use. The versatility of the dialysis liquid allows to adjust the pH of the dialysis liquid, add fluids to the dialysis liquid and/or to the blood in the extracorporeal circuit and to remove substances from the blood in the extracorporeal circuit, depending on the conditions and needs. Thus, the present invention is versatile, and suitable for treating or preventing respiratory acidosis, metabolic acidosis, diseases associated with lung malfunction and/or kidney malfunction and/or liver malfunction. For example, when the kidney function is limited, the acid-base balance of the blood can be provided by the method of the present invention; and when the liver function is limited, toxins can be removed from blood by the method of the present invention.

A system includes an implantable device including a pump to pump the fluid from the peritoneum to the bladder via respective catheters, control circuitry, battery and transceiver; a charging and communication system configured to periodically charge the battery and communicate with the implantable device to retrieve data reflective of the patient's health; and monitoring and control software, suitable for use with conventional personal computers, for configuring and controlling operation of the implantable device and charging and communication system. The monitoring and control software allows a treating physician to remotely adjust the volume, time, and frequency with which fluid is pumped from the peritoneal cavity to the bladder based on the data reflective of the patient's health.

The present disclosure relates to a dialysis apparatus comprising a membrane having at least one protein from the lipocalin family bound thereon. The disclosure further relates to methods of removing non-polar, hydrophobic and/or protein bound uremic toxins from a target subject utilizing the dialysis apparatus described herein as well as methods of extracorporeal detoxification.