The present specification describes a modular, portable hemofiltration system, for providing improved clearance levels of blood toxins, which includes at least one roller pump that is designed and operated to generate a rapidly varying pressure profile of fluid within at least a blood circuit of the hemofiltration system.

A method of collecting mononuclear cells, comprising separating whole blood into cellular components and platelets suspended in plasma, separating the platelets suspended in plasma into platelet concentrate and platelet-poor plasma, combining the cellular components with the platelet-poor plasma to form a first mixture, and separating the first mixture into mononuclear cells and at least one component.

Mid-procedure termination of a mononuclear cell collection procedure may prevent collection of an amount of red blood cells that is required to harvest a complete mononuclear cell product. Blood separation systems and methods are provided for minimizing the impact of or recovering from mid-procedure termination of such a mononuclear cell collection procedure. According to one approach, blood or separated red blood cells are conveyed into a red blood cell collection container relatively early in the procedure to minimize the impact of a later termination of the procedure. According to another approach, blood and/or separated red blood cells within a fluid processing assembly are redirected through the fluid processing assembly following mid-procedure termination to allow for at least partial mononuclear cell collection. According to yet another approach, a double-needle fluid processing assembly may be converted into a single-needle configuration to allow for continued processing following mid-procedure termination.

The hemodialysis system includes a closed loop dialysate flow path which includes a dialyzer and a reservoir for storing dialysate, and a closed loop blood flow path which passes through the dialyzer in the opposite direction as the dialysate flow path. In addition, the hemodialysis system includes pumps for pumping dialysate and blood through their respective flow paths, a flow sensor for measuring the flow rate of dialysate in the dialysate flow path, and a level sensor for measuring the level of dialysate in the dialysate reservoir. A processor is connected to the flow sensor, reservoir level sensor and pumps to provide a first closed loop control system including the processor, flow sensor and a first dialysate pump, and a second closed loop control system including the processor, level sensor and a second dialysate pump which enable the processor to initiate, monitor and maintain ultrafiltration.

A drain cassette for a dialysis unit has a fluid channel between venous and arterial connection ports, and a valve may controllably open and close fluid communication between a drain outlet port and the venous connection port or the arterial connection port. A blood circuit assembly and drain cassette may be removable from the dialysis unit, e.g., by hand and without the use of tools. A blood circuit assembly may include a single, unitary member that defines portions of a pair of blood pumps, control valves, channels to accurately position flexible tubing for an occluder, an air trap support, and/or other portions of the assembly. A blood circuit assembly engagement device may assist with retaining a blood circuit assembly on the dialysis unit, and/or with removal of the assembly. An actuator may operate a retainer element and an ejector element that interact with the assembly.

The present invention relates to a cassette module for controlling fluid flows, in particular for use in blood treatment systems or in infusion systems, wherein the cassette module has at least one first functional layer and at least one second functional layer, wherein the first functional layer has means for the flow guidance of at least one fluid flow, and wherein the cassette module furthermore has at least two membranes of which the first is in contact with the means for the flow guidance of a fluid flow, and wherein the second functional layer is arranged between the two membranes and has means for generating an underpressure between the membranes.

Methods and systems for reducing bacterial contamination of platelets are disclosed. The methods and systems disclosed herein provide for the processing of a pre-determined volume of whole blood so as to reduce the risk that platelets separated and collected from the whole blood have a reduced risk of bacterial contamination.

A method for operating a blood treatment apparatus including an extracorporeal blood circuit having a blood filter with a blood chamber and a dialysate chamber, between which a membrane is arranged. The method encompasses operating a blood pump from a first time point, at which an ultrafiltration pump is stopped, at least until a second time point, at which at least one of the following conditions is met for the first time after the first time point: a time interval after has elapsed, the blood pump has conveyed a volume after, a measurement of a fluid in the extracorporeal blood circuit exceeds or falls below a threshold.

Mid-procedure termination of a mononuclear cell collection procedure may prevent collection of an amount of red blood cells that is required to harvest a complete mononuclear cell product. Blood separation systems and methods are provided for minimizing the impact of or recovering from mid-procedure termination of such a mononuclear cell collection procedure. According to one approach, blood or separated red blood cells are conveyed into a red blood cell collection container relatively early in the procedure to minimize the impact of a later termination of the procedure. According to another approach, blood and/or separated red blood cells within a fluid processing assembly are redirected through the fluid processing assembly following mid-procedure termination to allow for at least partial mononuclear cell collection. According to yet another approach, a double-needle fluid processing assembly may be converted into a single-needle configuration to allow for continued processing following mid-procedure termination.

A method for controlling the flow rate of a pneumatic syringe in a system that includes a disposable fluid circuit and reusable hardware configured to accept the disposable fluid circuit. The disposable fluid circuit includes one or more syringes, while the reusable hardware includes a syringe pump for each syringe of the disposable fluid circuit and a controller. The syringe pump includes a vacuum/pressure source for moving the piston within the syringe and a position detector for indicating the position of the piston within the syringe. The method controls several distinct phases of the process: break pressure targeting, glide control and vent control, and the method is the same regardless of whether a positive pressure or a vacuum is applied to the piston of the syringe. Preferably, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) feedback loop is used for controlling the movement of the piston in the syringe.