A dialysis system may include a blood circuit, a cassette, a subsystem having a processor, a sensor, and a blood pumping mechanism, a housing in which the subsystem is arranged, a movable support arranged in the housing and configured to hold the sensor and/or the blood pumping mechanism of the subsystem, a cassette holder configured to removably receive the cassette, and a loading system. The loading system may be configured to move the movable support, e.g. by an axial movement, to a first position and to a second position relatively to the housing while the cassette holder is fixedly arranged in the housing. The loading system may have an electric motor controlled by the processor, a drive assembly coupled to the electric motor, and a guiding assembly configured to cooperate with the drive assembly.

The present disclosure relates to a holder for holding a connector of a dialysis liquid inlet line and a connector of a dialysate outlet line, wherein the holder comprises an arm. The arm comprises a first retainer for receiving or holding the connector of the dialysis liquid inlet line and a second retainer for receiving or holding the connector of the dialysate outlet line. The present disclosure further relates to a blood treatment apparatus and to a method for setting up a blood treatment apparatus for a blood treatment session.

This invention is directed to system and methods for the oxygenation of the blood of a patient, comprising an extracorporeal blood circulation path adapted to be coupled to the patient's vascular system, and comprising apparatus for oxygenating blood flowing therein and withdrawing CO2 therefrom, wherein the flow rate of blood flowing in said extracorporeal blood circulation path does not exceed ⅖ of the patient's blood flow. The extracorporeal blood circulation path preferably comprise a cartridge including an oxygenator and at least one cannula.

The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. In one set of embodiments, a hemodialysis system may include a blood flow path and a dialysate flow path, where the dialysate flow path includes one or more of a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. Preparation of dialysate by the preparation circuit, in some instances, may be decoupled from patient dialysis. In some cases, the circuits are defined, at least partially, within one or more cassettes, optionally interconnected with conduits, pumps, or the like. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the hemodialysis system. In some cases, a gas supply may be provided in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path and/or the dialyzer that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate to pass through the dialyzer and urge blood in the blood flow path back to the patient. Such a system may be useful, for example, in certain emergency situations (e.g., a power failure) where it is desirable to return as much blood to the patient as possible. The hemodialysis system may also include, in another aspect of the invention, one or more fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, or the like, which can be actuated using a control fluid, such as air. In some cases, the control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using an external pump or other device, which may be detachable in certain instances. In one embodiment, one or more of the fluid handling devices may be generally rigid (e.g., having a spheroid shape), optionally with a diaphragm contained within the device, dividing it into first and second compartments.

An extracorporeal blood filtering machine can include a blood circuit, an effluent circuit, and a source fluid circuit and can be controlled by a controller. The extracorporeal blood filtering machine can also include access ports for connecting the source fluid circuit to the blood circuit, as well as blood sensors to detect possible issues with the extracorporeal blood filtering machine. The extracorporeal blood filtering machine can include density sensors and flow sensors that enable it to be more accurate and to operate while being transported. The extracorporeal blood filtering machine can further include a user interface and can display fluid inflow/outflow information. A medical fluid container can automatically empty after being filled. An apparatus for supporting a medical fluid container can include a hanger and an attachment member with the apparatus able to adjust to ensure the medical fluid container remains properly oriented directly under a medical fluid container scale.

This invention is directed to system and methods for the oxygenation of the blood of a patient, comprising an extracorporeal blood circulation path adapted to be coupled to the patient's vascular system, and comprising apparatus for oxygenating blood flowing therein and withdrawing CO2 therefrom, wherein the flow rate of blood flowing in said extracorporeal blood circulation path does not exceed ⅖ of the patient's blood flow. The extracorporeal blood circulation path preferably comprise a cartridge including an oxygenator and at least one cannula.

Dialysis systems comprising actuators that cooperate to perform dialysis functions and sensors that cooperate to monitor dialysis functions are disclosed. According to one aspect, such a hemodialysis system comprises a user interface model layer, a therapy layer, below the user interface model layer, and a machine layer below the therapy layer. The user interface model layer is configured to manage the state of a graphical user interface and receive inputs from a graphical user interface. The therapy layer is configured to run state machines that generate therapy commands based at least in part on the inputs from the graphical user interface. The machine layer is configured to provide commands for the actuators based on the therapy commands.

A method for priming an extracorporeal blood circuit of an apparatus for extracorporeal treatment of blood comprises: feeding a priming fluid in the extracorporeal blood circuit and into a blood side of a membrane gas exchanger (18); generating a transitory pressurization step or a plurality of transitory pressurization steps in the priming fluid flowing in the blood circuit and in the blood side of the membrane gas exchanger (18).

A dialysis system is disclosed. The example dialysis system includes a housing, a pump actuator housed by the housing, a fluid pumping cassette coupled operably to the housing and including a flexible membrane covering a pump chamber, and a mechanically actuated piston head provided by the pump actuator and positioned to extend towards and away from the fluid pumping cassette. The fluid pumping cassette is positioned such that the flexible membrane of the fluid pumping cassette faces the piston head so that the piston head can push the flexible membrane into the pump chamber of the fluid pumping cassette to expel a fluid from the pump chamber. The example dialysis system also includes a controller programmed to perform a leak test by monitoring a sensed position of the mechanically actuated piston head while the mechanically actuated piston head applies a force to the flexible membrane of the fluid pumping cassette.

A hemodialysis system is disclosed. The hemodialysis system includes a dialyzer, a saline container including saline, and a disposable set comprising a blood pumping tube fluidly connected to a first end of the dialyzer, an arterial line fluidly connected to a first end of the blood pumping tube, a venous line fluidly connected to a second end of the dialyzer, a saline line fluidly connected to the blood pumping tube and the saline container, and a dialyzer line fluidly connected to a second end of the blood pumping tube and a second end of the dialyzer. The hemodialysis system also includes a dialysis instrument comprising an arterial line clamp, a venous line clamp, and a saline valve. The saline rinses blood out of the arterial line when the venous line clamp is closed, the arterial line clamp is opened, and the saline value is opened.