Centrifugation systems and methods are provided for separating blood into its constituent parts. Inner and outer walls of a centrifuge each include a projection which extends toward the other wall. A separation chamber is received in the centrifuge between the walls, with the chamber including an inlet port for flowing blood into the chamber, a plasma outlet port for flowing plasma out of the chamber, and a red cell outlet port for flowing red blood cells out of the chamber. With the chamber received in the centrifuge between the walls, the first projection extends into the path of separated blood components flowing toward the plasma outlet port and prevents cellular blood components from flowing into the plasma outlet port. The second projection extends into the path of separated blood components flowing toward the red cell outlet port and prevents plasma from flowing into the red cell outlet port.

An external functional means comprises at least one housing body, at least one chamber integrated into the housing body for receiving medical fluids, at least one passage integrated into the housing body for receiving and/or conducting a medical fluid, and at least one valve means completely or partly integrated into the housing body for controlling or regulating a fluid flowing through the external functional means. The invention further specifies a blood treatment apparatus and methods which may be carried out by means of the external functional means of the invention and by means of the blood treatment apparatus, respectively.

A hemodialysis system comprising: a source of priming fluid; an extracorporeal circuit including an arterial line, a venous line, and a drip chamber; a level sensor operable with the drip chamber; a reversible blood pump operable with the extracorporeal circuit; a connection between the arterial and the venous line; and a priming sequence in which priming fluid from the source is pumped in a reverse pump direction through the extracorporeal circuit and reversibly in a normal pump direction through the extracorporeal circuit, wherein an output from the level sensor is used to determine when to stop pumping in at least one of the directions.

A renal therapy system includes: a filter; an arterial blood flowpath in fluid communication with the filter; a venous blood flowpath in fluid communication with the filter; a renal therapy fluid flowpath in fluid communication with the filter; first and second renal therapy fluid pumps; a plurality of valve actuators; and a dialysis fluid cassette including a plurality of valve portions configured to operate with the plurality of valve actuators so that (i) the first renal therapy fluid pump pumps renal therapy fluid through the renal therapy fluid flowpath for a number of first pump actuations, and (ii) the second renal therapy fluid pump pumps renal therapy fluid through the renal therapy fluid flowpath for a number of second pump actuations.

A cartridge insertion system includes a chassis supporting a fluid circuit, the chassis having a forward end with key pins projecting from the forward end and a rear end. The system also includes a medical treatment device with a slot opening closed by doors having a major dimension and having key openings spaced apart a same distance as the key pins on the chassis, such that when the chassis is pushed toward the slot opening, the key pins enter the key openings before the forward end meets the doors. The key pins push against latches that hold the door locked shut, so that the doors will not open if a cartridge without key pins is pressed against the door. When a cartridge with key pins is used, the doors unlock and allow the cartridge to be inserted.

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.

An occlusion assembly for compressing a pair of collapsible tubes comprises a frame comprising a tubing guide configured for positioning the collapsible tube. The occlusion assembly also comprises a tubing occluder mounted to the frame with an occluding member constructed and positioned to controllably occlude or release occlusion of the collapsible tube. A door mounted to the frame is positioned to cover at least a portion of the collapsible tube and tubing occluder when closed and provide user access when open. The assembly includes a retainer mechanism engaged by the door when the door is closed to permit operation of the tubing occluder when the door is closed and retain the tubing occluder in a non-occluding configuration when the door is opened.

Methods are provided for identifying a disposable flow circuit in a blood processing system. At least a portion of the disposable flow circuit is positioned within a centrifuge that is rotatable about a rotational axis and has a high-G outer wall with a window facing radially away from the rotational axis. The disposable flow circuit is monitored through the window to detect the presence of an expected identification feature and/or an expected alignment feature. If the expected feature is detected, a blood separation procedure is initiated, with the procedure including monitoring the disposable flow circuit through the window to detect characteristics of a fluid within the disposable flow circuit. If the expected feature is not detected, an alarm condition is generated and initiation of the blood separation procedure is prevented.

An optical monitoring system is provided for use with a blood processing system. The system includes a light source configured to illuminate a disposable flow circuit received in a centrifuge and a light detector configured to receive an image of the disposable flow circuit. A controller combines two or more of the images received by the light detector to generate a two-dimensional output. The output is used to control the separation of blood within the disposable flow circuit. The monitoring system may also be used to verify that the disposable flow circuit is suitable for use with the centrifuge or that the disposable flow circuit is properly aligned within the centrifuge. The monitoring system may be positioned outside of the centrifuge bucket which receives the centrifuge.

A renal failure therapy machine includes a blood cleaning filter, a dialysis fluid circuit including a balance chamber, the balance chamber including a fresh dialysis fluid compartment configured to send fresh dialysis fluid to the blood cleaning filter and a used dialysis fluid compartment configured to receive used dialysis fluid from the blood cleaning filter, a fresh dialysis fluid line in fluid communication with the fresh dialysis fluid compartment of the balance chamber and the blood cleaning filter, and a flow restrictor in fluid communication with the blood cleaning filter, the flow restrictor configured to cause fresh dialysis fluid delivered from the fresh dialysis fluid compartment, through the fresh dialysis fluid line, to the blood cleaning filter to be pressurized so that a first amount of the fresh dialysis fluid performs convective clearance and a second amount of the fresh dialysis fluid performs diffusive clearance.