A blood treatment apparatus (1) defines first and second flow circuits (C1, C2) separated by a dialyzer (20). The second flow circuit (C2) comprises return and withdrawal lines (24′, 24″) for connection to a vascular system of a subject during a treatment session. After the treatment session, a control system causes an operator to connect the second flow circuit (C2) to a first port (32) of a container (30), the apparatus (1) to perform a rinseback procedure, the operator to disconnect the return line (24′) from the vascular system and re-arrange the second flow circuit (C2) to define a closed loop, and the apparatus (1) to draw residual liquid from the closed loop into the first flow circuit (C1) through a dialyzer membrane (21). To facilitate drainage of the residual fluid with a conventional line set, the second flow circuit (C2) is connected to a second port (33) of the container (30) to include the container (30) in the closed loop, or the return and withdrawal lines (24′, 24″) are connected in fluid communication with the first port of the container (30) through a three-way manifold coupling unit.

The present invention relates to a method for filling a membrane filter of a blood treatment system, the blood treatment system comprising at least one blood treatment machine, a membrane filter, in particular a hollow fiber membrane filter, having a first and a second chamber which are semi-permeably separated by a membrane, and at least one first partial circuit and at least one second partial circuit. The first chamber of the membrane filter is arranged in the first partial circuit and the second chamber of the membrane filter is arranged in the second partial circuit. The first chamber of the membrane filter is filled with liquid via the first partial circuit, whilst the second chamber is still filled with air, and a pump is arranged in the first partial circuit upstream of the membrane filter. According to the invention,

Hemodialysis systems are described. A hemodialysis system may include a dialysate flow path through which dialysate is passed from a dialysate reservoir, which includes a valved vent to atmosphere, to an ultrafilter. The dialysate flow path includes a pneumatically actuated diaphragm-based dialysate pump for pumping fluid from the dialysate reservoir to the ultrafilter. The hemodialysis system may include a controller for controlling pneumatic actuation pressure delivered to the dialysate pump and at least one valve connecting the dialysate reservoir vent to the atmosphere. The hemodialysis system may be configured to actuate the dialysate pump and the at least one valve to introduce air into the dialysate flow path and expel liquid from the dialysate flow path to a drain.

The present disclosure relates to a method for removing blood and/or blood mixture from an extracorporeal blood circuit with a blood filter used for the blood treatment of a patient, after completing the blood treatment session. The blood filter includes a blood chamber and a spent dialysate chamber, between which a membrane is arranged. The blood chamber is connected to an arterial blood line, a venous blood line, a dialysis inlet line, and a dialysate outlet line. The venous blood line is fluidly connected to the dialysis inlet. The method includes displacing the blood and/or the blood mixture from the blood chamber by introducing substituate into the arterial blood line, and generating a pressure difference in the blood filter with a lower pressure in the spent dialysate chamber and a higher pressure in the blood chamber.

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.

A connector arrangement (10) for connecting to a fluid chamber (6) of a blood treatment unit (4) for extracorporeal blood treatments. The connector arrangement (10) includes a connector device (11) with a connector body (47) comprising a port opening (43) and an interior wall (50) defining a port space (39) designed to receive a first fluid port (8A) of the fluid chamber (6). The connector device (11) also incorporates a fluid path (35a) extending from the port space (39) to a first end opening (51) of the connector device (11), and an air path (36a) extending from the port space (39) to a second end opening (52) of the connector device (11), wherein the fluid path (35a) and the air path (36a) are separate paths. Also a system (1) for extracorporeal blood treatment including the connector arrangement (10) and a method for priming the fluid chamber (6).

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.

A blood purification apparatus where neither an arterial puncture needle nor a venous puncture needle is stuck in the patient can be checked automatically when it is attempted to activate a blood pump in an unconnected step. A blood purification apparatus includes a blood circuit for circulating blood, a dialyzer for purifying the blood, a blood pump provided to an arterial blood circuit for delivering liquid when activated, and a control device that executes a connected step when blood pump is activated with an arterial puncture needle (a) and a venous puncture needle (b) being stuck in the patient and an unconnected step in which the blood pump is activated with neither the arterial puncture needle (a) nor the venous puncture needle (b) being stuck in the patient.

A blood purification apparatus with an arterial puncture needle or a venous puncture needle is stuck in the patient can be easily notified at the activation of a blood pump in an unconnected step. A blood purification apparatus includes a blood circuit for circulating blood, a dialyzer capable of purifying the blood, a blood pump provided to an arterial blood circuit for delivering a liquid, and a control device that executes a connected step in which the blood pump is activated when an arterial puncture needle (a) and a venous puncture needle (b) are in the patient and an unconnected step in which the blood pump is activated with neither the arterial puncture needle (a) nor the venous puncture needle (b) being stuck in the patient. The control device establishes, in the unconnected step, a restricted state where the behavior of the blood pump at the activation of the blood pump is restricted.

The present disclosure describes a system and method for microfluidic separation. More particularly, the disclosure describes a system and method for the purification of a fluid by the removal of undesired particles. The device includes microfluidic separation channels that include multiple outlets. The device also includes isolation slots positioned between each of the microfluidic separation channels. The device's base includes multiple acoustic transducers which in some implementations are configured to protrude into the isolation slots. The acoustic transducers are configured to generate aggregation axes within the separation channels, which are used to separate out undesired particles.