The present disclosure relates to a valve device for connecting to an outlet tap associated with an effluent outlet opening of an effluent bag. The valve device includes an actuator and is arranged in or on an effluent outlet line or an attachment therefor. The actuator of the outlet tap can be brought into two different settings, which can block or allow the flow from the effluent outlet opening along the effluent outlet line. The valve device has a holding section, an insert section and a blocking element which can be switched between positions by which the second fluid line can be acted on to interrupt a flow along the second fluid line and to insulate an electrically conductive liquid column in the second fluid line in an electrically insulating manner or to allow a flow.

A device and method are described for the treatment of blood, which device may be used in conjunction with or in place of a failed Kidney. The device includes an ultrafiltration unit to remove proteins, red and white blood cells and other high molecular weight components, a nanofiltration unit to remove glucose, at least one electrodeionization unit to transport ions from the blood stream, and a reverse osmosis unit to modulate the flow of water, to both the blood and urine streams. In one embodiment, a specialized electrodeionization unit is provided having multiple chambers defining multiple dilute fluid channels, each channel filled with an ion specific resin wafer, and electrodes at the extremity of the device and proximate each of the resin filled dilute channels. By selective application of voltages to these electrodes, the ion transport functionality of a given dilute channel can be turned on or off.

A system for hemodialysis can include a first dialysis system and a second dialysis system configured to be used in alternate fashion to provide hemodialysis for a patient, wherein the first dialysis system is configured to be worn by the patient, and wherein the second dialysis system is configured to be positioned on a support independent of the patient. The first dialysis system can be configured to be coupled to a belt worn by the patient around a waist of the patient during its operation. The second dialysis system can configured to be coupled to a stationary support during its operation.

A system for hemodialysis can include a first dialysis system and a second dialysis system configured to be used in alternate fashion to provide hemodialysis for a patient, wherein the first dialysis system is configured to be worn by the patient, and wherein the second dialysis system is configured to be positioned on a support independent of the patient. The first dialysis system can be configured to be coupled to a belt worn by the patient around a waist of the patient during its operation. The second dialysis system can configured to be coupled to a stationary support during its operation.

The invention relates to a dialysis machine capable of performing ultrafiltration without the need for a dedicated ultrafiltration pump. The system uses a pair of membrane flow balance pumps wherein the operation and/or the volume flow rate of the pumps can be modified during operation to bring about a net movement of dialysate either into or from the dialyser. The direction of flow of the dialysate in the dialyzer is reversible and the dialyzer can comprise two dialysate inlets, one at each end, and two dialysate outlets, one at each end.

A hemodialysis system is disclosed. The hemodialysis system includes a disposable set including a blood pumping tube, a fresh dialysate pumping tube, and a spent dialysate pumping tube. The hemodialysis system also includes a dialysis instrument including a blood pump head, a fresh dialysate pump head, a spent dialysate pump head, a first motor positioned and arranged to operate the blood pump head, a second motor positioned and arranged to operate the fresh dialysate pump head, and a third motor positioned and arranged to operate the spent dialysate pump head. When the disposable set is loaded into the dialysis instrument, the blood pumping tube comes into registry with the blood pump head, the fresh dialysate pumping tube comes into registry with the fresh dialysate pump head, and spent dialysate pumping tube comes into registry with the spent dialysate pump head.

A method for operating a portable dialysis device, comprising the following steps: continuously and alternately filling and emptying a hydraulic chamber with hydraulic fluid by a pump, wherein upon filling the hydraulic chamber, an at least partially flexible delivery membrane is moved towards a blood chamber adjoining the hydraulic chamber, in which blood is received, and wherein the blood flows tangentially along an inner wall of the blood chamber through an inlet side, whereby the blood chamber is compressed to eject the blood, and enhancing a return flow of the blood from the blood chamber while avoiding dead points in the flow in the blood chamber, and wherein upon emptying the hydraulic chamber, the delivery membrane is moved away from the blood chamber so that the blood chamber expands to receive the blood, so that a continuous, alternate compression and expansion of the blood chamber by the delivery membrane occurs, such that a continuous uninterrupted exchange of the blood in the blood chamber is performed while avoiding the formation of thrombi.

A method for priming a renal therapy machine is disclosed. The method includes communicating a source of a physiologically compatible solution with a blood circuit and moving the physiologically compatible solution from the source to the blood circuit. The method also includes moving the physiologically compatible solution through the blood circuit to prime the blood circuit. The method further includes moving the physiologically compatible solution from the blood circuit though porous fibers of a blood filter, causing air to be purged from the blood circuit and into a dialysis fluid circuit portion of the blood filter.

Provided is a blood purifying apparatus including a blood purifying filter in which mass transfer occurs between blood and dialysis fluid, a blood tube connecting the blood purifying filter and a patient to allow blood to flow therethrough, a dialysis fluid supply tube connected to the blood purifying filter and allowing dialysis fluid to be supplied to the blood purifying filter therethrough, a dialysis fluid discharge tube connected to the blood purifying filter and allowing dialysis fluid to be discharged from the blood purifying filter therethrough; and a fluid pumping device. The fluid pumping device further includes a plurality of chamber each having an internal space, a chamber pressurizing member disposed inside the plurality of chambers and compressing or expanding the chambers to thereby allow a fluid to flow therethrough, and a flow controller controlling a flow passage.

A pneumatic system for a medical fluid machine operating a medical fluid cassette, the pneumatic system including an interface for supplying positive pneumatic pressure and negative pneumatic pressure to the medical fluid cassette; a source of positive pneumatic pressure; a source of negative pneumatic pressure; and a pneumatic pump including a first head and a second head, wherein the first head is dedicated to supplying positive pneumatic pressure to the positive pneumatic pressure source and the second head is dedicated to supplying negative pneumatic pressure to the negative pneumatic pressure source.