Microbubbles detached from a blood circuit and a blood purification unit are discharged with the use of a backflow generated at the instant that a roller of a blood pump releases a squeezable tube. In a normal rotation step, a region filled with a priming solution after a priming step is closed by a closing unit, and a rotor of a blood pump is rotated normally until a roller of the blood pump releases a squeezable tube to generate a backflow. After the backflow is generated at the release of the squeezable tube by the roller of the blood pump, bubbles are moved by reversely rotating the rotor while disabling the closing by the closing unit. Thus, the bubbles are discharged through a discharge unit.

A primer may be used with IV catheter systems. The primer may be positioned along the tubing of an extension set such that the primer divides the IV catheter system into a downstream portion and an upstream portion. The primer may vent air from both the upstream and downstream portions to allow blood to flow up to the primer while also allowing priming solution to flow down to the primer. As a result, the catheter may be inserted into the patient's vasculature without first priming the catheter. Once the air has been vented from the upstream and downstream portions of the IV catheter system, the primer may be actuated to open a fluid pathway through the primer. With the fluid pathway opened, the priming solution may commence flowing towards the patient's vasculature thereby flushing the blood from the IV catheter system.

A device and method for separating whole blood includes flowing whole blood to a centrifuge, separating whole blood into blood components within the centrifuge, and flowing separated blood components out of the centrifuge. The device and method include a flow rate stoppage phase executed one or more times during the method. The flow rate stoppage phase includes (i) stopping the flow of whole blood to the centrifuge and stopping the flow of separated blood components out of the centrifuge; (ii) spinning the centrifuge at a selected rate; and (iii) after a selected time ending the flow rate stoppage phase and resuming the flow of whole blood to the centrifuge and the flow of separated blood components out of the centrifuge.

In one aspect, a system includes a blood treatment machine; a dialyzer configured to be coupled to the blood treatment machine, the dialyzer including a dialyzer housing defining a blood inlet and a blood outlet; a bundle of hollow fibers within an interior of the dialyzer housing; a pumping device drivable to force blood received from the blood inlet through lumens of the bundle of hollow fibers and out the blood outlet; a dialysate inlet port in fluid communication with a dialysate flow path that includes space in the interior of the dialyzer housing between the bundle of hollow fibers; and a dialysate outlet port in fluid communication with the dialysate flow path. The system further includes a fluid conditioning system configured to (i) prepare and supply fresh dialysate to the dialyzer via the dialysate inlet port, and (ii) receive spent dialysate from the dialyzer via the dialysate outlet port, recycle the spent dialysate, and supply the recycled dialysate to the dialyzer via the dialysate inlet port.

The present invention relates to a method for disconnecting two fluid-conducting line sections of a medical device which are detachably interconnected, wherein a first line section of the two line sections has at least partially an elastic property. The method comprises the steps of enclosing a fluid volume in the two line sections, generating a reduced pressure in the two line sections, as a result of which elastic deformation from a starting position into a tensioned position takes place in and/or on the first line section, wherein a fluid volume contained in the first line section is lower in the tensioned position than a fluid volume contained in the starting position, and detaching the connection of the line sections, wherein the fluid volume contained in the first line section in the tensioned position increases. Furthermore, the invention relates to a medical device which is configured to carry out a method of this kind.

The disclosed subject matter relates to extracorporeal blood processing or other processing of fluids. Volumetric fluid balance, a required element of many such processes, may be achieved with multiple pumps or other proportioning or balancing devices which are to some extent independent of each other. This need may arise in treatments that involve multiple fluids. Safe and secure mechanisms to ensure fluid balance in such systems are described.

A needle cap and a dialysis circuit priming device with increased safety and convenience in the cleaning and priming of a blood circuit are provided. According to the present invention, a needle cap is provided including two needle connecting parts, and a flow path connecting the two needle connecting parts. A dialysis circuit priming device is also provided including two needles, two needle connecting parts each arranged with the two needles respectively, and a flow path for connecting the two needle connecting parts.

The present disclosure relates to a dialysis apparatus comprising a membrane having at least one protein from the lipocalin family bound thereon. The disclosure further relates to methods of removing non-polar, hydrophobic and/or protein bound uremic toxins from a target subject utilizing the dialysis apparatus described herein as well as methods of extracorporeal detoxification.

The availability of a heart-lung machine in a box provides an opportunity for saving lives in emergency situations arising outside a hospital and for more cost effective care in hospital settings.

An extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus comprises: a blood treatment device (2); an extracorporeal blood circuit comprising a blood withdrawal line (6) and a blood return line (7) coupled to the extracorporeal blood treatment device (2), wherein the blood return line (7) presents a heating zone (14) coupled or configured to be coupled to a blood warmer (15); a blood pump (6) configured to be coupled to a pump section of the blood withdrawal line (6); at least a post-infusion line (13, 13′) connected to the blood return line (7) upstream of the heating zone (14); an air trapping device (9) placed on the blood return line (7) upstream of the heating zone (14).