DIALYSIS MACHINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dialysis machine, in particular to a peritoneal dialysis machine, having a device for preparing dialysis solution, wherein the device has an RO system equipped with a filter for the provision of RO water and has a mixing device that is configured to mix a dialysis concentrate with the RO water or with a solution containing RO water; wherein a control device is provided that is configured to operate the RO system continuously; and wherein a storage container is provided that is connected downstream of the RO system and that is configured to store the water generated in the RO system.

Claims

1. A dialysis machine, in particular a peritoneal dialysis machine, having a device for preparing dialysis solution, wherein the device has an RO system equipped with a filter for the provision of RO water and has a mixing device that is configured to mix a dialysis concentrate with the RO water or with a solution containing RO water; wherein a control device is provided that is configured to operate the RO system continuously; and wherein a storage container is provided that is connected downstream of the RO system and that is configured to store the water generated in the RO system.

2. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the mixing device is connected downstream of the storage container; or in that the storage container itself forms the mixing device or a part of the mixing device.

3. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the storage container contains dialysis concentrate; or in that the storage container is configured such that dialysis concentrate can be received in it; and/or in that the storage container has a connector to which a dialysis concentrate container is connectable or connected.

4. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a line leads away from the storage container that serves the connection to the patient, with the line having a connector to which a dialysis concentrate container is connectable or connected.

5. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the connector has a screw connection by means of which the dialysis concentrate container is connectable; and/or in that the connector has a membrane and a spike for piercing the membrane on the establishing of the connection when connecting the dialysis concentrate container.

6. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a line leads away from the storage container that serves the connection to the patient, with the line preferably being connected to a mixing container.

7. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that a sterile filter is arranged in the line that serves the connection to the patient.

8. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the dialysis concentrate is an osmotic agent, in particular glucose and/or electrolytes.

9. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of dialysis concentrate containers are arranged behind one another.

10. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the storage container is formed by a tank or comprises a tank, with provision preferably being made that the tank is partly or fully configured with rigid walls.

11. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the storage container is formed by a bag or comprises a bag, with the bag preferably consisting of or comprising a flexible and/or elastic film.

12. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the storage container comprises a tank and a bag, with the bag being received in the tank and with the bag preferably being dimensioned such that it contacts the inner sides of the tank in the filled state.

13. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that sterilization means, in particular a UV irradiation device, are provided by means of which the inner side of the storage container can be sterilized.

14. A dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the storage container has a volume capacity from 5-100 l, preferably from 10-50 l.

15. A dialysis machine, in particular a peritoneal dialysis machine, having a device for preparing dialysis solution, wherein the device has an RO system equipped with a filter for the provision of RO water and has a mixing device that is configured to mix a dialysis concentrate with the RO water, wherein a control device is provided that is configured to operate the RO system continuously, and wherein the control device is configured to operate the RO system with a smaller throughput when the dialysis machine is not in use and to operate it with a higher throughput when the dialysis machine is in use.

16. A method of providing a dialysis solution in a dialysis machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the RO system is continuously in operation.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, characterized n that the RO system can be controlled such that the throughput of the RO system is independent of whether a treatment is carried out by means of the dialysis machine or, alternatively thereto, is controlled such that the throughput of the RO system is dependent on whether a treatment is carried out by means of the dialysis machine.

Description

[0035] Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing:

[0036] There are shown:

[0037] FIG. 1: a schematic view of a peritoneal dialysis machine in accordance with the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2: different arrangements of dialysis concentrate containers relative to a mixing container; and

[0039] FIG. 3: a schematic view of the storage container of a dialysis machine in accordance with the invention.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows by reference numeral 100 a PD machine in accordance with the invention in a schematic representation.

[0041] An RO system is marked by reference numeral 10 that is e.g. supplied with mains water through a filling connector, not shown. The RO system preferably comprises one or more pumps, filters, membranes, etc. that are not shown in the Figure.

[0042] RO water is prepared by reverse osmosis in the system 10 and is transferred from it by means of the line 40 and a pump, not shown, into the storage container 20.

[0043] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the storage container 20 is connected to an inflow line 40 from the RO system 10 and to an outflow line 40 that leads to the patient marked by reference symbol P in FIG. 1.

[0044] Reference numeral 50 in FIG. 3 marks a drain line by means of which the RO water or a solution containing RO water in the storage container 20 can be conducted into a drain. This takes place when the filling level in the store 20 has exceeded a specific value and the RO water is not required to prepare dialysis solution. The control of the fluid flows takes place by valves, not shown, that are preferably likewise controlled by the control device.

[0045] The RO system 10 is operated continuously. RO water is thus always available that first moves into the storage container 20.

[0046] The storage container 20 can be designed as a tank having rigid walls in which a replaceable bag is located into which RO water is conducted so that it only comes into contact with the bag, but not with the tank itself. It can thus be achieved by the use of a sterile bag that the RO water always remains sterile in the container 20. The demands on the sterility of the tank itself can thus be lower.

[0047] A concentrate (solid or liquid) can be located in the container 20, i.e. e.g. in the bag. It can e.g. be electrolytes. The case is generally also covered by the invention that there is no concentrate, but only RO water, in the container 20.

[0048] By introducing RO water through the line 40 from the RO system into the storage container 20, the RO water is mixed with concentrate located therein and the ready-to-use or substantially ready-to-use dialysis solution is prepared in this manner and is transported to the patient by means of the line 40.

[0049] The storage container 20 thus not only serves as a store for receiving RO water in this case, but also as a mixing device for mixing RO water with concentrate(s).

[0050] However, the case not shown in the Figures is also covered by the invention that a mixing device, e.g. in the form of a further container in which the mixing of RO water and the concentrate or concentrates takes place, is arranged downstream of the storage container 20. This container can have one or more concentrates or one or more connectors for concentrates.

[0051] A glucose bag or glucose container that, as can be seen from FIG. 1, opens into the patient line 40 is shown by reference numeral 30. A valve, a pump or the like is preferably provided by means of which glucose and/or other concentrates such as electrolyte concentrates individual to the patient can be added as required via the control device.

[0052] Reference numeral 30 is thus representative of any desired container (rigid (e.g. a cartridge) or flexible (e.g. a bag)) that contains one or more concentrates in a solid and/or liquid form.

[0053] The dialysis machine 100 furthermore comprises the already named control device, not shown, (that can optionally also carry out a regulation), with the control device being designed to operate the components of the machine. The control device is here configured such that the RO system is also operated continuously when no dialysis solution is actually required. This can be achieved, for example, in that a pump that conveys water to or through the RO system is always in operation, i.e. also when no dialysis solution is required per se.

[0054] This has the advantage that the filter of the RO system is flushed continuously and not only intermittently, which reduces the probability for the occurrence of contamination. This is e.g. achieved by the continuous operation of a pump that is correspondingly controlled by the control device.

[0055] The pump or other device (e.g. a valve) can be controlled or configured such that the throughput through the RO system is always constant in time. It is, however, also conceivable to carry out the control in dependence on whether dialysis solution is required or not. In the latter case, the pump. etc. can be operated at a lower conveying power than in the first case.

[0056] If no dialysis solution is required over a longer time period, the RO water prepared in the RO system 10 is discarded via the drain 50 (cf. FIG. 3).

[0057] FIG. 2 shows further variants of the arrangement of concentrate containers that are marked by reference symbols A and B in FIG. 3.

[0058] A can, for example, be a glucose concentrate and B can be an electrolyte concentrate or vice versa.

[0059] FIG. 2a) shows the case that the concentrates flow into the storage container 20; FIG. 2b) shows the reverse arrangement in which the content of the storage container 20 successively flows through the concentrate containers A and B.

[0060] In both cases, the preferably ready-to-use solution moves into the line 40 that leads to the patient.

[0061] A connector that is connectable to a connector of the patient catheter in a fluid-tight manner is arranged at the end of the line at the patient side. The patient catheter is a hose section that is fixedly connected to the patient and leads into the peritoneum of the patient.

[0062] The dialysis machine can have one or more pumps, flow rate sensors, other sensors, clamps, valves, etc. that are not shown in the Figures.

[0063] The dialysis machine is preferably designed such that the patient only has to connect the patient catheter to the line 40 and the dialysis machine starts.

[0064] One or more of the functions of the dialysis machine can be arranged in a module or in a cassette that the user connects to the dialysis machine.