DIALYSIS MACHINE AND ULTRAFILTRATION

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A dialysis machine for ultrafiltration, comprising: a dialyser; and a first pump and a second pump, each pump adapted to deliver a fresh dialysate solution to the dialyser and remove a spent dialysate solution from the dialyser; wherein: a volume flow rate of the first pump is different from a volume flow rate of the second pump; and an operation of the first pump and/or the second pump is configured to remove excess fluid from the dialyser and/or deliver excess fluid to the dialyser.

2. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein a volume of the first pump and/or a volume of the second pump do not change.

3. A dialysis machine for ultrafiltration comprising: a dialyser; and a first pump adapted to deliver a fresh dialysate solution to the dialyser; and a second pump adapted to remove a spent dialysate solution from the dialyser; wherein: a volume flow rate of at least one of the first pump and the second pump is variable; and the volume flow rate of the first pump and/or the volume flow rate of the second pump are configured to remove excess fluid from the dialyser and/or deliver excess fluid to the dialyser.

4. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein a volume of at least one of the first pump and/or the second pump is variable.

5. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the volume of the first pump and the volume of the second pump are variable.

6. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the volume of the first pump is different from the volume of the second pump.

7. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the first pump and the second pump are operated at a different frequency.

8. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein an operation of the first pump and/or the second pump is configured to remove excess fluid from the dialyser.

9. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the dialysis machine does not comprise a separate ultrafiltration pump.

10. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the first pump and/or the second pump are flow balance pumps.

11. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the first pump and/or the second pump comprise a pump chamber, a volume of the pump chamber of at least one of the first pump and/or the second pump is variable.

12. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein the first pump and/or the second pump are membrane pumps, each pump including a pump cavity covered by a flexible membrane defining a pump chamber.

13. The dialysis machine of claim 12, wherein the pump cavity comprises a base including one or more deployable protrusions.

14. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein a difference between the volume flow rate of the first pump and the volume flow rate of the second pump is at least 1%.

15. The dialysis machine of claim 3, wherein a difference between the volume flow rate of the first pump and the volume flow rate of the second pump ranges from about 5% to about 50%.

16. The dialysis machine of claim 3, further comprising at least one valve, wherein a volume of the at least one valve is variable.

17. The dialysis machine of claim 16, wherein the at least one valve is a membrane valve including: an inlet; an outlet; a valve cavity in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet; and a flexible membrane covering the valve cavity; wherein, the flexible membrane is configurable to interrupt a flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet.

18. The A dialysis machine of claim 17, wherein the dialysis machine is configured to vary a volume of the membrane valve by controlling a pressure differential across the flexible membrane of the membrane valve in order to change a shape of the flexible membrane when the membrane valve is in a closed configuration.

19. A method, comprising: delivering a first fresh dialysate solution to a dialyser using a first pump and removing a first spent dialysate solution from the dialyser using a second pump for a first number of pump cycles; and delivering a second fresh dialysate solution to the dialyser using the second pump and removing a second spent dialysate solution from the dialyser using the first pump for a second number of pump cycles; wherein: the first number of pump cycles is different from the second number of pump cycles.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein: a volume of the first pump is greater than a volume of the second pump; and the first number of pump cycles is less than the second number of pump cycles.

21-28. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the dialysis machine of the invention.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation an alternative arrangement of the dialysis machine of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

[0044] FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b are cross sections through the pump chamber of a membrane pump used in the present invention wherein the pump chamber is empty with protrusions in a deployed and undeployed configuration.

[0045] FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b are cross sections through the pump chamber of a membrane pump used in the present invention wherein the pump chamber is full with protrusions in a deployed and undeployed configuration.

[0046] FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b are cross sections of a membrane valve used in the present invention wherein the valve closure positions are variable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a typical pumping system for a dialysis machine according to the first aspect of the invention. The system comprises a first pump 3 adapted to receive a fresh dialysate solution from a dialysate source via a first source valve 2 connected via dialysate source line 2a to a source of dialysate 1. The dialysate source line 2a has a first dialysate source valve 2 to control flow of dialysate from the source 1 to the first pump 3. First pump 3 has fluid connections to a dialysate inlet line 6a, dialysate drain line 4a and dialysate outlet line 16a. Dialysate inlet line 6a has dialysate inlet valve 6 thereon. Dialysate drain line 4c has dialysate drain valve 4 thereon. Dialysate outlet line 16a has dialysate outlet valve 16 thereon.

[0048] Dialysate inlet line 6a and dialysate outlet line 16a are connected, in fluid communication, to the dialysate side of a dialyser 5 in known manner. Dialysate drain line 4a is connected in fluid communication with a dialysate drain 19. In use, dialysate is drawn into the first pump 3 via the first source valve 2. This first source valve 2 is then closed and the first pump 3 is actuated and the fresh dialysate solution is expelled through the first dialyser inlet valve 6 into the dialyser 5.

[0049] The dialyser 5 comprises a first compartment, referred to as the dialysate side 7 and a second compartment referred to as the blood side 9 which are separated from one another by means of a dialyser membrane 11.

[0050] The system comprises a second pump 17 which has a mirrored set of fluid lines, connections and valves similar to the pump 3. So, second pump 17 has second dialysate source line 8a with second dialysate source valve 8 connected to dialysate source 1. Second pump also has second dialysate inlet line 14a with second dialysate inlet valve 14, second dialysate outlet line 12a with second dialysate outlet valve 12 and second dialysate drain line 10a with second dialysate drain valve 10.

[0051] The second dialysate inlet and outlet lines 14a, 12a are connected to the opposite end of the dialysate side 7 of the dialyser 5. The second dialysate drain line 10a is connected to the dialysate drain 19.

[0052] The fresh dialysate solution passes along the dialysate side 7 and impurities in the blood side 9 diffuse across the dialyser membrane 11 into the fresh dialysate solution thereby removing impurities from the blood. This dialysate solution containing impurities leaves the dialyser and is drawn into the second pump 17 via the second dialyser outlet valve 12. The second pump 17 can then be actuated to expel the spent dialysate solution to the drain 19 via the second drain valve 10. The volumes of the first and second pumps (3, 17) are different to one another. The first pump 3 has a smaller volume than the second pump 17. This means that in a single pumping cycle operating in the flow direction described above, excess fluid is drawn from the dialyser and expelled through the drain. In order to counteract this removal of excess fluid the operation of the first pump 3 and the second pump 17 can be switched. Accordingly, after a given number of cycles in the first direction described above, the roles of the first and second pumps 3, 17 can be changed. Accordingly, a fresh dialysate solution can be drawn from the dialysate source 1 into the second pump 17 via the second source valve 8. This fresh dialysate can then be expelled from the second pump 17 via the second dialyser inlet valve 14 and pass into the dialyser 7. Impurities from the blood are transferred via the dialyser membrane 11 into the fresh dialysate as it passes along the dialysate 7 of the dialyser 5. Spent dialysate solution exiting the dialyser 5 enters the first pump 3 via the first dialyser outlet valve 16. This spent dialysate solution can then be expelled from the first pump 3 via the first drain valve 4. Accordingly, where an even number of pump cycles occurs in both directions, there is no net loss of fluid from the system. However, as and when ultrafiltration is required, the number of pump cycles in one of the directions can be made to be greater than or less than the number of pump cycles in the other direction. In the situation where the volume of first pump 3 is less than the volume of the second pump 17, excess fluid can be removed from the dialyser by ensuring that the number of pump cycles in the first direction is greater than the number of pump cycles in the second direction.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows an alternative arrangement according to the second aspect of the invention and the first pump 3 is configured to have a variable volume. In a first configuration, the first pump 3 has a volume equal to that of the second pump 17. Accordingly, in use, dialysate is drawn from a dialysate source 1 via a first source valve 2 into the first pump 3. This fresh dialysate solution is then expelled from the first pump 3 via the first dialyser inlet valve 6 into the dialyser 5. This dialysate solution passes through the dialysate side 7 of the dialyser 5 and impurities in blood present in the blood side 9 of the dialyser 5 pass across the dialyser membrane 11 into the dialysate solution. Spent dialysate solution is expelled from the dialyser and enters the second pump 17 via the second dialyser outlet valve 12. This spent dialysate solution is then expelled from the second pump 17 via the second drain valve 10 to the drain 19. In the first configuration, the first and second pumps 3, 17 have the same volume and pumping results in no net loss of fluid from the dialyser. However, as and when ultrafiltration is required, the volume of the first pump 3 can be varied, typically reduced in volume, by deploying protrusions in the base of the pump cavity of the first pump 3. This is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. Accordingly, this reduces the overall volume of the first pump 3. As such, when the above cycle is repeated, the amount of fresh dialysate solution delivered to the dialyser 5 is less than the amount of spent dialysate solution drawn from the dialyser 5 by the second pump 17. Accordingly, this results in a net loss of fluid from the dialyser 5. The operation of the pumps 3,17 can be switched as with the embodiment described above in relation to the first aspect of the invention. However, for ease of clarity only one flow direction has been shown this embodiment.

[0054] The first and second pumps described herein are membrane pumps which are shown in more detail in FIGS. 3a and 3b.

[0055] FIG. 3a shows a cross-section through a pump 3, 17 of the invention. The pump 3, comprises two parts, a dialysis cartridge 33 and a platen 21 on the dialysis machine.

[0056] The dialysis cartridge 33 comprises a number of chambers 35 and conduits (not shown) all covered by a flexible membrane 25. The platen 21 includes a pump cavity 23 having a base 27 and a deployable protrusion 29 located within the base of the pump cavity 23 which can be actuated using biasing means 31. The cartridge 33 and the plate 21 together define a pump chamber 37.

[0057] The flexible membrane 25 can be manipulated by the dialysis machine through the application of pressure through the platen 21 in order to move the membrane towards and away from the base of pump cavity 27 of the platen 21. This draws fluid through the chambers and conduits of the cartridge 33 and operates membrane valves thereon.

[0058] The volume of pump chamber 37 can be varied by moving the deployable protrusions 29 on the platen 21 using the biasing means 31 into the pump cavity 23 thereby reducing the overall volume of the pump chamber 37. The deployed configuration is shown clearly in FIG. 3b. Although the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b display a spring as an example of the biasing means 31 that operate the deployable protrusion 29, a range of mechanisms could be employed to actuate the deployable protrusion 29, such as a solenoid or a stepper motor.

[0059] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the pump 3, 17 in both the deployed and undeployed configurations respectively, where the flexible membrane 25 is pulled against the base 27 of the pump cavity 23 in order to draw dialysate into pump chamber. The volume of the pump chamber 37 in FIG. 4b is smaller than that in FIG. 4a as deployable protrusion 29 is in the deployed configuration and so effectively reduces the overall volume of pump chamber 37.

[0060] FIGS. 5a and 5b show cross-sections through one of the valves used in the dialysis cartridge 33 suitable for use with a device of the claimed invention. The valve 41 consists of a channel 37 with an opening covered by a flexible membrane 25. When pressure is applied to the flexible membrane 25 the membrane 25 is forced down into the valve opening so as to seal the channel 37. Because the membrane 35 is flexible, the ratio between pressure P.sub.1 and P.sub.2 applied to the flexible membrane changes the volume of the valve cavity 39. FIG. 5A shows a situation where P.sub.1 is slightly greater than P.sub.2 whilst FIG. 5b shows a situation where P.sub.1 is much greater than P.sub.2. This has the effect of forcing membrane 25 further into the valve openings, changing the shape of the membrane valve closure position which changes the volume of the valve cavity.

[0061] By varying the valve cavity volume in this way, the pump volume can be altered so as to control the volume flow rate of the pump.