Abstract: A method of controlling diffusive sodium transport from the dialysate solution to the blood of a patient undergoing hemodialysis treatment or from the blood to the dialysate solution includes calculating SNa+average, an average of the patient's historic serum sodium concentrations, and estimating SNa+estimated, the patient's pre-dialysis serum sodium concentration, based on the average of the patient's measured historic pre-dialysis serum sodium concentrations, SNa+measured. The method enables adjusting DNa+, the sodium concentration of the dialysate solution, based on the average of the patient's historic serum sodium concentrations, SNa+average, if needed, and performing the dialysis treatment of the patient using a dialysate solution containing a sodium concentration DNa+.

Abstract: A method and device for continuously calculating the circumference of a body segment is based on the continuous measurement of the extracellular resistance of the body segment. Also disclosed is a method and device for determining the dry weight of a dialysis patient wherein the time at which the dry weight of the patient has been achieved is identified as the time at which the patient's normalized resistivity as a function of time (?N(t)) is greater than or equal to a minimum level of normalized resistivity in healthy subjects (?N,H).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of identifying a patient undergoing periodic hemodialysis treatments at increased risk for death that includes determining at least one of the patient's systolic blood pressure, serum albumin level, body weight, and body temperature at periodic hemodialysis treatments, and identifying a patient as having an increased risk for death if the patient has a substantial change in the rate of decline of at least one of the patient's systolic blood pressure, serum albumin level, body weight, and body temperature. The invention is also directed to a method of identifying an increased mortality risk factor for a patient undergoing periodic hemodialysis treatment.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of removing a deleterious substance bound to a protein in blood of a patient by introducing a displacer substance into the blood under conditions in which the displacer substance replaces deleterious substance bound to the protein, thereby resulting in additional unbound deleterious substance in the blood, and removing unbound deleterious substance from the blood by extracorporeal renal replacement treatment.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of determining a dosage of phosphorus binder for a patient undergoing dialysis treatment to achieve a pre-dialysis serum phosphorus concentration within a desired concentration range while achieving a desired net accumulation of calcium. The method includes determining the dosage of phosphorus binder that will achieve pre-dialysis serum phosphorus concentration of the patient that is within the desired concentration range while accounting for the change in the amount of phosphorus removed by the dialysis treatment when the pre-dialysis serum phosphorus concentration of the patient is within the desired concentration range, determining a dialysate calcium concentration that will result in the desired net accumulation of calcium over a complete dialysis cycle, and dialyzing the patient with a dialysate containing a calcium concentration based upon that determination.

Abstract: A system for performing electrical impedance tomography. The system includes a first set of electrodes positioned in a first plane and a second set of electrodes positioned in a second plane. The system also includes a third set of electrodes positioned in a third plane between the first and second planes. The third set of electrodes is rotatable around an axis intersecting the third plane. Furthermore, the third set of electrodes may be moveable in an axial direction between the first and second planes to various other planes, e.g., a fourth plane, a fifth plane, etc. The processor is further configured to process the voltage measurements taken by the voltage measurement device so as to generate a current density distribution in the various other planes. In addition, the processor is further configured to generate a three-dimensional image corresponding to the current density distribution between the first and second planes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining peritoneal cavity fluid volume include four groups of two electrodes applied to a subject's skin. Measuring electrodes (MLL, MRL) are applied to the subject's loins, measuring electrodes (MLB, MRB) are applied to the subject's buttocks, and upper and lower current-providing electrodes (IRU, ILU, IRL, ILL) are applied to the subject's left and right sides distal from the measuring electrodes (MLL, MRL, MLB, MRB). The resistance between left measuring electrodes (MLL, MLB) is measured and the resistance between right measuring electrodes (MRL, MRB) is measured while current is applied between the upper and lower current-providing electrodes. By averaging resistance values, in combination with a calibration procedure, measurements of peritoneal cavity fluid volume are obtained. The measurement techniques can be used in continuous flow peritoneal dialysis to control or adjust dialysis parameters based on peritoneal cavity fluid.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of determining the dry body weight of a patient undergoing dialysis by means of segmental bioimpedance analysis. In preferred embodiments, dry body weight is determined by comparison to the bioimpedance values of normal subjects or by monitoring changes in bioimpedance during dialysis. One embodiment of the present invention is a device for determining dry body weight during dialysis.

Abstract: A system for performing electrical impedance tomography. The system includes a first set of electrodes positioned in a first plane and a second set of electrodes positioned in a second plane. The system also includes a third set of electrodes positioned in a third plane between the first and second planes. The third set of electrodes is rotatable around an axis intersecting the third plane. Furthermore, the third set of electrodes may be moveable in an axial direction between the first and second planes to various other planes, e.g., a fourth plane, a fifth plane, etc. The processor is further configured to process the voltage measurements taken by the voltage measurement device so as to generate a current density distribution in the various other planes. In addition, the processor is further configured to generate a three-dimensional image corresponding to the current density distribution between the first and second planes.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of determining the dry body weight of a patient undergoing dialysis by means of segmental bioimpedance analysis. In preferred embodiments, dry body weight is determined by comparison to the bioimpedance values of normal subjects or by monitoring changes in bioimpedance during dialysis. One embodiment of the present invention is a device for determining dry body weight during dialysis.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of determining the dry body weight of a patient undergoing dialysis by means of segmental bioimpedance analysis. In preferred embodiments, dry body weight is determined by comparison to the bioimpedance values of normal subjects or by monitoring changes in bioimpedance during dialysis. One embodiment of the present invention is a device for determining dry body weight during dialysis.

Abstract: A method and system for continuously monitoring patient heart rate and blood pressure during hemodialysis and for automatically controlling fluid extraction rate and/or dialysate sodium concentration in the event that blood pressure and/or heart rate indicate onset or impending onset of a patient hypotensive episode. A decrease in patient blood pressure below preselected systolic and/or diastolic low alarm limits automatically initiates a second mode of therapeutic intervention wherein sodium concentration in the dialysate is increased for a predetermined time duration. Upon detection of such low blood pressure alarm, or upon detection of an increase in patient heart rate above a preselected alarm limit, the extraction rate of fluids from the patient through the ultrafiltration membrane is reduced in a first mode of therapeutic intervention by reducing such fluid extraction rate to a minimum level.