Dialyzer With Dialysate Proportioning Means Patents (Class 210/321.71)
  • Patent number: 7455771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a means of dialysis for removing protein-bound substances from a biological fluid, especially blood or blood plasma, which contains at least one means for solubilizing protein-binding substances to be removed into the biological fluid and/or dialysis fluid, and to a process for removing protein-bound substances from a biological fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Hepa Wash GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Kreymann
  • Patent number: 7435342
    Abstract: A dialysate regeneration chamber is provided. In one embodiment, the dialysate regeneration chamber may include a toxin trap configured to selectively trap toxins and repel select cations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Chemica Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takuji Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 7425265
    Abstract: Preferred aspects of the present invention relate to advances in rotating, vortex-enhanced reverse osmosis filtration. More particularly, the filtration device and methods incorporate a rotational drive mechanism adapted to use the flow of pressurized process fluid to cause rotation of a rotor within a housing, thereby creating shear and Taylor vortices in the gap between the rotor and housing. The improvements disclosed herein facilitate continuous use of vortex-enhanced filtration for prolonged periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: KKJ, Inc
    Inventor: Don Schoendorfer
  • Patent number: 7387734
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of priming or rinse back of an extracorporeal circuit using a dialysis machine comprising a dialysis liquid preparation system. The dialysis machine is used to prepare a saline solution on-line. The extracorporeal circuit is connected to the dialysis machine and primed with the saline solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Anders Felding
  • Patent number: 7374677
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for two-stage blood dialysis of a patient. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first filtration device for receiving the blood from the patient and for producing a first filtrate and processed blood. The system further comprises a second filtration device for receiving the first filtrate and producing replacement fluid and waste product. At least one of the first and second filtration devices preferably comprises a Taylor vortex-enhanced blood filtration device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: KKJ, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer K. McLaughlin, Don Schoendorfer
  • Patent number: 7311689
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for ultrafiltration of blood operating by removing blood from a peripheral blood vessel at a rate of less than two percent of total cardiac output of a patient, extracting fluid at a rate of 0.1 liter to 1.0 liters per hour while retaining cells and proteins in the blood, and returning the concentrated blood to a secondary blood vessel is disclosed. Blood is removed and returned using small gage needles. As a pump circulates blood from the patient, a filter removes ultrafiltrate from the blood using duty cycle or pump control, and a transparent container collects the removed fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: CHF Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard R. Levin, Mark Gelfand, John O'Mahony, Hans-Dietrich Polaschegg
  • Patent number: 7267771
    Abstract: Apparatus for carrying out therapeutic apheresis includes a filter device for being implanted in a blood vessel for carrying out in-vivo plasma separation having one or more elongated hollow tubes and a plurality of elongated hollow microporous fibers capable of separating plasma from whole blood at pressure and blood flow within a patient's vein, a multiple lumen catheter secured to the proximal end of the filter device having one or more lumens in fluid communication with the interior of said one or more hollow tubes and a plasma return lumen, and therapeutic apheresis apparatus for removing and/or separating selected disease-related components from the separated plasma and means for directing plasma between said catheter and the selective component removal apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Transvivo, Inc.
    Inventors: Reynolds G. Gorsuch, Harold W. Peters, Harold H. Handley, Jr., Tommy Cooper
  • Patent number: 7223338
    Abstract: The support element (4) is provided with a plurality of connectors (7), (8), (11) which receive corresponding counter-connectors of a blood treatment device. The support element is also predisposed to include a fluid distribution circuitry cooperating with the blood treatment device in order to provide an integrated module for blood treatment. An assembly process of the integrated module for blood treatment is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Jacques Duchamp, Aziz Aberkane, Gabriel Meyssonnier, Dominique Pouchoulin
  • Patent number: 7220354
    Abstract: Preferred aspects of the present invention relate to a device for filtration comprising at least one rotor configured to create Taylor vortices on at least one side of a filtration membrane, thereby providing substantially enhanced mass or heat transfer across the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: KKJ, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer K. McLaughlin, Don Schoendorfer
  • Patent number: 7208092
    Abstract: Systems and methods relating to dialysis therapy, particularly continuous flow dialysis therapy, are provided. The present invention includes a single closed fluid path along which a minimal amount of therapy fluid including dialysate is fed into, continuously circulated and cleaned such that a therapeutic effective amount of solutes, excess water and the like can be removed from the patient connected to the closed fluid loop during treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventor: Brian R. Micheli
  • Patent number: 7186342
    Abstract: A dialysis machine is provided with a dialysate circuit, a blood circuit and a filter having a dialysate compartment connected to the dialysate circuit, a blood compartment connected to the blood circuit, and a semi-permeable membrane to separate the dialysate compartment from the blood compartment. A method for filling and washing the filter includes the recirculation of a physiological saline in the dialysate circuit and the transfer of the physiological saline from the dialysate circuit to the blood circuit through the semi-permeable membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Paolo Pirazzoli, Paolo Rovatti
  • Patent number: 7179378
    Abstract: Transducer-protector device for biomedical haemodialysis lines comprising a first and a second element each of which is formed in a single piece of moulded plastic material with a tubular fitting and an annular radial flange. The first element is formed with a semi-crystalline polymer and the related annular radial flange has greatly thinner portions able to allow the see-through viewing of the filtering membrane secured between the flanges of the first and of the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Industrie Borla S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Guala
  • Patent number: 7156996
    Abstract: The invention is a multichamber microdialysis device with a multitude of sample chambers in close side by side arrangement (similar to a microtiter plate) for receiving liquid samples, and at least one dialysate chamber for receiving a dialysate liquid. The sample chambers are surrounded by circumferential sidewalls and are in liquid exchange contact to a neighboring dialysis chamber via an exchange opening covered by a semipermeable membrane. The semipermeable membrane is fixed liquid-tight to the walls of the sample chamber, so that a diffusion exchange between the sample chamber and the correspondingly neighboring dialysate chamber is only possible via the membrane. Consequently, only molecules with a molecular weight below the molecular cut-off of the semipermeable membrane can diffuse from the sample chamber to the dialysate chamber or from the dialysate chamber to the sample chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Manfred Watzele, Bernd Buchberger, Hans Schels, Horst Menzler, Ulrike Fischer
  • Patent number: 7131957
    Abstract: A device and method for increasing the safety of an extracorporeal blood treatment machine are based on monitoring transmembrane pressure. The transmembrane pressure measured by a measuring device during the treatment is compared with an upper limit transmembrane pressure L1 and a lower limit transmembrane pressure L2 which define a monitoring window. If the transmembrane pressure is outside this monitoring window, an alarm is triggered by an alarm device. The monitoring window is shifted as a function of the ultrafiltration rate. To determine the window limits, the transmembrane pressure is established after a change in the ultrafiltration rate is calculated. Thereafter, the window limits are determined on the basis of the expected transmembrane pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Müller, Christoph Bardorz
  • Patent number: 7128837
    Abstract: The present invention relates to hollow fiber membrane modules for use as “immersion modules” in filtration and/or dialysis methods, in particular whenever impairments due to fouling effects are expected from the use of liquids that are contaminated or lead to deposits. The hollow fiber membrane module comprises at least one housing and a plurality of tubular hollow fiber membranes which are arranged parallel to one another in and/or around the housing in a packing space, wherein the volumetric ratio of all the hollow fiber membranes arranged in the packing space to the packing space is less than 20%. Methods for producing such hollow fiber membrane modules are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.
    Inventors: Ulrich Behrendt, Reinhard Gergen, Franz-Josef Gerner, Gerhard Herres, Berthold Szperalski, Eckehard Walitza, Wolfram Weber
  • Patent number: 7125393
    Abstract: A device for carrying fluids for a medical treatment device with two balancing chambers, each having two partial chambers. The filling times of the partial chambers are initially determined using a monitoring device, and then the filling times of the first partial chambers of the first and second balancing chambers, are compared to the filling times of the second partial chambers of the first and second balancing chambers, respectively, to detect leakage or an incomplete filling or discharging of the respective partial chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Helge Brauer, Walter Ehrenberger, Helmuth Ender, Joachim Noack
  • Patent number: 7115206
    Abstract: A method for in-line preparation of liquid for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus that makes provision for placing a filter in correspondence with each of two successive filtration stations, for carrying out a liquid preparation cycle, for removing the filter, which operates in correspondence with a first filtration station, for placing in correspondence with the first filtration station the filter that operated in correspondence with the second filtration station, for placing a new filter in correspondence with a second filtration station and for launching a new sterile liquid preparation cycle. The invention also provides a device for implementing the described method and an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment, which incorporates this device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Jacques Chevallet, Guy Mercier, Laurent Simard
  • Patent number: 7108790
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for generating sterile infusion fluid from non-sterile infusion fluid produced by a machine. In one embodiment, the sterile infusion fluid is produced by a sterile fluid generating device that is an ancillary device designed to operate in conjunction with the existing machine. For example, the sterile fluid generating device is used in conjunction with a dialysis machine according to one embodiment resulting in sterile infusion fluid being produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Collins, James Summerton, Edward Spence
  • Patent number: 7094348
    Abstract: A dialyzer in which a nearly cylindrical case is provided therein with a hollow fiber bundle made of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, a blood flow path formed by lumens of the hollow fiber membranes, a dialyzate flow path formed by a space between the inner wall of the case and the hollow fiber membranes and a cylindrical heat-shrinkable tube provided on the outside of the hollow fiber bundle and at least a part of which can be shrunk by heating, and a method for manufacturing the dialyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Nipro Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Sunohara, Akinobu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7077956
    Abstract: A device for preparing dialysate for a dialysis machine is provided with a cartridge (9) containing salts (S), a first line (6) for supplying purified water to the cartridge (9) to form a saturated solution in the said cartridge (9), a second lin (7) for supplying the said saturated solution from the cartridge (9) to the first line (6) and for mixing the saturated solution with the purified water and forming the dialysate, and a discharge line (18) for discharging the said saturated solution from the second line (7) and from the said cartridge (9) at the end of the dialysis treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Paolo Rovatti
  • Patent number: 7077961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the extracorporeal treatment of blood or plasma, comprising two compartments, one compartment intended for circulating blood or plasma, and one compartment intended for circulating spent liquid, separated by a wet semi-permeable membrane, characterized in that the device has, before and after sterilization, the following technical characteristics: the membrane is impregnated with an aqueous glycerol solution; the aqueous glycerol solution contains from 7% to 15% by weight of glycerol and is free of toxic chemical compounds; the two compartments are purged of the aqueous glycerol solution. The present invention also relates to processes for manufacturing this device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hospal Industrie
    Inventor: Michel Thomas
  • Patent number: 7074332
    Abstract: In a blood dialysis system including a source of substitution fluid (10) and a blood dialysis machine, a hemodiafiltration system having a first dialyzer (1) including a first blood compartment (4) having a first blood inlet which receives blood to be cleaned and a first blood outlet which discharges partially diafiltered blood and a first dialysate compartment (5) having a first dialysate inlet and a first dialysate outlet, means (8) for mixing the partially diafiltered blood with substitution fluid from the source to obtain a blood/substitution fluid mixture, and a second hemofilter (2) including a second blood compartment (11) having a second blood inlet which receives the blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second blood outlet which discharges filtered blood and a second permeate compartment (12) having a second permeate outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: James Summerton, Gregory R. Collins, Edward Spence
  • Patent number: 7067061
    Abstract: A method for preparing a medical liquid from a liquid, such as water, and two concentrated solutions comprises the following steps: circulating the liquid in a conduit (15), at a flowrate Q0; injecting into the conduit (15), at a flowrate Q1, a first concentrated solution containing a first ionic substance A and a second ionic substance B, the ionic substances A and B having, respectively, in the first concentrated solution, a concentration [Asol] and a first concentration [B1sol]; injecting into the conduit (15), at a flowrate Q2, a second concentrated solution containing the first ionic substance A and the second ionic substance B, the first ionic substance A having, in the second concentrated solution, the same concentration [Asol] as in the first concentrated solution, and the second ionic substance B having, in the second concentrated solution, a second concentration [B2sol] different than the first concentration [B1sol] in the first concentrated solution; regulating the injection flowrate Q1 and the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Gambro Hospal (Schweiz) AG
    Inventors: Antonio Bosetto, Francesco Paolini
  • Patent number: 7067060
    Abstract: A dual-stage system and methods for using the same include first and second filtration cartridges is provided and is particularly suited for hemodiafiltration and/or hemodialysis. As fluid enters the first filtration cartridge, the hydroxyl ion concentration and hence pH is increased by exposing it to either a strong base or a salt of a weak acid across a filter membrane. This stage allows for improved removal of certain toxins in the fluid, such as protein-bound substances that disassociate more readily from proteins at higher pH. As the filtered fluid enters the second filtration cartridge, the pH of the fluid is restored to normal levels prior to infusion to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Collins, James Summerton, Edward Spence
  • Patent number: 7045061
    Abstract: A dialysis device 1 includes a water supply passage 15 for supplying clean water to solution supply chambers 35a and 35b, and a waste solution passage for discharging a used dialysis solution from solution collection chambers 34a and 34b, and the water supply passage includes a concentrate solution pump 21 that supplies a dialysis concentrate solution from concentrate solution supply source 19. The concentrate solution pump is a piston pump 40 that moves a piston 42 up and down in a cylinder 41 to feed a solution, the piston pump is provided in the way of washing passage 26 provided between the water supply passage and the waste solution passage, and an open/close valve 27 that intermittently opens and closes is provided in the washing passage to flow the clean water in the water supply passage through a gap between the cylinder and the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Shibuya Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nishimura, Yoichi Itoh
  • Patent number: 7033498
    Abstract: Cartridges useful in regenerating or purifying dialysis solutions are described as well as methods to regenerate or purify spent dialysis solutions. Dialysis systems using the sorbent cartridges of the present invention are further described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Renal Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond J. Wong
  • Patent number: 6979427
    Abstract: A cost effective apparatus for preparing solutions is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber which is divided by a movable partition into two compartments, a dissolving solution supply line for supplying dissolving solution to a first compartment of the chamber, a solution tank, a solution preparing line connecting the solution tank and the first compartment of the chamber, a solution preparing line connecting the solution tank and a second compartment of the chamber, and a transporting pump provided between the solution tank and the second compartment, and a solution transporting line for transporting the solution prepared in the solution tank and that has been transported to the second compartment to the point of use. The transporting pump may alternatively be provided between the first compartment and the solution tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Nipro Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Sano
  • Patent number: 6966979
    Abstract: An infusion control device controls infusion of a liquid in an extracorporeal blood circuit having an arterial pipe connected to an inlet of a blood compartment of a filter and a venous pipe connected to an outlet of the blood compartment. The arterial pipe is also connected to a pre-dilution pipe of an infusion circuit, and the venous pipe is also connected to a post-dilution pipe of said infusion circuit. The infusion control device regulates and distributes an infusion flow rate in the arterial and venous pipes based on a monitoring of quantities that are directly correlated with the operating conditions of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Gambro Hospal (Schweiz) AG
    Inventor: Renato Pedrazzi
  • Patent number: 6953323
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for performing peritoneal dialysis are provided. To this end, in part, a pump for a dialysis system is provided. The pump includes a first chamber wall including a first aperture, a second chamber wall including a second aperture, a piston, at least a portion of which can move through the second aperture, the piston including a third aperture, and first and second membranes disposed between the first and second chambers walls. A vacuum can be applied through the first aperture to pull the first membrane towards the first chamber wall and can be applied through the third aperture to pull the second membrane towards the piston. The piston can thereafter move the second membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Childers, Peter Hopping
  • Patent number: 6939471
    Abstract: A method for determining a treatment parameter on a haemofiltration device, as well as a haemofiltration device for applying the method, based on the recognition that a determination method known from haemodialysis can, with little modification, be transferred to haemofiltration. To this effect a physical-chemical characteristic of the substitution fluid and of the fluid which is removed from the haemofilter by way of an ultrafiltrate outlet pipe, is determined. Furthermore, this characteristic is acquired before, after or during a change of this characteristic in the substitution fluid, and is evaluated. As a result, the ion dialysance and thus the urea clearance of a haemofiltration device, which can also be operated as a haemodiafiltration device, can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Malte Gross, Andreas Maierhofer
  • Patent number: 6902670
    Abstract: A hemodialysis machine includes a purified water tube connected with at least one or tow water pumps in parallel. Each of the water pumps is connected with a reagent jug for taking reagent or disinfectant into water tubes so as to run dialysis process or sterilize tubes. The present invention features on that an ozone water device is coupled with a water inlet end of the purified water tube so that the ozone water is used to clean the tubes of the hemodialysis machine for avoiding the problem of disinfectant residuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Inventor: Kuo-Hsin Ho
  • Patent number: 6881344
    Abstract: A method of setting up a dialysis treatment in a dialysis machine (1) provided with a device (6) for setting up the dialysis treatment, possessing a microprocessor (11), a data input (12, 13) and a screen (13), comprises the steps of: supplying a group of functions (U(t, P); C(t, P)) of a quantity (U; C) that is characteristic of the dialysis treatment as a function of time (t) and of a parameter (P) correlated with intermediate values (U1, C1) of each function (U(t; P); C(t; P)) of the group; selecting a subset of the group of functions (U(t, P); C(t; P)) imposing boundary conditions (U0, TWL, DT; C0, Cf, DT; C0, CS, DT) that are characteristic of a particular therapy; assigning values to the parameter (P) and displaying the curves corresponding to the functions (U(t, P); C(t, P)) of the subset and to the respective values assigned to parameter (P); and selecting one of the functions ((U(t, P); C(t, P)) of the subset on the basis of the images of the curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Gambro Dasco S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Vasta, Fabio Govoni
  • Patent number: 6860866
    Abstract: A method and a device for determining the efficiency of a dialyzer of a dialysis machine during a dialysis treatment wherein the dialyzer is divided by a semipermeable membrane into a blood chamber and a dialysis fluid chamber and wherein the blood flows at a predetermined flow rate through the blood chamber and dialysis fluid flows at a predetermined flow rate through the dialysis fluid chamber. In use, the dialysance or clearance for a predetermined dialysis fluid flow rate and/or blood flow rate is measured, and then the dialysance or clearance for any dialysis fluid flow rate and blood flow rate is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Graf, Christoph Bardorz, Malte Gross, Rainer Goldau
  • Patent number: 6855121
    Abstract: A method of treating blood or plasma of a subject to remove metabolic contaminants by electrophoresis. Blood or plasma from the subject is placed in a first solvent stream, the first solvent stream being separated form a second solvent stream by an electrophoretic membrane. Applying an electric potential between the two solvent streams causes movement of metabolic contaminants from the blood or plasma through the membrane into the second solvent stream while cellular and biomolecular components of the blood or plasma are substantially retained in the first sample stream, or if entering the membrane, being substantially prevented from entering the second solvent stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Gradipore Limited
    Inventors: Grace Sze Man Chan, Ellie Faramus, Jason Ian Kien Huat Lee, Chenicheri Hariharan Nair, Philip John Roeth
  • Patent number: 6849183
    Abstract: A method for carrying out therapeutic apheresis comprises separating plasma from whole blood in-vivo and removing selected disease-related components from the separated plasma. Apparatus for carrying out therapeutic apheresis includes a filter device for being implanted in a blood vessel for carrying out in-vivo plasma separation having one or more elongated hollow tubes and a plurality of elongated hollow microporous fibers capable of separating plasma from whole blood at pressure and blood flow within a patient's vein, a multiple lumen catheter secured to the proximal end of the filter device having one or more lumens in fluid communication with the interior of said one or more hollow tubes and a plasma return lumen, and therapeutic apheresis apparatus for removing and/or separating selected disease-related components from the separated plasma and means for directing plasma between said catheter and the selective component removal apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Transvivo, Inc.
    Inventors: Reynolds G. Gorsuch, Tommy Cooper
  • Patent number: 6843779
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in blood dialysis. The apparatus includes: two dialyzers each containing a semipermeable membrane that divides the dialyzer into a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment; a blood compartment connecting line connecting the blood compartments of the dialyzers together in series; blood connecting lines for connecting the blood compartments to the vascular system of a patient; a dialysate compartment connecting unit connecting the dialysate compartments of the dialyzers together in series; and dialysate connecting lines for connecting the dialysate compartments to a dialysis machine. The dialysate compartment connecting unit includes an adjustable flow varying device for controllably setting the rate of the flow of dialysate through the connecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: MiriMedical, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Andrysiak, Gary Mishkin
  • Publication number: 20040262203
    Abstract: A dialysis device 1 includes a water supply passage 15 for supplying clean water to solution supply chambers 35a and 35b, and a waste solution passage 17 for discharging a used dialysis solution from solution collection chambers 34a and 34b, and the water supply passage includes a concentrate solution pump 21 that supplies a dialysis concentrate solution from a concentrate solution supply source 19.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Takayuki Nishimura, Yoichi Itoh
  • Patent number: 6830693
    Abstract: A method of setting up a dialysis treatment in a dialysis machine may include the steps of determining conditions of a dialysis treatment adapted to a specific patient, determining a first function (U(t)) of a first quantity (U) characterizing the dialysis treatment as a function of time (t), and determining a second function (C(t)) of a second quantity (C) characterizing the dialysis treatment. The first function (U(t)) satisfying the conditions of the dialysis treatment and corresponding to a curve having a defined shape. The second function (C(t)) is correlated with the first function (U(t)) by constants (M, N) determined experimentally and the second function (U(t)) corresponding to a curve having a shape of the same kind as the shape as the first curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Gambro Dasco S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fabio Govoni, Alessandro Vasta
  • Publication number: 20040245161
    Abstract: A first flow path is defined within a first panel that forms a part of an extracorporeal fluid circuit. A second flow path is defined within a second panel that also forms a part of the extracorporeal fluid circuit. The first and second panels are oriented in a fluid processing cartridge for mounting as an integrated unit on a fluid processing machine and for removal as an integrated unit from the fluid processing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Dennis M. Treu, Jeffrey H. Burbank, James M. Brugger
  • Publication number: 20040238418
    Abstract: A hemodialysis apparatus that carries out hemodialysis treatment by measuring or calculating the blood volume or its volume change as a blood indication level, and by controlling dialysis conditions according to said target blood indication level, wherein the chronological course of said blood indication level is defined as a target control line, and the primary blood volume (BV0) can be calculated as blood indication level. In the former part of the dialysis operation, the water removal is controlled so that the circulating blood volume in the body approach to the standard blood volume (BV st) with the use of said target control line. After the water removal of the former part of the dialysis operation, when the circulating blood volume in the body attains the standard blood volume (BV st), the latter part of the dialysis operation is started. In said latter part of the dialysis operation, the water removal operation is performed by substantively maintaining said standard blood volume (BV st).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Atsushi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6821421
    Abstract: A hemodialyzing unit includes a dialytic fluid supply line for feeding a dialytic fluid from a dialytic fluid supply/discharge unit to a dialyzer, a dialytic fluid discharge line for feeding a dialytic fluid discharged from the dialyzer to the dialytic fluid supply/discharge unit, and a bypass line for connecting both lines at an intermediate portion of each. A flow rate adjusting member is provided to a downstream supply line between a coupling portion for coupling the dialytic fluid supply line to the bypass line and the dialyzer. A wider range of treatments such as CHD (or CHDF), SHD (or SHDF), and HD (or HDF) can be conducted without employing a device for the exclusive use of the CHD or CHDF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: JMS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 6821431
    Abstract: A dual-stage system and methods for using the same include first and second filtration cartridges is provided and is particularly suited for hemodiafiltration and/or hemodialysis. As fluid enters the first diafiltration cartridge, the hydrogenion concentration (pH) is reduced by exposing it to an acidic solution such as citric acid across a filter membrane. This stage allows for improved removal of certain toxins in the fluid, such as protein-bound substances that disassociate more readily from proteins at lower pH. As the filtered fluid enters the second filtration cartridge, the pH of the fluid is restored to normal levels prior to infusion to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Collins, James Summerton, Edward Spence
  • Patent number: 6814869
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the preparation of solutions to be manufactured from at least two concentrates and a solvent. After placing of two concentrate holders into associated recipients, both concentrate holders are connected using a single connector having two connection states. In a first connection state, solvent flows to the first concentrate holder, with the solution being led into a collection holder and, after the flushing of the concentrate from the first concentrate holder, the connector moves to a second connection state in which an automatic connecting of the second concentrate holder takes place, whereupon solvent flows through the second concentrate holder and the solution is likewise supplied to the collection holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Brandl, Peter Hilgers, Franz Kugelmann, Matthias Meisinger
  • Patent number: 6814547
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for performing peritoneal dialysis are provided. To this end, in part, a pump for a dialysis system is provided. The pump includes a first chamber wall including a first aperture, a second chamber wall including a second aperture, a piston, at least a portion of which can move through the second aperture, the piston including a third aperture, and first and second membranes disposed between the first and second chambers walls. A vacuum can be applied through the first aperture to pull the first membrane towards the first chamber wall and can be applied through the third aperture to pull the second membrane towards the piston. The piston can thereafter move the second membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Childers, Don Busby
  • Patent number: 6811707
    Abstract: A dialysis machine may include a main control unit provided with a memory that stores the parameters of a dialysis treatment carried out on a patient and a plurality of slave control units interacting with the main control unit. The slave control unit may provide the control of the dialysis treatment carried out on the patient. A functionality checking unit may include a memory that stores dialysis treatment parameters and interacts with the main control unit to carry out checking of the functionality of the dialysis machine. At predetermined intervals of time, the functionality checking unit may send the dialysis treatment parameters stored in its memory to the main control unit, and the main control unit may compare the dialysis treatment parameters stored in its memory with those sent from the functionality checking unit, and generate an alarm signal if the dialysis treatment parameters do not coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Gambro Dasco S.p.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Rovatti, Alessandro Vasta
  • Publication number: 20040211718
    Abstract: The invention provides a dialysate solution preparing apparatus for preparing a dialysate solution by mixing a powder dialysate medicament with water, in particular RO water. The dialysate solution preparing apparatus has a partition wall defining an accommodation chamber for accommodating a the container filled with the powder dialysate medicament. A container holder, provided in the accommodation chamber, holds the container at an inverted orientation where an opening of the container is disposed at the down side. A tank is provided under the holding means. After a cutter cuts the sealing member so that the powder dialysate medicament falls from the container, the water is applied to the powder dialysate medicament through a nozzle. The solution of the water and the powder dialysate medicament is supplied to the tank through a conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Tsuneo Deguchi, Ken Imai, Hideharu Shimura, Naohiko Moriyama, Noriyuki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6793827
    Abstract: A method for extracorporeal treatment of blood includes preparing a treatment liquid from a liquid and two concentrated solutions by circulating the liquid in a preparation conduit at a flowrate Q0; injecting a first concentrated solution containing at least a first ionic substance A and a second ionic substance B into the preparation conduit at a flowrate Q1; and injecting a second concentrated solution containing at least the first ionic substance A into the preparation conduit at a flowrate Q2. The ionic substance B may have a first concentration in the first concentrated solution and a second concentration, different from the first concentration, in the second concentrated solution. The method may also include regulating the injection flowrates Q1 and Q2 in such a way that at any given time the diluted solution resulting from the mixing of the liquid and the concentrated solutions has a desired concentration of the first ionic substance A and a desired concentration of the second ionic substance B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Gambro Hospal AG
    Inventors: Antonio Bosetto, Francesco Paolini
  • Publication number: 20040173530
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for using a hemofilter to treat IMRD, hepatic failure, exogenous intoxication and other conditions associated with toxins in a patient's blood. One treatment includes the use of a very large pore hemofilter to remove target complex molecules and/or target molecules from a patient's blood and to infuse a replacement fluid into the patient's blood to maintain a prescribed albumin concentration in the patient's blood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Immunocept, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David Radunsky, James R. Matson, Patrice A. Lee
  • Publication number: 20040173515
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dialysis coupler assembly comprising a pair of rubber-like elastic tubular couplers, and a pair of joint members for joining the couplers together. Each of the couplers includes an inner channel 14 allowing a connector associated with a medical device to be fitted therein, and a smooth surface 15, 16 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. The couplers are adapted to be joined together through the joint members in such manner that the smooth surfaces are in liquid-tight contact with one another. Each of the joint members is adapted to be attached slidably and rotatably onto corresponding one of the couplers, the joint members having first and second engagement portions, respectively. The first and second engagement portions are disposed opposed to one another and adapted to cooperatively engage the joint members with one another so as to allow the smooth surfaces to be brought into liquid-tight contact with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Nakanishi, Kunihiko Yamanaka, Hiromu Miura, Katsunori Masaoka, Takaaki Matsuo, Masahiro Taoka, Sung-Teh Kim
  • Publication number: 20040154967
    Abstract: An infusion control device controls infusion of a liquid in an extracorporeal blood circuit having an arterial pipe connected to an inlet of a blood compartment of a filter and a venous pipe connected to an outlet of the blood compartment. The arterial pipe is also connected to a pre-dilution pipe of an infusion circuit, and the venous pipe is also connected to a post-dilution pipe of said infusion circuit. The infusion control device regulates and distributes an infusion flow rate in the arterial and venous pipes based on a monitoring of quantities that are directly correlated with the operating conditions of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: GAMBRO HOSPAL (Schweiz) AG
    Inventor: Renato Pedrazzi