Abstract: An antimicrobial material incorporated with a molecular halogen is provided. The antimicrobial material includes a plastic material and a molecular halogen entrapped within the plastic material. A directional release material is also provided in the present application. The directional release material allows for the control of the rate and site of halogen release. Still further, method of impregnating a plastic material are also provided.

Abstract: A variable pressure drive peritoneal dialysis system has a pneumatic pressure system for purging and controlling a flow of dialysate through a disposable dialysate cassette of a disposable dialysate delivery set. The pneumatic pressure system has a variable-opening flow proportional valve for supplying air at selected profiled pressure or vacuum to a pneumatic interface. The disposable dialysate cassette has a diaphragm pump actuable by the profiled air pressure or vacuum to move dialysate to and from a patient via the disposable dialysate delivery set at a desired profiled dialysate pressure.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided for admixing solutions. The system includes containers separately accessible by one or more pumps for mixture of the solutions in a container immediately before administration to a peritoneal cavity of a patient. Alternatively, the system and method allow for direct administration of the mixed solution to the peritoneal cavity of a patient without intermediate mixing thereof. The solutions may be mixed in predetermined ratios as input to the system prior to delivery.

Abstract: A container system for containing and preserving gas generating solutions such as bicarbonate-containing solutions is provided. The system includes an outer container or barrier that is gas impermeable. The system also includes an indicator for visually indicating when gas has been permitted to leak or escape from the outer container thereby changing the physical characteristics of the gas generating solution.

Abstract: A system and a method for administering a solution (12) from a container (10) to a patient (35) are provided. The container (10) is divided into a solution side (16) and a drain side (18) separated by a tear line (20). The solution side (16) and the drain side (18) are in fluid communication with one another and with a port (28) that connects to the patient (35). The container (10) is separable at the tear line (20) such that contents of a peritoneum cavity of the patient (35) may be drained into the drain side (18) of the container (10). Then, the solution (12) from the solution side (16) of the container (10) may be drained from the container (10) into the patient (35).

Abstract: A portable pump apparatus for use in CAPD is provided as well as a method for providing CAPD to a patient. The portable pump apparatus for CAPD has a housing containing a pump, and a power supply, preferably a rechargeable battery, connected to the housing and electrically connected to drive the pump. A control knob on the housing is constructed and arranged to adjust the speed of the pump. A cover is mounted to the housing to enclose the pump. The cover has an inlet port and an outlet port to securely hold a tube thereunder. The portable pump apparatus for CAPD further has a display for providing drainage information and a clip so that the apparatus can be worn by a patient.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved affinity membrane device and method for the effective removal of target molecules in plasma. The affinity membrane device is designed for use in an extracorporeal blood circuit and can be employed concurrently with other therapeutic processes for the purification of blood. The device of the present invention consists of hollow fiber membranes having specified dimensions and transfer properties, ligand immobilized to the pore surface of the hollow fibers, and a housing to encase the hollow fibers and allow appropriate entry and exit of the blood. In a preferred embodiment, specific immobilization chemistries are utilized to attach the ligands to the hollow fibers for optimal function.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved affinity membrane device and method for the effective removal of target molecules in plasma. The affinity membrane device is designed for use in an extracorporeal blood circuit and can be employed concurrently with other therapeutic processes for the purification of blood. The device of the present invention consists of hollow fiber membranes having specified dimensions and transfer properties, ligand immobilized to the pore surface of the hollow fibers, and a housing to encase the hollow fibers and allow appropriate entry and exit of the blood. In a preferred embodiment, specific immobilization chemistries are utilized to attach the ligands to the hollow fibers for optimal function.

Abstract: A device, a system and a method are provided for controllably releasing a product (26) into a container (10) in which the product (26) is mixed with another product contained within an interior (14) of the container 10. The device (12) releases the product (26) due to variations in temperature or pressure that the system experiences during an autoclaving or sterilization procedure, for example. Materials and shapes of the members (20, 20a, 20b, 22) of the device (12) are selected such that the members (20, 20a, 20b, 22) react or otherwise move within the device in a predetermined manner in response to changes in temperature or pressure. As a result, products (26) within the device (12) may be maintained separately from products within the interior (14) of the container (10) in which the device (12) is held. Prior to administration of a solution within the container (10), the product (26) within the device (12) may be mixed with the solution or other product in the container (10) in a controllable fashion.

Abstract: A system and a method for administering a solution (12) from a container (10) to a patient (35) are provided. The container (10) is divided into a solution side (16) and a drain side (18) separated by a tear line (20). The solution side (16) and the drain side (18) are in fluid communication with one another and with a port (28) that connects to the patient (35). The container (10) is separable at the tear line (20) such that contents of a peritoneum cavity of the patient (35) may be drained into the drain side (18) of the container (10). Then, the solution (12) from the solution side (16) of the container (10) may be drained from the container (10) into the patient (35).

Abstract: An improved on-line, real time hemodialysis monitoring system for hemodialysis treatment, quantitates the rate and amount of a constituent, such as urea, removed during the hemodialysis treating by measuring the constituent concentrations as a function of time in the spent dialysate effluent from a hemodialysis machine. A quantity of the spent dialysate effluent is removed from the dialysate effluent waste line periodically for testing. A urea concentration time profile can be analyzed to determine the urea removal, KT/V, URR, SRI, and normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) indices. The hemodialysis monitoring system preferably can obtain a dialysate sample equilibrated with the blood prior to the start of a hemodialysis treatment.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods for manufacturing solutions including medical solutions. To this end, in an embodiment, a method for preparing a medical solution is provided comprising the steps of: placing a solution in a gas permeable container; and allowing carbon dioxide to permeate through the container until a desired pH is achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming coiled tubular assemblies is provided. The apparatus includes a pair of dies formed from a radio frequency (RF) conducting material. The dies each have contoured leading surfaces with these surfaces having grooves with lands between adjacent grooves. The lands of the dies cooperate to form web forming chambers when the pair of dies are moved together in their operative position. In the operative position, the tubes are captured in the aligned grooves with portions of the tubes being squeezed or extruded into the web forming chamber. Application of RF energy to the dies causes the tube portions in the chambers to plasticize and form webs between the coils of the tubes with a predetermined configuration substantially the same as that of the web forming chambers. Both radially coiled and axially coiled tube assemblies are contemplated by the invention. In addition, an easy-to-separate or peel tubular assembly is formed with the above apparatus.

Abstract: A flush-storage solution for flushing blood out of a donor organ and cold-storing the donor organ prior to transplantation is provided. The solution of the present invention includes mannitol as an impermeable solute. The present invention also provides an improved method of flushing and cold-storing donor organs as well as an improved method of transplanting donor organs into a recipient.

Abstract: The subject matter of this invention concerns an aqueous peritoneal dialysis solution which is obtained immediately prior to administration from two individual solutions, the first of which contains an osmotically active substance and the second of which contains bicarbonate ions, with the first individual solution containing anions of mono- and/or dicarboxylic acids and having a pH value of 4.5-5.8 and with the second individual solution containing an amino acid component or a peptide component and having a pH value of 7.2 to 10.0, and with the ready-to-use solution containing 23 to 26 mmoles/L bicarbonate ions and having a CO.sub.2 partial pressure of 25-70 mmHg and a pH value of 7.2 to 7.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods that achieve i) site-directed delivery, ii) in situ amplification, and iii) sustained expression of an exogenous gene product within renal glomeruli. An exogenous gene, E. coli .beta.-galactosidase, was introduced into cultured rat mesangial cells using a replication-defective retrovirus, and stable infectants were administered to a rat kidney via the renal artery. In the injected kidney, the engineered, cultured mesangial cells populated 40% of glomeruli site-specifically. The gene product was detected throughout a 14-week period of observation. In an alternative method, engineered, cultured mesangial cells were injected into a kidney subjected to an antibody that induces mesangiolysis followed by mesangial regeneration. Under these conditions, expression of .beta.-galactosidase was dramatically amplified in situ and high level expression continued for at least 8 weeks.

Abstract: A dual-filled twin bag, a packaging including the twin bag, and a method for forming the packaged twin bags are provided. Each of two bags, a solution bag (10) and a drain bag (12) for a system used for a peritoneal dialysis procedure, are filled, at least partially, with a solution (14). A tubing set (16) connects the two filled bags (10, 12) and may also be filled with solution (14) which is added to the bags (10, 12) and the tubing set (16) during the manufacturing process. The tubing set (16) is sandwiched between the solution bag (10) and the drain bag (12) and subsequently packaged in an overpouch (24). The method for forming the package including the bags filled with solution is simplified and the overall package size is reduced due to the sandwiched tubing set (16) between the solution bags (10, 12) and the provision of solution in both bags (10, 12).

Abstract: A system and method is provided which substantially eliminates the effect of air entrapped in tubing for delivering a liquid from a container. The inner diameter of the tubing is selected such that the gravitational force of the liquid from the container is greater than the surface tension of the liquid. A release agent may be used as a coating layer on the interior wall in addition to or alternatively from an expanded diameter.

Abstract: An apparatus (31) and a method are disclosed for performing an operation upon multiple webs (51,53), including the feeding of multiple webs (51,53), the provision of a carrier (65) for assisting in moving the webs (51,53) along a predetermined path (83), the performance of an operation (69) upon the webs, the insertion of a carrier (65) between the webs (51,53), and the provision of a sealing device (71) for sealing the webs together to form a sealed portion (75) to cooperate with the carrier (65) for assisting in moving the webs (51,53). The carriers (65) are mounted on a conveyor (83) and each carrier (65) pushes against the sealed portion (75) to pull the webs (51,53), and the packages (41) formed therefrom in the direction of conveyor travel. The preferred carrier (65) has a shaped head on the end of a flat plastic blade.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided to effect solution exchange particularly for a patient requiring peritoneal dialysis. The system includes a device (1) that is portable and particularly adaptable for patients requiring a night time exchange or an additional exchange. The device (1) includes an operator-touch control panel (10) operatively connected to a pouch (26) with an incorporated heater (12). The pouch (26) holds a solution bag (18) and may be selectively opened and closed by a cover (28). A drain tray (30) holds a drain bag (20) and has a scale (14) incorporated therein. The pouch (26) is connected to the control panel (10) by an upper arm (38), and the drain tray (30) is connected to the control panel (10) by a lower arm (42). The device (1) may be collapsed by releasing the upper arm (38) and the lower arm (42) such that the system (1) lays in a substantially flat arrangement when not in use.