Abstract: A closed, air-free blood oxygenator assembly having integrated into one self-supporting unit a rigid-shell blood reservoir having an easily visible, concavity which is closed by an attached expansible, flexible membrane which overlies the concavity and forms a variable volume liquid and air-tight blood reservoir, and an attached blood heater, and a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator. The assembly stores, heats, oxygenates and purifies blood by passing oxygen through the lumens of a mat of small diameter gas-permeable hollow fibers supported on a cylindrical core as blood flows over the outside surfaces of the fibers in a small, easy to use, safe, integrated unit which avoids blood contact with ambient air as blood circulates through the assembly during surgery.

Abstract: A hollow fiber medical separatory device of the type including a shell containing a plurality of hollow semipermeable fibers extending through a central dialysate chamber and terminating in spaced apart blood chambers; the device is improved by tubesheets at each end of the fibers having the shape of a frustum of a cone and sized such that the fibers fill the cone to the peripheral edge at the outer end planar surface of the frustum; and a multi-functional blood chamber means forming a blood chamber by pressure sealing engagement with the outer tapered surface of the cone and also pressure sealed to the outer end surface of the shell to prevent air ingress into the dialysate chamber during testing or use.The invention also includes a method for potting the frusto-conical tubesheets on the end portions of the fibers while the fibers are positioned in the shell which is improved by the use of steps and means to insure centering of the fibers in the cone during centrifugal casting of the resin.

Abstract: The invention provides an artificial kidney extracorporeal circuit assembly including an artificial kidney having detachably attached multifunctional subassembly means for automatically venting gas bubbles from liquid flowing therethrough, for continuously sensing the liquid pressure of and for filtering said liquid, together with blood tubes for connecting a patient's artery to the kidney and the subassembly outlet port to a patient's vein.The subassembly includes means associated with a hydrophobic gas bubble vent which prevent clogging, minimize blood clotting and insure against ambient gas entry through the vent.

Abstract: A positive displacement pump for delivery of blood, or the like, from patients to an extracorporeal circuit, for purification, as in hemodialysis treatments. The pump is small, and sufficiently inexpensive to be discarded after one use. The pump comprises a single blood chamber attached to inlet and outlet conduits separated from the chamber and each other by low resistance flapper valves. The flapper valves are integral with a flexible diaphragm which forms one side of the blood chamber and are operative to close the outlet valve and to open the inlet valve to fill the blood cavity responsive to withdrawal of the diaphragm from the blood chamber cavity and to reverse each valve upon penetration of the diaphragm into the blood chamber to deliver uniformly small increments of blood to an artificial kidney or other blood treatment device.

Abstract: A rinsing nozzle device is provided. The nozzle is a small, hand-held device adapted to deliver rinsing liquid into the interior of the blood chamber of a non-disassembleable artificial kidney to flush out blood clots or the like. The device provides a liquid receiving chamber in the end portion of the device from which the nozzle projects which functions to prevent splashing of the flushing liquid during use.The method for cleaning an artificial kidney for possible re-use is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides an automated single pass dialysate supply apparatus and a method for conducting hemodialysis treatments when the apparatus is used. The apparatus is of the closed circuit type and provides a pair of cylinders, each equipped with a hydraulically driven diaphragm, which supply fresh dialysate to and remove spent dialysate from an artificial kidney on an alternating time basis; the improvement resides in the means which sense the difference in time of arrival of the end of stroke of each diaphragm and automatically counteract these differences to either maintain or restore synchronization of the instant of end of stroke of each diaphragm in each half cycle of operation.The hemodialysis treatment method permits operator presetting of the desired ultrafiltrate removal rate and insures maintenance of that preset rate throughout the hemodialysis treatment period.

Abstract: An improved cellulose acetate semi-permeable hollow fiber suitable for use in artificial kidneys and a process for making same.

Abstract: A hollow fiber separatory element of the type having a plurality of hollow semipermeable fibers terminating at their end portions in resin tubesheets; each tubesheet has a disc-shaped portion that tapers radially inwardly toward its inner end surface that serves as a pressure-induced sealing surface when forced into contact with a correspondingly tapered surface on the inner wall of a surrounding jacket. Each tubesheet optionally includes a second tapered portion that extends outwardly from the outer end face of the disc portion and its peripheral surface tapers radially inwardly toward the outer end planar surface which exposes the open ends of the fibers therein. The tubesheet disc portion may be circular, lenticular, elliptical or have other selected shape.

Abstract: An improved one-piece, integral hollow fiber artificial kidney and a semi-continuous method for making such kidneys and other apparatus of the hollow fiber separatory-type.

Abstract: An improved semi-continuous method for making one-piece, integral hollow fiber artificial kidneys and other apparatus of the hollow fiber separatory type.

Abstract: Apparatus for and method of automatically controlling the quantity and rate of liquid removed from blood during hemodialysis. The apparatus supplies dialysate in a single pass system in a closed, controlled volume circuit which includes an above atmospheric pressure portion and a below atmospheric pressure portion. The above atmospheric pressure portion includes a pair of chambers for alternate supply to and removal of the dialysate from the below atmospheric pressure portion which contains an artificial kidney and a third means for removing fresh dialysate from the above atmospheric pressure portion; the below atmospheric pressure portion includes means which isolates the kidney containing portion and restores pressure to spent dialysate to a pressure at least equal to or higher than the pressure of the dialysate fed into said closed circuit; the above atmospheric circuit also includes means for removing gas from the spent dialysate prior to filling the spent dialysate removal chamber before discard.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for make up of a hemodialysis solution and supply of same to an artificial kidney; the solution optionally contains bicarbonate in any desired amount. The apparatus comprises a recirculation loop which mixes a hemodialysis dialysate concentrate with deaerated water and may include another interconnected recirculation loop adopted to form an aqueous bicarbonate solution. Both recirculation loops mix the concentrates in the recirculation fluid in venturi means operated by continuously controlling the velocity of fluid flowing therethrough to create suction to inject the requisite quantity of concentrate to form the final desired composition in the product hemodialysis solution.

Abstract: An extra corporeal blood tube injection site comprising a smooth blood conduit or tube, an elongated elastomeric sleeve surrounding a section of the tube, and a C-shaped needle-impenetrable member extending along and partially surrounding the sleeve which generates forces within the portion of the sleeve that is not covered by the C-shaped member sufficient to prevent air leakage into, or blood leakage from, the tube during needle penetration or after withdrawal of a needle.

Abstract: A method of potting in a single or multi-cavity mold a plurality of fibers in continuous tow form to encapsulate the fibers, fill the interstices and form a solid tubesheet of selected shape and length. After transversely cutting through the thus formed tubesheet and the fibers therein a pair of tubesheets are formed each attached to and forming the end portion of a length of fibers. Potting at spaced longitudinal locations on the continuous tow, and transverse cutting, produces fiber bundle assemblies having a length of the tow of hollow fibers between a pair of axially spaced tubesheets. The process is semi-continuous or continuous, as desired.