Abstract: A hemodialysis device (10) which features an improved disinfection apparatus. Before disinfection begins, a container (30) of disinfectant (36) is interposed into the dialysis fluid circulation system in place of the dialyzer. The dialysis fluid circulation system is shunted, and the disinfecting solution which is present in this closed circulation system is flushed out of the container (30) and through the entire path of the dialysis fluid, in order to achieve a complete cleaning of the hemodialysis device (10). It is possible to use solid, soluble disinfectant (36) as well as liquid disinfectant.

Abstract: In a separation device for separation of blood into its components, the hematocrit value of the blood to be separated plays a significant role relative to the sedimentation of cellular blood components. Since in blood processing, particularly in the intraoperative area, significant fluctuations of the incoming hematocrit value may occur, for example, due to infused volume expander, irrigation solutions, anticoagulant additives, etc., it is useful for maintenance of a blood separation working with constant values, particularly a constant hematocrit value of the erythrocyte fraction, to take the preset hematocrit value of the blood to be separated into account. According to the invention, the rate of blood flow through the separation device is automatically adjusted as a function of the hematocrit value of the incoming blood.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a medicinal solution, in particular dialysis solution, from pulverulent concentrate and water comprises a water source (12) from which a first conduit (14) is led to a container which contains the powder and from which a second conduit (20) into which a first measuring cell (22) and a concentrate pump (24) are connected leads to a mixing point (28). Said mixing point (28) is located in a third conduit (26) which leads from the water source to a consumer; downstream of the mixing point (28) a second measuring cell (30) is provided for monitoring the composition of the finished dialysis solution. Since the two measuring cells (22) and (30) lie in different conduits in which solutions of different composition are conveyed, there is no possibility whatever of confusions between concentrates of the same initial conductivity but different final conductivity after dilution with water.

Abstract: The invention concerns a cannula comprising a cannula tube with a preferably rigid upper section, an end section which is bent laterally and a hook-shaped curved section which has in its concave side a tangentially inward ground lumen opening. The lumen opening has a sharply inwardly directed rear edge. This results in the advantage that during piercing of natural and synthetic walls the cutting of plugs from the material to be perforated is avoided.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process and a device for more efficiently obtaining a highly pure fraction of thrombocytes during density centrifugation of blood, which no longer has to be filtered before infusion into a patient for leukocytes contained therein, in order to prevent immunization of the recipient. The invention is based on a two-stage density separation, wherein in a first stage a separation is made between cells and thrombocyte-rich plasma, and the thrombocyte-rich plasma is not separated into a thrombocyte concentrate and thrombocyte-poor plasm until a second stage. During the first separation, the position of the phase boundary is changed cyclically in the first separation stage. Through alternating the phase boundary in the first stage, it becomes possible for the first time in the second stage to obtain highly pure thrombocyte concentrations with minimally low leukocyte contamination from the transferred thrombocyte-rich plasma without loss of efficiency.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for draining flexible fluid containers, in particular blood bags which form part of an extracorporeal system in a single needle-type arrangement, having a movable plate (4b) and a fixed plate (4a) in which both plates are configured to confront a flexible fluid container. A force member (14), and a force transfer means (8, 18), are arranged in such a way that the force acting upon the movable plate (4b) increases as the container is drained.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for sterilizing a medical unit having at least two connections for a fluid flow pathway where a sterilizing medium flows through the medical unit.Medical units of this type are e.g. medical filters, in particular dialyzers. A high degree of sterility is here required. This is accomplished through the steps of:(a) inserting the medical unit into a system under pressure-tight coupling of the at least two connections to a feed conduit and discharge conduit of the system under atmospheric conditions;(b) passing the sterilizing medium from the system through the medical unit for a given period of time;(c) closing the at least two connections in the coupled state and in a germproof manner, without the same being opened, on completion of the sterilization operation; and(d) removing said medical unit from said system as a sterile medical unit with closed connections.

Abstract: A separation device with a transparent separation chamber, whereby a direct light source illuminates the components to be separated and the individual components reflect the light intensity as a function of their individual coloring (brightness) via optics onto a linear group of photodetectors. The signals received by the detectors are forwarded to a computing unit in which they are processed. A regulating unit, which operates very precisely due to the accuracy and the high speed of the receiver and computing unit, is controlled according to a program and thus assures optimum separation performance of the separation device.

Abstract: A container (1) is described for the separate sterile storage of at least two substances and for mixing said substances. Said container comprises a first chamber (2) for storage of a powdery substance (17) and a second chamber (3) for storage of a liquid. While said second chamber (3) preferably consists of polymer layers, chamber (2) is manufactured from a rigid material, prefeably polycarbonate, hard-PVC or polypropylene. Both chambers are connected via the tubular section (10) which is closed by the break-off part (4). For mixing both substances the break-off part (4) is broken off along the weakened line (7). The mixture is taken off through the outlet opening (6). A separate storage of two substances and the sterile mixing of said substances is possible by means of the container (1).

Abstract: To determine in simple manner the change of the intravascular blood volume during filtration, in the extracorporeal blood circuit (2) of a blood purification apparatus at least one ultrasonic sensor (15) is arranged which is connected to an evaluating unit (18) which is configured in such a manner that at the start of the filtration a first ultrasonic signal is stored and during the filtration the change of the ultrasonic signals is determined. From the change of the ultrasonic signals the change of the hematocrit is determined and from this the change of the intravascular blood volume is deduced.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pump (1) which is, in particular, constructed as an enclosed medical pump. To achieve an especially compact design, a pump section (6) which is connected to a rotor (5) of an electromagnetic drive means (2) for torque transmission is arranged inside said rotor (5) having a hollow interior.

Abstract: A hydroxyethyl starch for use as plasma expander which is obtainable by hydrolytic predegradation of a starch rich in amylopectin, partial hydroxyethylation to a specific substitution degree in the presence of alkali and subsequent hydrolytic degradation to a specific molecular weight, comprises a mean molecular weight of 60,000-600,000 and a substitution degree MS of 0.15-0.5. The ratio of the substitution of C2 to the substitution of C6 of the anhydroglucose units is 8-20 and the substitution degree DS lies in the range from 0.15 to 0.5. A process for the preparation of this hydroxyethyl starch employs 2-chloroethanol as hydroxyethylation agent. The hydroxyethylation is carried out under alkaline conditions at room temperature, the pH value held at a value of about 12 and the temperature held at a value of about 20.degree. C.

Abstract: Dialysis solutions for hemodialysis and the like, are prepared by addition of sufficient acid to lower the pH of a sodium carbonate solution to less than 7.6 under conditions which will retain the carbon dioxide generated by such acid addition and mixing the thus produced solution with a solution of the other ions required in such a dialysis solution, again under conditions which will retain the carbon dioxide, to provide a dialysis solution which, under working conditions, will not cause finely divided precipitates of calcium carbonate to form.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multichamber bag (1), the bag chambers (2, 3) of which are separated via a separating means (4), the squeeze-off means (5) of which temporarily separates the bag contents. To avoid being restricted to specific sheet types in the use of the material for the multichamber bag, in the region of the subsequent mixing opening an elastic sheet strip is arranged which serves as seal on actuation of the squeeze-off means (5).

Abstract: An improved apparatus (10) is made available for separating at least two biological substances in solution by adsorption and comprises in the upper interior section (28) of its housing (10) a means effecting a partial constriction of the cross-section of said interior section (28), said section thereby being divided into an upper and lower subspace (34; 36), and which is further distinguished in that the upper subspace (34) and the lower subspace (36) are in flow connection with each other both as regards the solution to be separated and the adsorption agent particles, the feed tube (40) for the solution to be separated being arranged in such a manner that the discharge of the solution to be separated takes place in the lower subspace (36), and the apparatus is a self-contained in unit in sterile form.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pressure equalizing vessel for a hemodialysis concentrate. To ensure the supply of concentrate at a constant pressure to the concentrate pump for preparing dialysis fluid, even in cases where a central concentrate supply system is used, the present invention suggests that a cylindrical upright vessel 1 whose lower portion is provided with a concentrate inlet and whose upper portion has arranged thereon a venting means 4 should have inserted thereinto a concentrate suction tube 7 which is equipped with at least one level sensor (FIG. 1).

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out a method for sterilizing a medical unit comprising at least two connections for a fluid flow pathway where a sterilizing medium flows through the unit.Medical units of this type are e.g. medical filters, in particular dialyzers. A high degree of sterility is here required. This is accomplished through the steps of:(a) inserting the unit into a system under pressure-tight coupling of the two connections to a feed conduit and discharge conduit of the system under atmospheric conditions;(b) passing the sterilizing medium from the system through the unit for a give period;(c) closing the two connections in the coupled state and in a germproof manner, without the same being opened, on completion of the sterilization operation; and(d) removing said unit from said system as a sterile unit with closed connections.All steps, including the removal of the unit, are therefore carried out in a system where the sterility obtained is constantly maintained.

Abstract: The present invention describes package units for medical purposes, in particular for receiving and/or storing sterilizable preparations for parenteral uses or dialysis solutions, comprising a container having at least one discharge spout and consisting of polyamide 66 or a laminate of polyamide 66 sheet and polyolefin sheet, the polyolefin sheet being disposed on the side facing the liquid to be stored and the sheet of polyamide 66 being disposed on the outside and the two sheets being bonded together in usual manner by means of an adhesive. The package units may further comprise an inner container or an outer container. The package unit is made in that a container having at least one discharge spout is made from polyamide 66 or the aforementioned laminate, said container filled with the liquid to be stored, then sealed and sterilized and possibly subsequently surrounded after cooling and drying with an outer container of polymeric material.

Abstract: A method and a device for the selective elimination of plasma components from blood, by means of which the blood is diluted with a diluting material prior to separation of the plasma therefrom. The blood diluted in this manner is separated from its plasma components in a separation filter and the plasma components are exclusively processed and the recombined with the corpuscular blood components and freed of the diluting solution.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for the in-vivo determination of hemodialysis parameters. To carry out hemodialysis with the greatest efficiency and safety, it is inter alia necessary to know the clearance of the dialyzer. To be able to determine the same in vivo, the invention provides a method in which the electrolyte transfer of the dialysis fluid is measured by means of a measuring device at two different predetermined dialysis fluid ion concentrations and the dialysance is determined on the basis thereof, which dialysance is numerically equal to the clearance.