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.

Abstract: The invention concerns a non-thrombogenic semipermeable membrane comprising a support semipermeable membrane and an anticoagulant suitable for treating blood and plasma by extracorporeal circulation. The invention is characterized in that: the support membrane is made essentially of a polyacrylinitrile, bearing anionic groups or groups capable of being anionic; the surface of the support semipermeable membrane designed to be in contact with blood or plasma is coated successively with a cationic polymer and an anticoagulant. The invention also concern an exchanger for treating blood or plasma by extracorporeal circulation comprising two sections separated by a non-thrombogenic semipermeable, membrane and a method for making the exchanger.

Abstract: A method is provided for measuring the local hydraulic permeability, Lpi, of a sub-group of hollow fibres of a bundle of hollow fibres mounted in a tubular casing. The method comprises a step of placing the casing containing the bundle in a vertical position, the lateral opening of the casing being disposed toward the bottom, and sealing the lower end of the casing. A graduated, calibrated tube is applied in a vertical position over a portion of the upper cut surface of the bundle to form a sealed connection there between. A liquid is passed through the lateral opening of the casing at a defined flow rate, and the time required for the liquid to pass from a first graduation to a second graduation of the tube is measured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bundle of hollow fibers intended to constitute the membrane of a device for treating blood or plasma by extracorporeal circulation, in which: the hydraulic permeability of the hollow fibers in the bundle is heterogeneous; and the ratio of the highest hydraulic permeability measured on some hollow fibers of the bundle to the lowest hydraulic permeability measured on other hollow fibers in the same bundle is at least about 5. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a bundle, and a device comprising such a bundle.

Abstract: A haemofiltration machine designed to work with a haemofilter comprises two compartments separated by a semipermeable membrane, one compartment having an inlet connected to a withdrawing tube for taking blood from the patient and an outlet connected to a blood return tube, the other having an outlet connected to a tube for removing used liquid.

Abstract: A dialysis apparatus includes a dialysis liquid circuit for circulating sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate through a haemodialyzer and a circuit for infusing a patient with at least one solution containing at least one ionic substance “A” absent from the dialysis liquid. The substance “A” has a determined concentration (A)sol in the infusion solution.

Abstract: A device for preparing a sterile liquid includes structure for validating a sterilization treatment applied to the liquid. The validating structure includes structure for calculating, from at least one operating parameter of the device, a parameter representing a sterilizing value for the sterilization treatment, and structure for comparing the calculated parameter to a threshold value corresponding to the sterility of the liquid.

Abstract: A coupling is connectable to an access of a blood compartment. The compartment has at least one inner surface intended to be coated with at least one molecular layer of a substance soluble in an aqueous solution and capable of increasing biocompatibility. A determined quantity of the substance is deposited inside the coupling in a form such that the substance is capable of undergoing, substantially without deterioration, an irradiation capable of sterilizing the coupling.

Abstract: A method for preventing activation of the contact phase of blood or plasma which comes into contact with a semi-permeable membrane based on polyacrylonitrile bearing fixed negative charges, which is fitted in apparatus for the treatment of blood or plasma, by extra-corporal circulation, said method comprising contacting blood or plasma with said semi-permeable membrane, wherein: a neutral or cationic polymer is combined with said semi-permeable membrane before or after formation of the membrane, and before sterilization of the membrane; the overall ionic capacity of the semi-permeable membrane, based on polyacrylonitrile bearing fixed negative charges and containing a neutral or cationic polymer, is negative; the overall ionic capacity of the semi-permeable membrane, based on polyacrylonitrile bearing fixed negative charges and containing a neutral or cationic polymer, is, as an absolute value, not more than 10% less than the overall ionic capacity of the same semi-permeable membrane without a neutral or cati

Abstract: A dialysis apparatus includes a dialysis liquid circuit for circulating sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate through a haemodialyser and a circuit for infusing a patient with at least one solution containing at least one ionic substance “A” absent from the dialysis liquid. The substance “A” has a determined concentration (A)sol in the infusion solution.

Abstract: Dialysis apparatus comprising:

Abstract: A module for extracorporeal purification of a biological fluid includes at least one support or wall defining a compartment which is delimited by an ionic functionalized support or wall, the surface of which is bonded by ionic bonds to a first molecule or macromolecule which exhibits free amine groups to which are covalently bonded a second molecule or macromolecule which exhibits free carboxylic groups which can directly or indirectly form amide, ester or thioester bonds. The invention also includes methods of producing such module.

Abstract: A medical apparatus for the extracorporeal treatment of blood or plasma comprises a semi-permeable membrane consisting of at least one electronegative polymer, such that the surface of the semi-permeable membrane has negative electric charges. Before the sterilization of the apparatus, and before or after the formation of the membrane, at least one cationic and anti-protease agent is incorporated in at least one part of the membrane, this agent undergoing bulk adsorption or semi-bulk adsorption in the membrane and/or being bound by an ionic interaction with the electronegative sites of the membrane.

Abstract: The invention relates to articles of manufacture of polyurethane-generating compositions for the manufacture of non-cytotoxic products for medical use, characterized in that these compositions contain: at least one polyisocyanate, preferably a non-aromatic polyisocyanate, in the monomer or prepolymer state; at least one polyol; and at least one dialkyl sulphoxide compound, preferably in the proportion of at least 2% by weight with respect to the total weight of the polyol or polyols.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a neutral or cationic polymer for preventing activation of the contact phase of blood or plasma which comes into contact with a semi-permeable membrane based on polyacrylonitrile bearing fixed negative charges, which is fitted in apparatus for the treatment of blood or plasma by extra-corporal circulation, by combination of the neutral or cationic polymer, before or after formation of the membrane and before its sterilization, so as to modify the electrical properties of the membrane, the Zeta potential “Z” and the electrical resistivity “R” in order to obtain: either an electrokinetic index “I” of less than or equal to 0.8, “I” corresponding to Log10 (|Z|/R), or a positive Zeta potential “Z” of between 0 and 15 mV (limits not included).

Abstract: Dialysis apparatus including:structure (14) for preparing a dialysis liquid containing sodium, comprising structure (18) for regulating the sodium concentration;a dialysis liquid circuit comprising a feed line (12) and a discharge line (13), the feed line (12) having one end connected to the structure (14) for preparing dialysis liquid, and another end which can be connected to a dialyser (1), the discharge line (13) having an end which can be connected to the dialyser (1);structure (9, 10, 12) for infusing a patient with an infusion solution containing sodium and a substance A at determined concentrations [Na.sup.+ ]sol and [A]sol;structure (32) for determining the sodium concentration [Na.sup.+ ]dial of the dialysis liquid so that the patient's body tends towards a desired sodium concentration [Na.sup.+ ]des, as a function of the dialysance D of the dialyser (1) for sodium, of the desired sodium concentration [Na.sup.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a parameter (D, K, Kt/v, Cbin) indicative of the effectiveness of an extracorporeal blood treatment carried out using a membrane exchanger. The method includes the steps of flowing through the exchanger a treatment liquid having a concentration characteristic (Cd) and of varying the value of the characteristic (Cd) upstream of the exchanger for a time at the end of which the characteristic (Cd) is returned to a nominal value. A plurality of values adopted by the characteristic (Cd) downstream of the exchanger in response to the upstream variation is measured and stored in memory. The area (Sout) of a downstream perturbation region is determined, which is bounded by a baseline and a curve representing the variation of the measured values with respect to time. Then, the parameter (D, K, Kt/v, Cbin) indicative of the effectiveness of the treatment is calculated using the area (Sin) beneath the upstream curve and an area beneath an upstream curve.

Abstract: A device for treatment of blood by extracorporeal circulation comprises a dialysis liquid circuit having a supply tube (9a, 9b) on which is arranged a filter (21) having a first chamber and a second chamber (22, 23) which are separated by a filtering membrane (24), the supply tube having a first portion (9a) connecting a dialysis liquid source (10) to an inlet of the first chamber (22), and a second portion (9b) having an end connected to an outlet of the second chamber (23) of the filter (21) and another end which can be connected to an inlet of a compartment (3) of an exchanger (1) with semipermeable membrane (4). A feedback tube (25) connects the inlet of the first chamber (22) of the filter (21) to the outlet of the first chamber (22). A flushing pump (26) is arranged on the feedback tube (25) for circulating liquid in the first chamber (22) of the filter (21) and causing cleaning of the membrane (24) by tangential flushing.

Abstract: Medical article of manufacture comprising compositions, comprising: at least one polyisocyanate, preferably a non-aromatic polyisocyanate, in the monomer or prepolymer state; at least one polypol; and at least one organic compound comprising one or more phosphite functional groups, in the proportion of at least 1% by weight with respect to the total weight of the polyol or polyols, this organic compound being, in addition, non-aromatic and the carrier of at least one free hydroxyl group capable of reacting with an isocyanato group; and, if appropriate, at least one catalyst of the polymerization reaction of a polyisocyanate and of a polyol.

Abstract: An apparatus for the treatment of blood or plasma by extracorporeal circulation includes a compartment for the circulation of blood. The compartment is provided with two accesses and has at least one inner surface intended to be coated, after sterilization, with at least one molecular layer of a substance soluble in an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution is capable of increasing the bicompatibility of the inner surface of the compartment. A determined quantity of the substance is deposited inside the blood compartment, at one of the accesses, in a form such that the substance is capable of undergoing, substantially without deterioration, an irradiation capable of sterilizing the apparatus.