Abstract: A device to promote heat exchange to/from a medical liquid includes an inlet, an outlet, and a duct adapted to contain a flow of the medical liquid. The duct is enclosed between two walls, has a planar development defining a mean plane ?, and has means for promoting turbulence in the flow of the medical liquid. At least one wall of the duct is suitable to allow a heat exchange with the flow of the medical liquid. The means for promoting turbulence has a plurality of fins, and each fin has a lenticular cross section and defines its own mean plane ?n substantially perpendicular to plane ?. A disposable cassette for use in a PD/APD treatment has a polymeric structure defining a first part, suitable for pumping and distributing the medical liquid, and a second part having the device to promote heat exchange.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device designed to promote heat exchange to/from a medical liquid ML. The device comprises an inlet, an outlet and a duct adapted to contain a flow of the medical liquid ML. The duct is enclosed between two walls, has a planar development defining a mean plane ?, and comprises means for promoting turbulence in the flow of the liquid ML. At least one wall of the duct is suitable to allow a heat exchange with the flow of the liquid ML. The means for promoting turbulence comprises a plurality of fins, wherein each fin has a lenticular cross section and defines its own mean plane ?n substantially perpendicular to plane ?. The invention also relates to a disposable cassette for use in a PD/APD treatment, comprising a polymeric structure defining a first part, suitable for pumping and distributing the medical liquid ML, SML, and a second part comprising a device similar to the one described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel type of tubular insert for connecting an extra-corporeal circuit to a peristaltic pump. This tubular insert comprises a loop formed by a tube portion; the loop comprises a curve which extends around an axis X. The tube which forms the curve has an oval cross-section with a major axis M and a minor axis m perpendicular to each other, where the major axis M is longer than the minor axis m. Finally, in the tubular insert according to the invention, the minor axis m of each cross-section of the tube along the curve is parallel to the axis X The invention further relates to a method for producing the tubular insert and to a peristaltic pump suitable for operating with tubular inserts according both to the invention and to the prior art.

Abstract: To provide for controlled application of parenteral fluid to a patient, in which the fluid is supplied from a flexible bag which changes its volume as the fluid is withdrawn therefrom, a liquid flow control device (2) has a membrane which, intermittently closes off and opens flow communication from beneath a dripping tube (1a) and a cannula (8) applying the liquid to the patient, the side of the membrane remote from its control side being connected by a capillary tube (15) to the interior of the dripping tube to equalize the pressure changes occurring on both sides of the membrane as the liquid level in the supply vessel decreases. The flow rate is initially adjusted by lowering the level of the liquid stabilization device with respect to the level of the dripping chamber.

Abstract: For portable use of peritoneal dialysis, a flexible bag of plastic material has two chambers therein, one being a dialysis liquid chamber (42) and substantially larger than a further disinfectant chamber (8); the bag is formed of thermoplastic material, heat-sealed together at seam lines extending thereacross, and sealed into the seam lines are a communication line (16) from the dialysis chamber (42) to the outside, and a branch duct (17) extending from the disinfectant chamber to the communication duct; the respective ducts are closed off at the inside of the chambers, after filling, by releasable closures, such as a ball squeezed into the duct, or a frangible pin which can be broken off by flexing the bag, thus permitting removal of, respectively, dialysis fluid and disinfectant from the respective chambers; used dialysis fluid can be returned into the bag.

Abstract: To provide for constant and easily adjusted flow rate of liquids from a container (5), which may be a flexible bag, an indexed feeding chamber (1) is directly connected by gravity with the liquid container (5) and provided with a tubular passage (12) therethrough communicating with the outside, preferably through a filter at an end and with the chamber bottom at the other end. The bottom of the feeding chamber (1) is connected to a dripping tube (1A) positioned below, which in turn communicates with the inlet (21) of a device (2) for the microregulation and stabilization of the liquid flow rate. This device, essentially consists of a holder (44) with a cavity (51) therein and two tubular inlet (41) and outlet (47) passages connecting said cavity with the outside, and having a flexible membrane (43) removably covering the opening of the outlet passage within the cavity. Device (2) is height adjustably supported by a slider (31) on a scale (3) fixed to the stand (4 ) which supports the liquid container (5).