Abstract: Certain types of reciprocating positive-displacement pumps (which may be referred to hereinafter as “pods,” “pump pods,” or “pod pumps”) are used to pump fluids, such as a biological fluid (e.g., blood or peritoneal fluid), a therapeutic fluid (e.g., a medication solution), or a surfactant fluid. The pumps may be configured specifically to impart low shear forces and low turbulence on the fluid as the fluid is pumped from an inlet to an outlet. Such pumps may be particularly useful in pumping fluids that may be damaged by such shear forces (e.g., blood, and particularly heated blood, which is prone to hemolysis) or turbulence (e.g., surfactants or other fluids that may foam or otherwise be damaged or become unstable in the presence of turbulence).

Abstract: A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes a housing having at least, one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. The cassette also includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps a fluid from the fluid inlet line to the fluid outlet line. A hollow spike is also included on the housing as well as at least one metering pump. The metering pump is fluidly connected to the hollow spike on the housing and to a metering pump fluid line. The metering pump fluid line is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. In one set of embodiments, a hemodialysis system may include a blood flow path and a dialysate flow path, where the dialysate flow path includes one or more of a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. Preparation of dialysate by the preparation circuit, in some instances, may be decoupled from patient dialysis. In some cases, the circuits are defined, at least partially, within one or more cassettes, optionally interconnected with conduits, pumps, or the like. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the hemodialysis system.

Abstract: A cassette integrated system. The cassette integrated system includes a mixing cassette, a balancing cassette, a middle cassette fluidly connected to the mixing cassette and the balancing cassette and at least one pod. The mixing cassette is fluidly connected to the middle cassette by at least one fluid line and the middle cassette is fluidly connected to the balancing cassette by at least one fluid line. The at least one pod is connected to at least two of the cassettes wherein the pod is located in an area between the cassettes.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for mixing a substance with a liquid pumps the liquid into a container of the substance to produce a solution. The container may be part of a container assembly including a port assembly for coupling with the container to produce an inlet and/or and outlet port for the container. The container assembly may be received within a receiving chamber for causing the coupling. The solution may be permitted to flow out of the outlet port when the solution rises within the container to a level of the outlet port so that the substance is partially diluted before flowing out of the outlet port.

Abstract: A method for the assessment of neuromuscular function by the detection and classification of late wave activity, comprising: (i) pre-processing an ensemble of traces so as to attenuate noise, PFI and baseline disturbances; (ii) identifying time segments of late wave activity in the ensemble of traces; (iii) classifying the time segments of late wave activity into F-wave, A-wave and Repeater segments by exploiting the variable morphology of F-waves across the traces and the fixed morphology of A-waves and Repeater waves across the traces; and (iv) searching the traces in the vicinity of the F-wave trace segments on a trace-by-trace basis so as to identify the F-wave onset latency.

Abstract: A cassette integrated system. The cassette integrated system includes a mixing cassette, a balancing cassette, a middle cassette fluidly connected to the mixing cassette and the balancing cassette and at least one pod. The mixing cassette is fluidly connected to the middle cassette by at least one fluid line and the middle cassette is fluidly connected to the balancing cassette by at least one fluid line. The at least one pod is connected to at least two of the cassettes wherein the pod is located in an area between the cassettes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to heat-exchanger systems that can be used to heat or cool a fluid such as blood. Pod pumps that provide low shear and low turbulence may be used in such systems, particularly for systems that pump blood. A certain heat-exchanger system used to heat blood or other fluids may be used to provide whole-body hyperthermic treatments or regional hyperthermic chemotherapy treatments. A disposable unit may be used to separate the fluid path from the fluid control systems. The disposable unit typically includes a heat-exchanger component that is received by a corresponding heat exchanger in a base unit. Fluid pumped through the heat-exchanger component is heated by the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus and sensor apparatus system for use in conjunction with a cassette, including a disposable or replaceable cassette. In some embodiments, the cassette includes a thermal well for permitting the sensing of various properties of a subject media. The thermal well includes a hollow housing of a thermally conductive material. In other embodiments, the cassette includes sensor leads for sensing of various properties of a subject media. The thermal well has an inner surface shaped so as to form a mating relationship with a sensing probe. The mating thermally couples the inner surface with a sensing probe. In some embodiments, the thermal well is located on a disposable portion and the sensing probe on a reusable portion.

Abstract: A sensing probe is described. The sensing probe includes a probe housing having a probe tip. A thermal sensor in the housing is also included. The thermal sensor has a sensing end and a connector end, where the sensing end is thermally coupled to the probe tip. Also included are at least two leads. The leads transfer electrical signals that are used to determine temperature and conductivity. Also included is a thermal well. The thermal well includes a hollow housing of a thermally conductive material. The housing has an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface is a predetermined shape so as to form a mating relationship with a sensing probe. The mating thermally couples the inner surface with a sensing probe. In some embodiments, the thermal well is located on a disposable portion and the sensing probe on a reusable portion.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for mixing a substance with a liquid pumps the liquid into a container of the substance to produce a solution. The container may be part of a container assembly including a port assembly for coupling with the container to produce an inlet and/or and outlet port for the container. The container assembly may be received within a receiving chamber for causing the coupling. The solution may be permitted to flow out of the outlet port when the solution rises within the container to a level of the outlet port so that the substance is partially diluted before flowing out of the outlet port.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a fluid processing system having a pump. The apparatus includes a pump cassette for use with the pump. The pump cassette includes at least one pump chamber and a first port in selective fluid communication with the at least one pump chamber. A spiking assembly includes at least one hollow spike having a piercing end for piercing a first container. The at least one hollow spike includes a first spike in fluid communication with the first port of the pump cassette.

Abstract: A bezel and bezel assembly in which the bezel is a rigid block with a plurality of cavities. A depression in the block has ribs extending up therefrom to form an elevated contour. The depression includes at least one cavity therein for the application of air pressure into the depression and over the elevated contour. A gasket fits over the bezel so that positive pressure applied through the at least one cavity in the depression forces a gasket membrane to expand away from the pumping side and negative pressure applied through the at least one cavity in the depression pulls the gasket membrane against the elevated contour of the ribs. The bezel may include solvent bondable tubing connections for making pneumatic connections to the bezel.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. In one set of embodiments, a hemodialysis system may include a blood flow path and a dialysate flow path, where the dialysate flow path includes one or more of a balancing circuit, a mixing circuit, and/or a directing circuit. Preparation of dialysate by the preparation circuit, in some instances, may be decoupled from patient dialysis. In some cases, the circuits are defined, at least partially, within one or more cassettes, optionally interconnected with conduits, pumps, or the like. In one embodiment, the fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be at least partially isolated, spatially and/or thermally, from electrical components of the hemodialysis system.

Abstract: A pumping cassette including a housing having at least two inlet fluid lines and at least two outlet fluid lines. At least one balancing pod within the housing and in fluid connection with the fluid paths. The balancing pod balances the flow of a first fluid and the flow of a second fluid such that the volume of the first fluid equals the volume of the second fluid. The balancing pod also includes a membrane that forms two balancing pods. Also included in the cassette is at least two reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pumps. The pumps are within the housing and they pump the fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet line and pump the second fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet.

Abstract: A pumping cassette, the cassette includes a housing. The housing includes at least one fluid port and at least one air vent port. The air vent port vents a fluid source outside the housing. The pumping cassette also includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pump pumps fluid.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus and sensor apparatus system for use in conjunction with a cassette, including a disposable or replaceable cassette. In some embodiments, the cassette includes a thermal well for permitting the sensing of various properties of a subject media. The thermal well includes a hollow housing of a thermally conductive material. In other embodiments, the cassette includes sensor leads for sensing of various properties of a subject media. The thermal well has an inner surface shaped so as to form a mating relationship with a sensing probe. The mating thermally couples the inner surface with a sensing probe. In some embodiments, the thermal well is located on a disposable portion and the sensing probe on a reusable portion.

Abstract: A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes housing. The housing includes at least one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. Also, the cassette includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps at least one fluid from the fluid inlet line to at least one of the fluid outlet line. Also, the cassette includes at least one mixing chamber within the housing. The mixing chamber is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.

Abstract: A method for the assessment of neuromuscular function by the detection and classification of late wave activity, comprising: (i) pre-processing an ensemble of traces so as to attenuate noise, PFI and baseline disturbances; (ii) identifying time segments of late wave activity in the ensemble of traces; (iii) classifying the time segments of late wave activity into F-wave, A-wave and Repeater segments by exploiting the variable morphology of F-waves across the traces and the fixed morphology of A-waves and Repeater waves across the traces; and (iv) searching the traces in the vicinity of the F-wave trace segments on a trace-by-trace basis so as to identify the F-wave onset latency.