Abstract: The invention includes a blood detector disposed on a medical liquid duct adjacent a connection to a duct for circulating blood outside the body. When the medical liquid ceases to flow, blood sediments in the liquid duct and is detected therein. The detector makes it possible to verify that the medical liquid is indeed flowing into the blood. The invention is applicable in numerous blood treatment techniques making use of a circuit for circulating blood outside the body, such as hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration, and plasmapheresis.

Abstract: Artificial kidney of the single-needle type, incorporating an extracorporeal blood circuit provided with a haemodialyser (13) or haemofilter (31) positioned between two blood circulation pumps (12, 19). This circuit is also provided with a bubble trap (18) and a safety clamp (26) and means for perfusing quantities of liquid which are capable of being relatively large. The perfusing means comprise a reservoir (23) and a perfusion pump (24) the motion of which is under the control of the sequential motion of one of the two blood circulation pumps (12, 19) and also comprise a conduit connecting the reservoir (23) to the extracorporeal blood circuit by way of the perfusion pump (24).

Abstract: The invention includes a device for measuring a quantity of liquid extracted from a dialysis liquid circuit, the device having a reservoir means connected to the dialysis liquid circuit for receiving liquid from the dialysis liquid circuit, at least one measurement container for receiving liquid from the reservoir, a flow channel connecting the reservoir with the at least one measurement container for selectively filling the measurement container with liquid from the reservoir, a level detector disposed proximate a predetermined area on the at least one measurement container for detecting the presence of liquid at a predetermined level, and a drain port on the measurement container for receiving a signal from the level detector to empty the contents of the measurement container after the presence of liquid at the predetermined level is detected.

Abstract: A method for determining the blood sodium level of a patient whose blood circulates through one compartment of an exchanger separated from a dialysis fluid by a semipermeable membrane, wherein the conductivity of the dialysis fluid of equilibrium with the plasma is determined by: changing in a selected manner the conductivity of the dialysis fluid at inflow the exchanger, measuring the conductivity of the dialysis fluid at outflow from the exchanger, determining a lag time t.sub.L of the change in conductivity of dialysis fluid between inflow to and outflow from the exchanger, and determining an equilibrium conductivity value of the dialysis fluid for which the conductivity at outflow from the exchanger at an instant t is equal to the conductivity at inflow at an instant t-t.sub.L. The invention also relates to an artificial kidney incorporating means for carrying out this method.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial kidney for controlling and maintaining parity of the entering and emerging quantities in the dialysis liquid circuit. The artificial kidney comprises a dialysis liquid circuit having on either side of the haemodialyser a sensor capable of measuring the quantity of the circulating liquid and a pump for displacing the said dialysis liquid. A microprocessor controller for comparing the quantities of liquid circulating in the upline sensor with the quantities of liquid circulating in the downline sensor, the controller is used for maintaining the quantities of liquid circulating in the upline sensor equal to the quantities of liquid circulating in the downline sensor, during the same period, by subjecting the operation of the pump for displacing the dialysis liquid to the result of the comparison determined by the controller.

Abstract: A single-needle artificial kidney comprising a haemodialyser divided by a semi-permeable membrane into first and second compartments, one of which forms part of an extracorporeal blood circuit including a blood circulation pump and a single needle for inserting into the patient and a dialysis liquid circuit including the second chamber and a dialysis liquid pump. The dialysis liquid circuit is provided with means for periodically modulating the flow rate of the dialysis liquid in the haemodialyser between minimum and maximum values, the flow rate of the dialysis liquid being produced by a sensing pulsations of the blood at frequencies less than one hertz and using these pulsations via a servo-control to effect changes in the dialysis liquid flow rate so that it reaches maximum and minimum values simultaneously with maximum and minimum of the blood flow rate.

Abstract: An implantable vesical prosthesis for a bladder which includes a sterile pouch formed from flexible plastics material compatible with the organs surrounding the natural bladder of a patient, at least a portion of the pouch being deformable during the introduction and discharge of urine between two extreme positions, one corresponding to the full pouch and one to the empty pouch. Two inlet pipes open into the interior of the pouch and are connectable to two ureters of a patient and an outlet pipe is connectable to the urethra. The prosthesis is completely void of any internal artificial valves or flaps.