Abstract: A method and a device for monitoring an extracorporeal blood flow during an extracorporeal blood treatment with an extracorporeal blood treatment device. The extracorporeal blood treatment device may include the device for monitoring an extracorporeal blood flow. The arterial and/or venous patient access is monitored with a first and a second method, each of which there is a check for a presence of at least one criterion that is characteristic of a condition of the vascular access that is not in proper order, the criteria for the first and second methods being distinguished from one another. A blood pump, which is preferably an occlusion blood pump, is stopped once the presence of the at least one criterion of the first method has been established, while a venous cut-off unit remains open. Once the blood pump has been stopped, the presence of the at least one criterion is checked with the second method. The venous cut-off unit is not closed until the at least one criterion for the second method is present.

Abstract: A method and a device for recognition of paravasal bleeding upon a supplying of blood to a vascular access via a line and/or upon the removal of blood from a vascular access via a line is provided. A device for extracorporeal blood treatment comprising a device for recognition of paravasal bleeding is also provided. The method and the device are based on the change of arterial pressure in the arterial branch or the venous pressure in the venous branch of the extra-corporeal circuit being registered during the extracorporeal blood treatment. One aspect of the method and the device is that pressure changes that come from a pressure level exhibiting a large difference from a reference value are more strongly considered than those that come from a pressure level that exhibits only a minor difference from the reference value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit (30) for determining the pressure in a blood vessel (A, V, F), in particular in an arteriovenous fistula (F), which is in fluid connection with at least one section (28, 41) of a blood line system (39), in particular an extracorporeal blood circulation (II), at least one pressure-generating device (3, 8, 19, 24, 26) being assigned to the blood line system (39), this pressure-generating device being suitable for acting on the section (28, 41), and the control unit (30) being configured to perform the following steps: a) being sure that none of the at least one pressure-generating device (3, 8, 19, 24, 26) acts on the section (28, 41), b) interrupting the fluid connection of the section (28, 41) with the blood vessel (A, V, F) by triggering an interrupt means (11, 29), c) setting the pressure in the section (28, 41) at a predetermined ideal value, in particular at the ambient pressure, with the help of a pressure sensor (13, 14) in the section (28, 41), d) restoring the f

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of determining the pressure or of a parameter correlated with the pressure in an extracorporeal circuit of a blood treatment apparatus, in particular of a dialyzer, wherein at least one blood pump which is driven by at least one motor is located in the blood circuit, wherein the motor current of the named motor and the blood flow or a parameter correlated therewith is measured for determining the pressure or the parameter correlated therewith and wherein the pressure p or the parameter correlated therewith is calculated from the measured values.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods for inspecting filters for extracorporeal blood treatment devices, e.g., filters for filtering dialysis fluid. The inspection of the filter according to the present invention is based on the measurement of the flow potential before and after changing the fluid flow of an electrolytic fluid between a transversal flow through the semi-permeable membrane of the filter and a longitudinal flow along the semi-permeable membrane of the filter, or vice versa. Changing the flow direction of the electrolytic fluid results in a change to the conductivity proceeding from a base value P to a higher value P2 or a lower value P1, wherein the conductivity readjusts to the base value P after a certain time interval T1, T2. An improper state of the filter is determined on the basis of the change in conductivity after changing the flow direction of the electrolytic fluid.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a treatment of a patient, preferably for monitoring hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and/or peritoneal dialysis, that includes the steps of irradiating a sample of a dialysis liquid used in the treatment with irradiation light of at least a first irradiation wavelength, detecting light emitted by the irradiated sample in at least a first detection wavelength, the detection wavelength being different from the first irradiation wavelength, and determining the presence and/or concentration of at least one analyte in the sample on the basis of the detected light.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through a dialyzer, as well as an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus which comprises a device for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through the dialyzer. The devices and methods according to the present invention are based on the change in a physical and/or chemical property, for example the substance concentration or the temperature, of a fluid flowing into the one chamber of the dialyzer and the measurement of the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the fluid flowing out of the one chamber of the dialyzer.

Abstract: The invention further relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring a peristaltic hose pump, in particular a peristaltic hose pump of an extracorporeal blood treatment device. The power consumed by the pump and/or the pressure in the tubing segment upstream or downstream of the pump is/are measured during operation of the pump and test signals I1(t), I2(t) which are associated with the individual displacement members are determined. The power or pressure signals associated with the individual displacement members significantly differ from each other during abnormal operation of the hose pump, but no significant differences can be recognized during normal operation of the pump.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for monitoring the supply of substitution fluid upstream or downstream of a dialyser or filter arranged in an extracorporeal blood stream. One embodiment provides, for the detection of predilution or postdilution, for measuring the pressure in the blood stream downstream of the dialyser or filter, predilution or postdilution being recognized on the basis of the change in pressure following the shutting off and/or starting up of the substituate pump provided for conveying the substitution fluid. Another embodiment provides for recognizing predilution or postdilution on the basis of the comparison of the oscillating pressure signal attributable to the substituate pump to a characteristic reference signal. The characteristic reference signal to which the pressure signal of the substituate pump is compared is preferably the oscillating pressure signal of a blood pump arranged in the blood stream for conveying the blood upstream of the dialyser or filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for monitoring the supply of substitution fluid upstream or downstream of a dialyser or filter arranged in an extracorporeal blood stream. One embodiment provides, for the detection of predilution or postdilution, for measuring the pressure in the blood stream downstream of the dialyser or filter, predilution or postdilution being recognized on the basis of the change in pressure following the shutting off and/or starting up of the substituate pump provided for conveying the substitution fluid. Another embodiment provides for recognizing predilution or postdilution on the basis of the comparison of the oscillating pressure signal attributable to the substituate pump to a characteristic reference signal. The characteristic reference signal to which the pressure signal of the substituate pump is compared is preferably the oscillating pressure signal of a blood pump arranged in the blood stream for conveying the blood upstream of the dialyser or filter.

Abstract: A method is provided for the filling of a metering apparatus of a therapy device having an extracorporeal circuit with which the metering apparatus is in communication such that an agent can be infused into the extracorporeal circuit during the operation of the therapy device by means of the metering device. The method includes a step of diluting a concentrate located in the metering apparatus by taking up a diluting agent from the extracorporeal circuit.

Abstract: A method of checking and/or monitoring the correct operation of an adding device of a medical apparatus includes detecting a characteristic signal course being generated by the adding device. The medical apparatus includes an extracorporeal circuit with which the adding device is connected such that an agent can be introduced into the extracorporeal circuit via the adding device. The pressure loss in the extracorporeal circuit is measured and evaluated for checking and/or monitoring the correct operation of the adding device. The adding device for this purpose generates an oscillating pressure course.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for monitoring a treatment of a patient, preferably for monitoring hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration and/or peritoneal dialysis, the method comprising the steps of irradiating a sample of a dialysis liquid used in the treatment with irradiation light of at least a first irradiation wavelength, detecting light emitted by the irradiated sample in at least a first detection wavelength, the detection wavelength being different from the first irradiation wavelength, and determining the presence and/or concentration of at least one analyte in the sample on the basis of the detected light.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for monitoring a fluid system of an extracorporeal blood treatment device. In the method according to the present invention and the device according to the present invention, the pressure in a ventilation line branching off the venous drip chamber in the venous blood line is measured, a hydrophobic filter being disposed in the ventilation line. A fault in the fluid system is determined in the absence of pressure variations in the segment of the ventilation line remote from the venous drip chamber. The pressure variations in the ventilation line can be generated downstream of the hydrophobic filter by alternately ventilating the ventilation line that is closed downstream of the hydrophobic filter during blood treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of information display and forwarding with medical machines, in particular display and forwarding of information pertaining to the medical machine such as treatment information, equipment information and software codes. The invention is based on the problem of providing the patient with information about his/her treatment in a simple and convenient manner and/or providing the operator or service personnel of the medical machine information pertaining to the equipment of the medical machine and/or its software options in a simple and convenient manner. A method and a device in which characteristic graphic codes are generated and displayed and which can be input and decoded by a portable device are proposed for this purpose.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of determining the blood flow rate at which, in an extra-corporeal blood circuit of an extra-corporeal blood treatment apparatus, blood is pumped through the arterial blood line into the blood chamber of the dialyser and out of its blood chamber through the venous blood line is described. The method and apparatus provide for the determination of a plurality of parameters characteristic of the extra-corporeal blood treatment, with a given blood flow rate being determined in each case as a function of one of the characteristic parameters. A blood flow rate which is preset for the blood treatment is selected from the plurality of blood flow rates determined on the basis of the characteristic parameters. The blood flow rate to be preset is selected on the basis of a preset algorithm which may be implemented in software installed on a data processing unit or in hardware.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for monitoring a blood treatment unit, subdivided by a semipermeable membrane into a blood chamber and a dialysis liquid chamber, of an extra-corporeal blood treatment device, which comprises an extra-corporeal blood circuit having an arterial branch leading to the blood chamber of the blood treatment unit, a venous branch, which extends away from the blood chamber, and a dialysis fluid system, in which the dialysis liquid chamber is arranged.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of fluid pumps and medical treatment devices, in particular dialysis machines. The object of the invention is to design methods and devices such that the operating pressures and flow rates of the fluid pumps assume the desired characteristics, in particular constant values or controlled profiles. This object is achieved in that the operating point of a peristaltic hose roller pump is adjusted based on the angle of rotation of the pump rotor or by adjusting the operating point of a centrifugal pump in accordance with a profile.

Abstract: A device for the extracorporal blood treatment in a single-needle operating mode includes means for delivering blood into, and means for delivering blood out of means for collecting blood, and a controller for setting the respective delivery rates of the means for the delivery of blood. The operating mode of the means for delivering blood is continually switched between an arterial and a venous phase by the controller, wherein during the arterial phase the delivery rate Qb of the means for delivering blood is greater than the delivery rate Qsn of the means for delivering blood such that blood may be withdrawn from the patient during the arterial phase, and during the venous phase the delivery rate Qb is smaller than the delivery rate Qsn such that blood may be administered to the patient during the venous phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through a dialyzer, as well as an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus which comprises a device for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through the dialyzer. The devices and methods according to the present invention are based on the change in a physical and/or chemical property, for example the substance concentration or the temperature, of a fluid flowing into the one chamber of the dialyzer and the measurement of the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the fluid flowing out of the one chamber of the dialyzer.