Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multiple pass continuous flow dialysis are provided. In an embodiment, a system for providing peritoneal dialysis includes a catheter in communication with a peritoneal cavity, a fluid loop in fluid communication with the catheter and capable of circulating a therapy fluid into, through and out of the patient's peritoneal cavity, a multi-line fluid circuit, the multi-line fluid circuit in fluid communication with the fluid loop and including a bypass line coupled to a discharge fluid line, and a cycler including a plurality of valves, the cycler programmed to operate the plurality of valves to selectively (i) discharge therapy fluid from the multi-line fluid circuit via the discharge fluid line or (ii) bypass the discharge fluid line via the bypass line and circulate the therapy fluid a plurality of times through the fluid loop prior to exiting the multi-line fluid circuit via the discharge fluid line.

Abstract: A wire driver for driving a wire or pin into living tissue. A plural bar linkage that includes a lever is actuated to drive the components that selectively grasp the wire from a release state to a grasping state.

Abstract: A system for performing a peritoneal dialysis therapy includes at least one dialysis fluid pump, and a logic implementer operable with the at least one dialysis fluid pump to perform a plurality of peritoneal dialysis cycles for a patient. The logic implementer transmits an amount of dialysis fluid provided during the plurality of peritoneal dialysis cycles. A server receives the amount of dialysis fluid provided during the plurality of peritoneal dialysis cycles and determines an amount of ultrafiltration (“UF”) removed from the patient based on the amount of dialysis fluid provided by the at least one dialysis fluid pump. The server also updates a UF trend using previous amounts of UF removed from the patient and the amount of UF removed from the patient during the most recent dialysis treatment and generates an alert if the UF trend changes by more than a preset percentage.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system is disclosed. The hemodialysis system includes a disposable set including a blood pumping tube, a fresh dialysate pumping tube, and a spent dialysate pumping tube. The hemodialysis system also includes a dialysis instrument including a blood pump head, a fresh dialysate pump head, a spent dialysate pump head, a first motor positioned and arranged to operate the blood pump head, a second motor positioned and arranged to operate the fresh dialysate pump head, and a third motor positioned and arranged to operate the spent dialysate pump head. When the disposable set is loaded into the dialysis instrument, the blood pumping tube comes into registry with the blood pump head, the fresh dialysate pumping tube comes into registry with the fresh dialysate pump head, and spent dialysate pumping tube comes into registry with the spent dialysate pump head.

Abstract: A blood treatment air purging system and method includes a level detector positioned and arranged to detect a low fluid level in a blood circuit indicating a high amount of air in the blood circuit; a blood pump operable with the blood circuit; a venous patient line of the blood circuit; and at least one blood circuit air vent valve, wherein the system and method are configured or programmed to (i) stop the blood pump, (ii) close the venous patient line, and (iii) open the at least one blood circuit air vent valve to atmosphere or a container when the low fluid level is detected, and (iv) run the blood pump to meter air through the at least one blood circuit air vent valve to atmosphere or the container.

Abstract: An example peritoneal dialysis system is disclosed. The example peritoneal dialysis system includes an automated peritoneal dialysis (“APD”) machine configured to remove ultrafiltrate (“UF”) from a patient and record how much UF has been removed. The APD machine operates according to a prescription to remove the UF. The system also includes a server in communication with the APD machine. The server analyzes the UF data to determine if the prescription is to be modified to compensate for changes to the patient's renal function or renal transport characteristics.

Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis system includes a heater, a fresh dialysis fluid heating chamber located above the heater, a used dialysis fluid chamber located above the fresh dialysis fluid heating chamber, a lid, and a pneumatic actuation unit supporting the heater and configured to seal to the lid so that the lid covers the fresh dialysis fluid heating chamber and the used dialysis fluid chamber, the pneumatic actuation chamber configured to apply a vacuum within the lid to remove used dialysis fluid from a patient into the used dialysis fluid chamber.

Abstract: A system for performing a peritoneal dialysis therapy includes at least one dialysis fluid pump, and a logic implementer operable with the at least one dialysis fluid pump to perform a plurality of peritoneal dialysis cycles, the cycles including a fill phase, a dwell phase and a drain phase, the logic implementer configured to: (i) store a first peritoneal dialysis treatment having a total prescribed fresh dialysis fluid fill volume delivered over a number of cycles; and (ii) convert the first peritoneal dialysis treatment into a second peritoneal dialysis treatment having a different number of cycles and using the same total prescribed fresh dialysis fluid fill volume.

Abstract: A method for priming a renal therapy machine is disclosed. The method includes communicating a source of a physiologically compatible solution with a blood circuit and moving the physiologically compatible solution from the source to the blood circuit. The method also includes moving the physiologically compatible solution through the blood circuit to prime the blood circuit. The method further includes moving the physiologically compatible solution from the blood circuit though porous fibers of a blood filter, causing air to be purged from the blood circuit and into a dialysis fluid circuit portion of the blood filter.

Abstract: A sterilization container with a sensor module for monitoring the environmental characteristics internal to the container. The sensor module includes a normally closed end bore. A sensor is disposed in the closed end void space. Other sensors also part of the module monitor the pressure and temperature of the environment inside the container. Based on the measurements of the environment in the container and the environment within the closed end void space it is possible to determine the extent to which the container is filled with saturated steam.

Abstract: An automated peritoneal dialysis system and machine configured to perform dextrose mixing are disclosed. An example dialysis machine includes a pump, a first solution having a first formulation stored in a first container that is placed in fluid communication with the pump, and a second solution having a second formulation stored in a second container that is also placed in fluid communication with the pump. The first container has a first unique identifier indicative of the first formulation and the second container has a second unique identifier indicative of the second formulation. The dialysis machine also includes a logic implementer programmed to receive a therapy prescription and operate the pump if the first formulation indicated by the first unique identifier is specified by the therapy prescription, or the second formulation indicated by the second unique identifier is specified by the therapy prescription.

Abstract: Dialysis systems that remove air from a blood circuit are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a dialysis system includes a dialysis fluid circuit, a blood circuit including an arterial line, a venous line, and an enclosure in fluid communication with the venous line, the enclosure configured to release air through a hydrophobic vent for priming the blood circuit, a blood pump configured to pump fluid through at least the arterial line, a first valve operable with the arterial line and a second valve operable with the venous line, and a pumping and valving algorithm operated after priming to remove air from the blood circuit to control the first and second valves and the blood pump to replace priming fluid with blood from a patient.

Abstract: An example peritoneal dialysis system is disclosed. The example peritoneal dialysis system includes an automated peritoneal dialysis (“APD”) machine comprising a pumping mechanism and a peritoneal dialysis fluid heater. The example peritoneal dialysis system also includes a disposable set comprising a disposable cassette operable with the pumping mechanism and a heater bag operable with the heater. The example peritoneal dialysis system additionally includes a conductivity sensor positioned and arranged to provide feedback to the APD machine. The example APD machine is configured to mix a peritoneal dialysis fluid for treatment in the heater bag using a plurality of peritoneal dialysis constituent fluids. In addition, the example APD machine is configured to use feedback from the conductivity sensor to evaluate the mixed peritoneal dialysis fluid for treatment.

Abstract: A system for performing a dialysis treatment includes a dialysis fluid machine; a disposable dialysis fluid carrying member operable with the dialysis fluid machine; and a venting filter provided by the disposable member, the venting filter positioned and arranged to be coupled along with the disposable member to the dialysis fluid machine to perform the dialysis treatment and to vent air from the disposable member.

Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis system includes: a drain container; a drain line placed in fluid communication with the drain container and configured to be placed in fluid communication with a patient's peritoneal cavity; a vacuum source configured to apply a pneumatic force to cause used dialysis fluid to flow through the drain line from the patient's peritoneal cavity to the drain container; a weight sensor configured to output a weight of used dialysis fluid delivered to the drain container from the patient's peritoneal cavity; and a controller configured to: (i) determine an actual flow rate of used dialysis fluid removed from the patient's peritoneal cavity based on the output from the weight sensor; (ii) compare the actual flow rate to a desired flow rate; and (iii) adjust the pneumatic force applied by the vacuum source to attempt to match the actual flow rate to the optimal flow rate.

Abstract: A sterilization container with a sensor module for monitoring the environmental characteristics internal to the container. The sensor module includes a normally closed end bore. A sensor is disposed in the closed end void space. Other sensors also part of the module monitor the pressure and temperature of the environment inside the container. Based on the measurements of the environment in the container and the environment within the closed end void space it is possible to determine the extent to which the container is filled with saturated steam.

Abstract: A pneumatic system for a medical fluid machine operating a medical fluid cassette, the pneumatic system including an interface for supplying positive pneumatic pressure and negative pneumatic pressure to the medical fluid cassette; a source of positive pneumatic pressure; a source of negative pneumatic pressure; and a pneumatic pump including a first head and a second head, wherein the first head is dedicated to supplying positive pneumatic pressure to the positive pneumatic pressure source and the second head is dedicated to supplying negative pneumatic pressure to the negative pneumatic pressure source.

Abstract: An automated peritoneal dialysis system and machine configured to perform dextrose mixing are disclosed. An example dialysis machine includes at least one pump, a first dialysate having a first dextrose level placed in fluid communication with the at least one pump, and a second dialysate having a second dextrose level placed in fluid communication with the at least one pump. The example dialysis machine also includes first and second valves placed between the first and second dialysates and the at least one pump. The example dialysis machine further includes a logic implementer programmed to operate the at least one pump and the first and second valves to mix the first and second dialysates so as to form a third dextrose level.

Abstract: A dialysis fluid system includes a dialysis fluid inlet; a dialysis fluid outlet; a pump positioned and arranged to pump dialysis fluid through the dialysis fluid inlet and the dialysis fluid outlet; and an inductive heater located between the dialysis fluid inlet and the dialysis fluid outlet, the inductive heater including a fluid flowpath positioned and arranged to receive non-heated dialysis fluid from the dialysis fluid inlet and to output heated dialysis fluid to the a dialysis fluid outlet, a conductive heater element located within the fluid flowpath so as to be or act as a secondary coil of a transformer, and a primary coil of the transformer located outside of the fluid flowpath and positioned so as to magnetically induce a current into the conductive heater element, causing the conductive heater element and surrounding fluid to heat.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a disposable cassette including a flexible sheet and a plurality of dialysis fluid pathways, a plurality of actuators operable with the flexible sheet to direct dialysis fluid through the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways, and a controller configured to (i) determine at least one limitation of the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways, (ii) generate a flow schedule indicating how dialysis fluid should be directed through the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways in accordance with the at least one limitation, and (iii) control the plurality of actuators so that dialysis fluid is pumped through the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways according to the flow schedule.