Abstract: A renal therapy machine includes a blood filter including a plurality of porous fibers; a blood circuit in communication with the blood filter; and a dialysate circuit in communication with the blood filter and operable with at least one pump, wherein the renal therapy machine is configured to perform a priming sequence in which a physiologically compatible solution, other than dialysate, primes the blood circuit and is flowed within the fibers and through pores in the fibers of the blood filter, and the pump of the dialysate circuit vents air from the blood filter into the dialysate circuit.

Abstract: A renal failure therapy machine includes a blood cleaning filter, a dialysis fluid circuit including a balance chamber, the balance chamber including a fresh dialysis fluid compartment configured to send fresh dialysis fluid to the blood cleaning filter and a used dialysis fluid compartment configured to receive used dialysis fluid from the blood cleaning filter, a fresh dialysis fluid line in fluid communication with the fresh dialysis fluid compartment of the balance chamber and the blood cleaning filter, and a flow restrictor in fluid communication with the blood cleaning filter, the flow restrictor configured to cause fresh dialysis fluid delivered from the fresh dialysis fluid compartment, through the fresh dialysis fluid line, to the blood cleaning filter to be pressurized so that a first amount of the fresh dialysis fluid performs convective clearance and a second amount of the fresh dialysis fluid performs diffusive clearance.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a dialysis machine configured to control fluid loss or ultrafiltration (“UF”) volume over a treatment; a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that allows selection of a prescription entry for the treatment; and a processor operating with the GUI, the processor programmed to (i) receive a plurality of prescription entries via a local or wide area mode of data communication, each prescription entry including at least one prescribed parameter for operating the dialysis machine to control the fluid loss or UF volume, and (ii) enable an operator to choose between the prescription entries provided at the GUI, and select one of the prescription entries for the treatment.

Abstract: A renal failure therapy machine includes a blood cleaning filter, a sorbent device configured to regenerate used therapy fluid from the blood cleaning filter, a therapy fluid pump configured to pump regenerated therapy fluid from the sorbent device back to the blood cleaning filter, and a flow restrictor in fluid communication with the blood cleaning filter, the therapy fluid pump and the sorbent device, the flow restrictor configured to cause regenerated therapy fluid pumped by the therapy fluid pump from the sorbent device to the blood cleaning filter to be pressurized so that a first amount of the regenerated therapy fluid performs convective clearance and a second amount of the regenerated therapy fluid performs diffusive clearance.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a dialysis machine configured to control fluid loss or ultrafiltration (“UF”) volume over a treatment; a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that allows selection of a prescription entry for the treatment; and a processor operating with the GUI, the processor programmed to (i) receive a plurality of prescription entries via a local or wide area mode of data communication, each prescription entry including at least one prescribed parameter for operating the dialysis machine to control the fluid loss or UF volume, and (ii) enable an operator to choose between the prescription entries provided at the GUI, and select one of the prescription entries for the treatment.

Abstract: A system for automatically connecting tubing to a medical fluid machine includes at least one fluid container including a tube having a cap on an end of the tube, a shuttle configured to receive the tube, a driving mechanism configured to translate the shuttle, a cap removal device configured to remove the cap from the end of the tube, and a control unit programmed to cause (i) the driving mechanism to translate the shuttle holding the tube in a first direction towards the cap removal device so that the cap removal device can engage the tube cap, (ii) the driving mechanism to translate in a second direction away from the cap removal device so that the cap removal device removes the cap from the end of the tube, and (iii) the driving mechanism to translate the shuttle in the first direction with the cap removed from the tube so that the tube can be mated with the medical fluid machine.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a fresh dialysis fluid pump, a used dialysis fluid pump, a fresh fluid flow path, a used fluid flow path, and a dialysis fluid cassette carrying a balance chamber, the balance chamber including a first rigid portion, a second rigid portion, and a flexible sheet located between the first and second rigid portions, the flexible sheet dividing the balance chamber into (i) a fresh dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the fresh dialysis fluid pump via the fresh fluid flow path, wherein fresh dialysis fluid contacts the first rigid portion and a first side of the flexible sheet, and (ii) a used dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the used dialysis fluid pump via the used fluid flow path, wherein used dialysis fluid contacts the second rigid portion and a second side of the flexible sheet.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system comprising: a source of priming fluid; an extracorporeal circuit including an arterial line, a venous line, and a drip chamber; a level sensor operable with the drip chamber; a reversible blood pump operable with the extracorporeal circuit; a connection between the arterial and the venous line; and a priming sequence in which priming fluid from the source is pumped in a reverse pump direction through the extracorporeal circuit and reversibly in a normal pump direction through the extracorporeal circuit, wherein an output from the level sensor is used to determine when to stop pumping in at least one of the directions.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a dialysis fluid cassette-based membrane blood pump; a dialyzer in fluid communication with the blood pump; first and second dialysis fluid cassette-based balance chambers each having (i) a fresh dialysis fluid compartment in fluid communication with the dialyzer and (ii) a spent dialysis fluid compartment; a dialysis fluid cassette-based fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump in fluid communication with the fresh dialysis fluid compartments of the first and second balance chambers; a dialysis fluid cassette-based spent dialysis fluid membrane pump in fluid communication with the dialyzer and the spent dialysis fluid compartments of the first and second balance chambers; and arterial and venous lines in fluid communication with the dialyzer for patient connection, the arterial and venous lines each including a contact used for electrically detecting a patient access disconnection.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes a blood treatment machine, a blood pump housed by the blood treatment machine, a first dialysate pump housed by the blood treatment machine, a second dialysate pump housed by the blood treatment machine; and a fluid cassette including an upper portion and a lower portion. The fluid cassette further includes a blood pumping tube extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the fluid cassette, a first dialysate pumping tube extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the fluid cassette, and a second dialysate pumping tube extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the fluid cassette.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes an extracorporeal circuit, a dialysis fluid circuit including first and second balance chambers, a fresh dialysis fluid pump in fluid communication with first and second fresh compartments of the first and second balance chambers, respectively. The first and second fresh compartments are in fluid communication with a fresh dialysate fluid inlet of the dialyzer, and a used dialysis fluid pump is in fluid communication with first and second spent compartments of the first and second balance chambers, respectively. The system is configured to run a blood rinseback sequence in which (i) at least one of the fresh used dialysis fluid pumps is operated to pump dialysis fluid through the dialyzer and into the extracorporeal circuit and (ii) the blood pump is operated to push blood back to a patient connected to the extracorporeal circuit.

Abstract: A blood treatment machine includes a blood pump; an arterial line in fluid communication with the blood pump, the arterial line including an arterial needle; a venous line including a venous needle; and a blood leak detection device including (i) at least one electrical component, (ii) a member configured to secure the at least one electrical component onto a patient's arm adjacent to patient access of at least one of the arterial and venous needles, the at least one electrical component capable of sensing the presence of a blood leak, and (iii) a controller in operable communication with the at least one electrical component, the controller programmed to allow for an amount of expected blood seepage and to cause an alarm if blood greater than the amount of expected blood seepage is sensed by the at least one electrical component.

Abstract: A method for priming a hemodialysis treatment includes: providing a disposable cassette including at least a portion of a dialysate circuit and at least a portion of a blood circuit; placing a dialyzer in fluid communication with the dialysate circuit via a to-dialyzer dialysate line and a from-dialyzer dialysate line; placing the dialyzer in fluid communication with the blood circuit via an arterial blood line and a venous blood line; placing a source of dialysis fluid in fluid communication with the dialyzer; priming the dialysate circuit with dialysis fluid from the source while both the to-dialyzer dialysate line and the from-dialyzer dialysate line are connected at their dialyzer ends to the dialyzer; and priming the blood circuit with dialysis fluid from the source by actuating at least one valve provided by the disposable cassette.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes (i) a plurality of pump rollers: (ii) a fluid heater, the pump rollers and the heater positioned and arranged to accept a horizontally loaded dialysate cassette: (iii) a dialyzer; (iv) a sorbent cartridge; and (v) wherein the dialysate cassette includes first and second tubes for horizontal interaction with the pump rollers and a third tube for horizontal interaction with the heater, the cassette in fluid communication with the sorbent cartridge.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes an on-line dialysate generator, a first dialysate pump in fluid communication with the on-line dialysate generator, and a second dialysate pump in fluid communication with the on-line dialysate generator. The dialysis system also includes a dialyzer in fluid communication with the first and second dialysate pumps. The dialysis system further includes a first valve located between the first dialysate pump and the dialyzer and a second valve located between the second dialysate pump and the dialyzer. The dialysis system is configured to alternate pumping of dialysate from the first and second dialysate pumps to the dialyzer using the first and second valves.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes: a peristaltic blood pump; a first peristaltic dialysate pump; a second peristaltic dialysate pump; and a fluid cassette including an upper portion and a lower portion, a blood pumping tube extending linearly from the upper portion to the lower portion, the blood pumping tube actuated by the peristaltic blood pump, a first dialysate pumping tube extending linearly from the upper portion to the lower portion, the first dialysate pumping tube actuated by the first dialysate pump, and a second dialysate pumping tube extending linearly from the upper portion to the lower portion, the second dialysate pumping tube actuated by the second dialysate pump.

Abstract: A method for priming a hemodialysis treatment includes: providing a sorbent cartridge for cleaning spent dialysate fluid returning from a dialyzer; preparing a batch of dialysate in a quantity commensurate with being recycled through the sorbent cartridge multiple times; priming a dialysate circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer using the batch of dialysate; and priming a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer using the batch of dialysate.

Abstract: An access disconnection system includes a venous line, an arterial line, a first electrode coupled to (i) the arterial line, (ii) a patient, or (iii) a cardiac catheter assembly; and a second electrode coupled to (i) the venous line, or (ii) the cardiac catheter assembly. The access disconnection system further includes electronic circuitry communicating electrically with the first second electrode to sense an electrical heartbeat signal generated by the patient. The electronic circuitry is configured to send a disconnection output indicative of a change in the electrical signal sufficient to expect that an access disconnection of the venous line has occurred.

Abstract: A dialysis system including a disposable fluid pumping cassette including at least one flexible membrane attached to a housing and at least one port extending from the housing, the at least one port including a spike; at least one dialysis fluid supply in fluid communication with at least one tubing and tubing connector; an autoconnection device including a shuttle for moving the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port, the autoconnection device including at least one lead screw in mechanical communication with the shuttle, a motor and power transmission equipment to transmit power from the motor to the at least one lead screw; and a controller programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.

Abstract: A renal failure therapy machine includes a blood cleaning filter, a sorbent device configured to regenerate used therapy fluid from the blood cleaning filter, a therapy fluid pump configured to pump regenerated therapy fluid from the sorbent device back to the blood cleaning filter, and a flow restrictor in fluid communication with the blood cleaning filter, the therapy fluid pump and the sorbent device, the flow restrictor configured to cause regenerated therapy fluid pumped by the therapy fluid pump from the sorbent device to the blood cleaning filter to be pressurized so that a first amount of the regenerated therapy fluid performs convective clearance and a second amount of the regenerated therapy fluid performs diffusive clearance.