Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes (i) blood tubing; (ii) a peristaltic blood pump contacting the blood tubing to pump blood through the blood tubing; (iii) a dialyzer in fluid communication with the blood tubing; (iv) first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps; (v) a dialysate heater; (vi) a plurality of pinch valves; and (vii) a cassette including a rigid structure, a heating portion, first and second dialysate pumping tubes, and a plurality of incoming tubes, the rigid structure when the cassette is mounted for operation orienting (a) the heating portion adjacent to the dialysate heater so that dialysate can be heated by the dialysate heater, (b) the first and second dialysate pumping tubes adjacent to the first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps, and (c) the plurality of incoming tubes adjacent to the plurality of pinch valves to enable the tubes to be individually closed by the pinch valves.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system including (i) an instrument; (ii) first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps operated by the instrument; (iii) a cassette including a rigid structure and first and second dialysate pumping tubes carried by the rigid structure; and (iv) a mechanism configured to initially allow the cassette to be accepted by the dialysis instrument after which the mechanism engages the first and second dialysate pumping tubes for operation with the first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps.

Abstract: An access disconnection method includes supporting a transmitter including a wireless communication apparatus, a receiver, a portion of an arterial line, a portion of a venous line and electronic circuitry by a member separate from a blood treatment machine. The method further includes operably communicating the electronic circuitry with the transmitter and the receiver, enabling transmission of a wave from the transmitter in one of the arterial and venous lines, enabling receipt of the wave by the receiver in the other of the arterial and venous lines, and enabling a disconnection output to be sent to the blood treatment machine via the electronic circuitry. The disconnection output is indicative of a change in the wave received by the receiver from the transmitter sufficient to expect that an access site disconnection of one of the arterial and venous lines has occurred.

Abstract: An extracorporeal blood machine includes a blood circuit; an access device enabling the blood circuit to be connected to a patient; first and second coupling devices for connecting to first and second tubes of the circuit; first and second electrodes held by the first and second coupling devices to contact blood flowing through the blood circuit, the electrodes enabling an electrical signal to be injected into the circuit; first and second contact members contacting the first and second electrodes, wherein at least one of the coupling devices includes a stem portion enabling at least one of the first and second contact members to contact at least one of the first and second electrodes, respectively, on an outer portion of the at least one electrode without disturbing blood flowing through the coupling device; and electronics coupled operably to the first and second contact members for applying the electrical signal.

Abstract: An access disconnection system includes: an arterial line; a venous line; a transmitter configured to transmit a sound wave in one of the arterial and venous lines when connected to a patient; a receiver configured to receive the sound wave from the other of the arterial and venous lines when connected to the patient; and electronic circuitry coupled to at least one of the transmitter and receiver, the circuitry configured to send a disconnection output indicative of a change in the sound waves received by the receiver from the transmitter sufficient to expect that an access disconnection of one of the arterial line and venous lines has occurred.

Abstract: An access disconnection system includes a blood treatment machine including a housing, an access site detection housing separate from the blood treatment machine housing, a transmitter positioned in the access site housing and configured to transmit an ultrasound wave into a blood stream of a patient, a receiver positioned in the access site housing and configured to receive a reflection of the ultrasound wave from the blood stream of the patient; and electronic circuitry in communication with the transmitter and the receiver. The electronic circuitry is supported by the access site detection housing, and the transmitter is configured to send a wireless disconnection output to the blood treatment machine. The disconnection output is indicative of a change in the reflected ultrasound wave received by the receiver sufficient to expect that an access disconnection of one of the arterial line and the venous line has occurred.

Abstract: A dialysis machine includes a blood circuit, a dialysate circuit, and a dialyzer placed in communication with the blood circuit and the dialysate circuit. The dialysis machine includes a priming sequence in which dialysate is used to prime a first portion of the dialysate circuit and a physiologically compatible solution, other than dialysate, is used to prime a second portion of the dialysate circuit, the dialyzer and the blood circuit.

Abstract: A dialysis machine method includes in an embodiment applying a pneumatic closing pressure to a first valve chamber and arranging a compliance chamber to flex and absorb energy from the pneumatic closing pressure so as to tend to prevent the pneumatic closing pressure from opening an existing closure of a second valve chamber.

Abstract: An access disconnection system includes: an arterial line; a venous line; a transmitter configured to transmit a sound wave in one of the arterial and venous lines when connected to a patient; a receiver configured to receive the sound wave from the other of the arterial and venous lines when connected to the patient; and electronic circuitry coupled to at least one of the transmitter and receiver, the circuitry configured to send a disconnection output indicative of a change in the sound waves received by the receiver from the transmitter sufficient to expect that an access disconnection of one of the arterial line and venous lines has occurred.

Abstract: An extracorporeal blood system includes: an extracorporeal blood machine including an extracorporeal blood circuit; an access device enabling the extracorporeal blood circuit to be connected to a patient; first and second tube connecting members for connecting respectively to first and second tubes of the extracorporeal circuit; first and second electrodes held, at least in part, by the first and second tube connecting members so as to contact blood flowing through the extracorporeal blood circuit, the first and second electrodes enabling an electrical signal to be injected into the extracorporeal blood circuit; first and second contact members contacting the first and second electrodes respectively; and electronics coupled operably to the first and second contact members for applying the electrical signal, the signal used to monitor the access device.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes (i) blood tubing; (ii) a peristaltic blood pump contacting the blood tubing to pump blood through the blood tubing; (iii) a dialyzer in fluid communication with the blood tubing; (iv) first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps; (v) a dialysate heater; (vi) a plurality of pinch valves; and (vii) a cassette including a rigid structure, a heating portion, first and second dialysate pumping tubes, and a plurality of incoming tubes, the rigid structure when the cassette is mounted for operation orienting (a) the heating portion adjacent to the dialysate heater so that dialysate can be heated by the dialysate heater, (b) the first and second dialysate pumping tubes adjacent to the first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps, and (c) the plurality of incoming tubes adjacent to the plurality of pinch valves to enable the tubes to be individually closed by the pinch valves.

Abstract: A dialysis machine includes a dialysis instrument having a pump actuator and first and second valve actuators, and a disposable cassette operable with the dialysis instrument, the disposable cassette including a pump portion operable with the pump actuator, first and second valve chambers operable with the first and second valve actuators, the first and second valve chambers communicating fluidly with each other, at least the first valve chamber communicating fluidly with a compliance chamber, the compliance chamber negating a first backpressure due to a pneumatic closing pressure used to close the first valve chamber to help to ensure the pneumatic pressure applied to the first valve chamber will close the first valve chamber against a second backpressure from an existing closure of the second valve chamber.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system including (i) an instrument; (ii) first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps operated by the instrument; (iii) a cassette including a rigid structure and first and second dialysate pumping tubes carried by the rigid structure; and (iv) a mechanism configured to initially allow the cassette to be accepted by the dialysis instrument after which the mechanism engages the first and second dialysate pumping tubes for operation with the first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes: (i) a dialyzer; (ii) a dialysate source; a dialysate pump; (iii) a dialysate cassette operatively connected to the dialysate pump such that the dialysate pump can pump dialysate through the dialysate cassette when the dialysate cassette is in fluid communication with the dialysate source, the dialysate cassette in fluid communication with the dialyzer; (iv) a blood pump; and (v) a blood cassette separate from the dialysate cassette, the blood cassette operatively connected to the blood pump such that the blood pump can pump blood through the blood cassette, the blood cassette including a housing, the housing including a from-patient tube connector, a to-patient tube connector, a saline/priming tube connector, a to-dialyzer tube connector, a from-dialyzer tube connector, and an internal air separation chamber.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system for operation with a blood source and a dialysate source, the system including: (i) a first machine portion including a blood pump; (ii) a blood cassette operatively connected to the blood pump such that the blood pump can pump blood through the blood cassette when the blood cassette is in fluid communication with the blood source; (iii) a dialyzer fluidly connected to the blood cassette; (iv) a second machine portion separate from the first machine portion, the second machine portion including a dialysate pump; and (v) a dialysate cassette separate from the blood cassette, the dialysate cassette operatively connected to the dialysate pump such that the dialysate pump can pump dialysate through the dialysate cassette when the dialysate cassette is in fluid communication with the dialysate source, the dialysate cassette being fluidly connected to the dialyzer.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes (i) a dialyzer; (ii) a blood pump; (iii) a blood cassette operatively connected to the dialyzer and the blood pump; (iv) a dialysate heater; (v) first and second peristaltic dialysate pumps; and (vi) a dialysate cassette separate from the blood cassette, the dialysate cassette including an organizer configured to support a drain tube, a to-dialyzer tube and a from-dialyzer tube, the cassette further including a first pumping tube, a second pumping tube and an inline fluid heating pathway, the cassette when mounted for operation orienting (a) the first pumping tube for operation with the first peristaltic dialysate pump, (b) the second pumping tube for operation with the second peristaltic dialysate pump and (c) the fluid heating pathway for operation with the dialysate heater.

Abstract: A kidney failure therapy system includes: (a) a dilaysate supply; (b) at least one valve actuator; (c) at least one pump actuator; and (d) a disposable unit including first and second flexible sheets sealed together for form: (i) at least one flow path configured to be placed in fluid communication with the dilaysate supply; and operable with the at least one valve actuator; and (ii) at least one pumping portion configured to operate with the at least one pump actuator.

Abstract: A renal therapy blood cleaning system includes: a blood filtering device in communication with an extracorporeal circuit; a first pump configured to pump fluid to the blood filtering device; a second pump configured to pump fluid from the blood filtering device; a balance chamber in fluid communication with first and second lines, the first and second lines in fluid communication with the first and second pumps, respectively, the balance chamber configured to exchange like volumes of fresh and spent fluid; a plurality of valves; and a control scheme programmed to operate the plurality of valves to enable spent fluid taken from the balancing chamber through one of the first and second lines to be recirculated to the balance chamber through the other of the first and second lines to compensate for a volume of fresh fluid delivered to the blood filtering device.

Abstract: An extracorporeal blood system includes: an extracorporeal blood machine including an extracorporeal blood circuit; an access device enabling the extracorporeal blood circuit to be connected to a patient; first and second tube connecting members for connecting respectively to first and second tubes of the extracorporeal circuit; first and second electrodes held, at least in part, by the first and second tube connecting members so as to contact blood flowing through the extracorporeal blood circuit, the first and second electrodes enabling an electrical signal to be injected into the extracorporeal blood circuit; first and second contact members contacting the first and second electrodes respectively; and electronics coupled operably to the first and second contact members for applying the electrical signal, the signal used to monitor the access device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving medical fluid delivery systems, such as hemofiltration (“HF”) and hemodiafiltration (“HDF”) are provided. In first embodiments, systems and methods for selectively performing pre- and postdilution HF and HDF clearance modes is provided. In other embodiments, systems and methods for providing prime bolus and rinseback fluid volumes before, during and/or after HF and HDF therapies are provided. In further embodiments, improved systems and methods for removing ultrafiltrate from the patient are provided. Still further, improved filtration configurations and methods are provided.