Abstract: An air purging method includes: (a) detecting a low fluid level in a blood circuit indicating a high amount of air in the blood circuit; (b) stopping a blood pump; (c) closing a venous patient line; (d) opening a blood circuit air vent valve and a drain valve; and (e) running the blood pump to meter air through the air vent valve and the drain valve to a drain.

Abstract: A kidney failure treatment system includes: (i) a dialysate supply; (ii) a weighing device; a control container coupled operably to the weighing device; (iii) a diffusion membrane; (iv) a drain; first and second pumps; (v) a first fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the dialysate supply and the diffusion membrane, the first fluid conduit coupled operably to the first pump; (vi) a second fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the control container and the drain, the second fluid conduit coupled operably to the first pump; and (vii) a third fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the diffusion membrane and the control conduit, the third fluid conduit coupled operably to the second pump.

Abstract: A kidney failure treatment system includes: (i) a dialysate supply; (ii) a weighing device; a control container coupled operably to the weighing device; (iii) a diffusion membrane; (iv) a drain; first and second pumps; (v) a first fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the dialysate supply and the diffusion membrane, the first fluid conduit coupled operably to the first pump; (vi) a second fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the control container and the drain, the second fluid conduit coupled operably to the first pump; and (vii) a third fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the diffusion membrane and the control conduit, the third fluid conduit coupled operably to the second pump.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for the performance of kidney replacement therapy having or using a dialyzer, control components, sorbent cartridge, and fluid reservoirs configured to be of a weight and size suitable to be worn or carried by an individual requiring treatment are disclosed. The system has a controlled compliance dialysis circuit, where a control pump controls the bi-directional movement of fluid across a dialysis membrane. A first sorbent cartridge is provided for use in a portable treatment module having activated carbon and zirconium oxide. The system also provides for the monitoring of an inlet and outlet conductivity of a sorbent cartridge containing urease to provide a facility to quantify or monitor the removal of urea by a detachable urea removal module.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the performance of kidney replacement therapy having or using a dialyzer, control components, sorbent cartridge and fluid reservoirs configured to be of a weight and size suitable to be worn or carried by an individual requiring treatment are disclosed. The system for performing kidney replacement therapy has a controlled compliance dialysis circuit, where a control pump controls the bi-directional movement of fluid across a dialysis membrane. The dialysis circuit and an extracorporeal circuit for circulating blood are in fluid communication through the dialysis membrane. The flux of fluid moving between the extracorporeal circuit and the dialysis circuit is modified by the rate at which the control pump is operating such that a rate of ultrafiltration and convective clearance can be controlled. The system provides for the monitoring of an inlet and outlet conductivity of the sorbent cartridge to provide a facility to quantify or monitor the removal of urea by the sorbent cartridge.

Abstract: A kidney failure treatment system includes: (i) a dialysate supply; (ii) a weighing device; a control container coupled operably to the weighing device; (iii) a diffusion membrane; (iv) a drain; first and second pumps; (v) a first fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the dialysate supply and the diffusion membrane, the first fluid conduit coupled operably to the first pump; (vi) a second fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the control container and the drain, the second fluid conduit coupled operably to the first pump; and (vii) a third fluid conduit coupled fluidly to the diffusion membrane and the control conduit, the third fluid conduit coupled operably to the second pump.

Abstract: An air purging method includes: (a) detecting a low fluid level in a blood circuit indicating a high amount of air in the blood circuit; (b) stopping a blood pump; (c) closing a venous patient line; (d) opening a blood circuit air vent valve and a drain valve; and (e) running the blood pump to meter air through the air vent valve and the drain valve to a drain.

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: 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.