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: The specification discloses a portable dialysis machine having a detachable controller unit and base unit. The controller unit includes a door having an interior face, a housing with a panel, where the housing and panel define a recessed region configured to receive the interior face of the door, and a manifold receiver fixedly attached to the panel. The manifold includes diaphragms adapted to minimize the dead space between the dialysis machine pins and improve responsivity. The base unit has a planar surface for receiving a container of fluid, a scale integrated with the planar surface and a heater in thermal communication with the container. Embodiments of the disclosed portable dialysis system have improved structural and functional features, including improved modularity, ease of use, and safety features.

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: Embodiments of the invention pertain to cartridges, systems and methods for performing hemodialysis and related extracorporeal blood treatment modalities and therapies, in which blood flows in the inter fiber space and dialysate flows in the lumens of hollow fibers. Appropriate connectors and fitting orientations may be provided. There may be provided orbital distributors, fanning of fibers, and features to promote uniformity of fiber spacing in the fiber bundle. Orbital distributors may contain contoured surfaces, flow redirectors, non-uniform-conductance flow elements, through-wall distributors, and other features. There may be subdivision of the fiber bundle into two groups of fibers with separate control fluid to each group. Appropriate systems may be provided for various therapies. Flow past the fibers may be parallel, transverse or other configuration.

Abstract: The specification discloses a portable dialysis machine having a detachable controller unit and base unit with an improved reservoir heating system. The controller unit includes a door having an interior face, a housing with a panel, where the housing and panel define a recessed region configured to receive the interior face of the door, and a manifold receiver fixedly attached to the panel. The base unit has a reservoir with an internal pan and external pan, separated by a space that holds a heating element. The heating element is electrically coupled to electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the external pan.

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 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 system and a method of using dual-energy absoptiometry to estimate visceral fat metrics and display results, preferably as related to normative data. The process involves deriving x-ray measurements for respective pixel positions related to a two-dimensional projection image of a body slice containing visceral fat as well as subcutaneous fat; at least some of the measurements being dual-energy x-ray measurements, processing the measurements to derive estimates of metrics related to the visceral fat in the slice; and using the resulting estimates.

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: The specification discloses a portable dialysis machine having a detachable controller unit and base unit with an improved reservoir heating system. The controller unit includes a door having an interior face, a housing with a panel, where the housing and panel define a recessed region configured to receive the interior face of the door, and a manifold receiver fixedly attached to the panel. The base unit has a reservoir with an internal pan and external pan, separated by a space that holds a heating element. The heating element is electrically coupled to electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the external pan.

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: The specification discloses a portable dialysis machine having a detachable controller unit and base unit. The controller unit includes a door having an interior face, a housing with a panel, where the housing and panel define a recessed region configured to receive the interior face of the door, and a manifold receiver fixedly attached to the panel. The manifold includes diaphragms adapted to minimize the dead space between the dialysis machine pins and improve responsivity. The base unit has a planar surface for receiving a container of fluid, a scale integrated with the planar surface and a heater in thermal communication with the container. Embodiments of the disclosed portable dialysis system have improved structural and functional features, including improved modularity, ease of use, and safety features.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a dialyzer, a sorbent cartridge configured to clean used dialysate from the dialyzer, a dialysate pump actuator configured to pump dialysate to the dialyzer, and a conductivity sensor located adjacent to a temperature sensor. The dialysis system also includes a disposable cassette configured to carry dialysate pumped by the dialysate pump actuator. The disposable cassette includes a combined conductivity and temperature sensor fluid chamber separate from the conductivity sensor and the temperature sensor and located so as to operate with the conductivity sensor and the temperature sensor, respectively, when mounted for operation.

Abstract: A load suspension and weighing system for a removable reservoir unit of a portable dialysis machine includes a centrally located flexure assembly. The flexure assembly includes magnets and a number of flexure rings which allow for movement of the magnets about a fixed circuit board. Sensors in the circuit board sense changes in the magnetic field as the magnets move in relation to the circuit board. The magnetic field changes produce a voltage output which is used by a processor to generate weight calculations. The top of the flexure assembly is attached to the interior of the dialysis machine. The entirety of the reservoir unit is suspended by a first internal frame that is attached to the bottom of the flexure assembly. Having a single flexure assembly positioned above the reservoir unit provides more accurate weight measurements while also preventing damage to the assembly from water spillage.

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.