Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit including a fresh dialysis fluid pump, and a used dialysis fluid pump; a blood circuit including a blood pump operable with an arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, a medical fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line between a patient end of the arterial line and the blood pump, a drip chamber located along a venous line; a blood rinseback sequence wherein blood is transferred to the patient by the medical fluid, wherein the medical fluid is introduced from its source into the arterial line between an arterial line patient end and the blood pump, and flowed through the dialyzer, through the venous drip chamber along the venous line; and a blood circuit priming sequence initiated in the blood circuit via the arterial line.

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 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 hemodialysis system includes a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit including a fresh dialysis fluid pump, and a used dialysis fluid pump; a blood circuit including a blood pump operable with an arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, a medical fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line between a patient end of the arterial line and the blood pump, a drip chamber located along a venous line; a blood rinseback sequence wherein blood is transferred to the patient by the medical fluid, wherein the medical fluid is introduced from its source into the arterial line between an arterial line patient end and the blood pump, and flowed through the dialyzer, through the venous drip chamber along the venous line; and a blood circuit priming sequence initiated in the blood circuit via the arterial line.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit comprising: a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit operable with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines; the blood circuit operable with the dialyzer and including an arterial line, a venous line, a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, and a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump; and an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, air is purged using dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid pumped by at least one of the fresh or used dialysis fluid pumps from the dialysis fluid circuit, through the dialyzer, into the blood circuit, in combination with dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid from the source introduced directly into the blood circuit.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit comprising: a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit operable with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines; the blood circuit operable with the dialyzer and including an arterial line, a venous line, a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, and a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump; and an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, air is purged using dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid pumped by at least one of the fresh or used dialysis fluid pumps from the dialysis fluid circuit, through the dialyzer, into the blood circuit, in combination with dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid from the source introduced directly into the blood circuit.

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 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 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 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 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 renal therapy system includes: a filter; an arterial blood flowpath in fluid communication with the filter; a venous blood flowpath in fluid communication with the filter; a renal therapy fluid flowpath in fluid communication with the filter; first and second renal therapy fluid pumps; a plurality of valve actuators; and a dialysis fluid cassette including a plurality of valve portions configured to operate with the plurality of valve actuators so that (i) the first renal therapy fluid pump pumps renal therapy fluid through the renal therapy fluid flowpath for a number of first pump actuations, and (ii) the second renal therapy fluid pump pumps renal therapy fluid through the renal therapy fluid flowpath for a number of second pump actuations.

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 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 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 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.