Abstract: A dialysis system including a dialysis machine including a blood pump actuator, dialysate pump actuator, a blood valve actuator and a dialysate valve actuator; and a disposable cassette operable with the dialysis machine, the disposable cassette including: (i) a housing, (ii) a dialysate pump portion of the housing configured to operate with the dialysate pump actuator, (iii) a blood valve portion of the housing configured to operate with the blood valve actuator, (iv) a dialysate valve portion of the housing configured to operate with the dialysate valve actuator, (v) a dialyzer supported by the housing, the dialyzer including a dialysate inlet and a dialysate outlet, (vi) a first dialysate connection extending externally from the housing to the dialyzer inlet, and (vii) a second dialysate connection extending externally from the housing to the dialyzer outlet.

Abstract: A method for priming a hemodialysis treatment includes (i) providing a sorbent cartridge for cleaning spent dialysate fluid returning from a dialyzer: (ii) preparing a batch of dialysate in a quantity commensurate with being recycled through the sorbent cartridge multiple times; (iii) priming a dialysate circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer using the batch of dialysate; and (iv) reversing a blood pump at least one time to prime a blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer using a biologically safe fluid other than dialysate.

Abstract: A valve integrity method for a medical fluid pump includes pumping fluid into the medical fluid pump while an outlet valve is closed and an inlet valve is open, closing the inlet valve while the outlet valve is closed, attempting to pump fluid out of the medical fluid pump while the inlet valve and the outlet valve are closed, and determining that at least one of the valves is leaking if a change in medical fluid volume within the medical fluid pump is detected.

Abstract: A renal failure therapy method includes causing therapy fluid to flow to a renal failure therapy filter, directing at least twenty-five percent of the therapy fluid to the renal failure therapy filter to perform conductive clearance, and using the renal therapy failure filter to cause at least a substantial amount of the remaining therapy fluid to perform diffusive clearance.

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 hemodialysis system including (i) a dialyzer; (ii) a blood circuit including a blood pump in fluid communication with the dialyzer; (iii) a dialysate circuit including a dialysate circulation pump in fluid communication with the dialyzer, at least a portion of the dialysate circuit incorporated into a disposable dialysate cassette; (iv) a sorbent cartridge for cleaning used dialysate flowing in the dialysate circuit; (v) a reservoir holding an initial supply of dialysate; (vi) a reservoir pump in fluid communication with the dialysate circuit and the reservoir; (vii) a supply of infusate; and (viii) an infusate pump in fluid communication with the dialysate circuit and the supply of infusate.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for performing a renal replacement therapy is provided. In one embodiment, two small high flux dialyzers are connected in series. A restriction is placed between the two dialyzers in the dialysate flow path. The restriction is variable and adjustable in one preferred embodiment. The restriction builds a positive pressure in the venous dialyzer, causing a high degree of intentional backfiltration. That backfiltration causes a significant flow of dialysate through the high flux venous membrane directly into the patient's blood. That backfiltered solution is subsequently ultrafiltered from the patient from the arterial dialyzer. The diffusion of dialysate into the venous filter and removal of dialysate from the arterial dialyzer causes a convective transport of toxins from the patient. Additionally, the dialysate that does not diffuse directly into the patient but instead flows across the membranes of both dialyzers provides a diffusive clearance of waste products.

Abstract: A hemodialysis system includes an on-line dialysate generator; a dialysate pump actuator configured to pump dialysate generated by the generator to a dialyzer; a conductivity sensor located adjacent to a temperature sensor upstream of the dialyzer; a blood pump actuator; an air detector; and a disposable cassette configured to carry dialysate pumped by the dialysate pump actuator, the disposable cassette including a conductivity sensor portion and a temperature sensor portion located to operate with the conductivity sensor and the temperature sensor, respectively, the disposable cassette further configured to carry blood pumped by the blood pump actuator and to provide an air detection portion located to operate with the air detector.

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; extracorporeal circuit including the filter, the arterial blood flowpath and the venous blood flowpath; a renal therapy fluid flowpath in fluid communication with the extracorporeal circuit; a plurality of renal therapy fluid valves; and first and second renal therapy fluid pumps, wherein the system is configured to operate the plurality of renal therapy fluid valves so that (i) the first renal therapy fluid pump pumps renal therapy fluid through the renal therapy fluid flowpath to the extracorporeal circuit 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 dialysis system includes an extracorporeal circuit including a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit including a first balance chamber, a second balance chamber, 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 in fluid communication with a fresh dialysate fluid inlet of the dialyzer, and a spent dialysis fluid pump in fluid communication with first and second spent compartments of the first and second balance chambers, respectively, the spent dialysis fluid pump also in fluid communication with a spent dialysis fluid outlet of the dialyzer; and wherein the system is configured to run a priming sequence that uses (i) at least one of the fresh and spent dialysis fluid pumps and the first and second balance chambers to pump dialysis fluid through the dialysis fluid circuit and (ii) at least one of the fresh and spent dialysis fluid pumps to pump dialysis fluid through the dia

Abstract: A dialysis system including a dialysis machine including a blood pump actuator, dialysate pump actuator, a blood valve actuator and a dialysate valve actuator; and a disposable cassette operable with the dialysis machine, the disposable cassette including: (i) a housing, (ii) a dialysate pump portion of the housing configured to operate with the dialysate pump actuator, (iii) a blood valve portion of the housing configured to operate with the blood valve actuator, (iv) a dialysate valve portion of the housing configured to operate with the dialysate valve actuator, (v) a dialyzer supported by the housing, the dialyzer including a dialysate inlet and a dialysate outlet, (vi) a first dialysate connection extending externally from the housing to the dialyzer inlet, and (vii) a second dialysate connection extending externally from the housing to the dialyzer outlet.

Abstract: A dialysis system includes a fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump; a spent dialysis fluid membrane pump; a first balance chamber having a fresh dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump and a spent dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the spent dialysis fluid membrane pump; a second balance chamber having a fresh dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump and a spent dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the spent dialysis fluid membrane pump; and a dialysis fluid cassette, wherein at least one of the fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump, the spent dialysis fluid membrane pump, the first balance chamber and the second balance chamber includes a fluid receiving portion provided in the dialysis fluid cassette.

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 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 which is configured to receive a data transfer including a prescription entry for the system.

Abstract: A method for priming a hemodialyzer is disclosed. Hemodialyzer comprises a dialysate compartment, a blood compartment, and a dialysis membrane separating the dialysate and blood compartments. The method comprises the steps of delivering a liquid to a dialysate inlet of the dialysate compartment at a first volumetric delivery rate, passing the liquid through the dialysate compartment from the dialysate inlet to a dialysate outlet of the hemodialyzer and delivering the liquid from the dialysate outlet at a second volumetric delivery rate that is less than the first volumetric delivery rate so as to cause a net flow of the liquid from the dialysate compartment to the blood compartment through the dialysis membrane.