Abstract: Devices and methods for draining excess lymph fluid are disclosed. The device can be fixed to the blood vessel adjacent to the thoracic duct. The device can have a port for withdrawing lymph fluid exiting the thoracic duct. The device can have a cannula and/or subcutaneous port to draw the lymph fluid away from the thoracic duct and reduce hemostatic pressure in the lymphatic system.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of hemodialysis, including methods and kits that can be employed to improve hemodialysis therapy. The present invention encompasses methods and kits useful for reducing vascular access complications associated with hemodialysis therapy and prolonging the period of time for which a vascular access site can be used in a patient.

Abstract: This invention relates to a means of clearing out a cholesterol, calcium and plaque build-up resident to a living circulatory system, in addition to dissolving various kinds of blood clots, and removing other foreign matter, all by means of charged particle migration, through the application of an electromotive source.

Abstract: An arteriovenous graft system is described. The arteriovenous graft system includes an arteriovenous graft that is well suited for use during hemodialysis. In order to minimize or prevent arterial steal, at least one valve device is positioned at the arterial end of the arteriovenous graft. In one embodiment, for instance, the arteriovenous graft system includes a first valve device positioned at the arterial end and a second valve device positioned at the venous end. In one embodiment, the valve devices may include an inflatable balloon that, when inflated, constricts and closes off the arteriovenous graft. If desired, a single actuator can be used to open and close both valve devices.

Abstract: Filtration devices for collection and filtration of biological samples are disclosed. Devices having a filtration element oriented in a generally vertical orientation are provided, as well as filtration devices that incorporate a cooling mechanism to reduce the temperature of collected solids. Tissue collection devices, such as aspiration assemblies, tissue sampling devices, and the like incorporating filtration devices are disclosed. Methods of collecting biological samples and separating biological solids from a liquid/solids mixture are also disclosed, together with analytical techniques and protocols for analyzing biological samples.

Abstract: An arteriovenous graft system is described. The arteriovenous graft system includes an arteriovenous graft that is well suited for use during hemodialysis. In order to minimize or prevent arterial steal, at least one valve device is positioned at the arterial end of the arteriovenous graft. In one embodiment, a subcutaneous arteriovenous graft system is described. The system includes an arteriovenous graft having an arterial end and an opposite venous end with a first valve device positioned at the arterial end of the arteriovenous graft and a second valve device positioned at the venous end of the arteriovenous graft. The system also includes an actuator having an accumulator. The actuator is in communication with both the first valve device and the second valve device and is configured to cause each valve device to open or close simultaneously. The accumulator assists in maintaining a generally constant pressure when the actuator causes each valve device to close.

Abstract: A circuit for collecting a blood component includes a blood collection device provided with a blood collection needle through which blood is collected from a blood donor, a blood separator in which the blood collected by the above blood collection device is separated, a blood component collection bag in which a predetermined blood component separated by the above blood separator is collected, a blood line in which the blood collection needle is connected to an inlet of the blood separator, a line for removing an initial blood flow, which branches from a first branching portion formed in the blood line, and in which an initial flow of blood collected from the blood donor is removed, and an anticoagulant-injection line that branches from a second branching portion, formed in the line for removing the initial blood flow, and into which an anticoagulant is injected.

Abstract: A method to treat cancer uses ultrapheresis, refined to remove compounds of less than 120,000 daltons molecular weight, followed by administration of replacement fluid, to stimulate the patient's immune system to attack solid tumors. In the preferred embodiment, the patient is ultrapheresed using a capillary tube ultrafilter having a pore size of 0.02 to 0.05 microns, with a molecular weight cutoff of 120,000 daltons, sufficient to filter one blood volume. The preferred replacement fluid is ultrapheresed normal plasma. The patient is preferably treated daily for three weeks, diagnostic tests conducted to verify that there has been shrinkage of the tumors, then the treatment regime is repeated. The treatment is preferably combined with an alternative therapy, for example, treatment with an anti-angiogenic compound, one or more cytokines such as TNF, gamma interferon, or IL-2, or a procoagulant compound. The treatment increases endogenous, local levels of cytokines, such as TNF.

Abstract: A method for batch implementation of settings in a renal replacement therapy device including: displaying on a user interface control settings which may be manually selected by an operator; selecting an independent control setting of the plurality of control settings; adjusting the independent control setting to an independent control setting level selected by an operator; temporarily storing the adjusted independent control setting level; automatically adjusting a dependent control setting level based upon the independent control level; displaying the adjusted independent control setting level and the adjusted dependent control setting, and implementing both the adjusted independent control setting level and the adjusted dependent control setting to control the device, by actuating a batch setting acceptance operation.

Abstract: A cardiotomy reservoir, comprising an outer wall provided, at the lid, with connectors for the inflow of blood to be filtered and, at the bottom, with a connector for the outflow of the filtered blood, a filtering mass being provided which divides the space delimited by the outer wall into a portion that is connected to the inflow connectors and a portion that is connected to the outflow connector; the cardiotomy reservoir comprises a layer of material adapted to retain fats present in blood, and further comprises a first partition and a second partition, which are adapted to delimit at different distances the region that comprises the blood outflow connector and are provided with ports for the passage of the blood in its path for accessing the connector which are arranged at differentiated levels with respect to the bottom, the ports that are provided in the first partition that lies closest to the outflow connector being located at a height, from the bottom, that is greater than the height of the ports prov

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.

Abstract: An in-vitro blood plasma lipids filtering method includes the following steps: separating out the blood plasma from the blood collection; flushing a filtering device with saline solution; controlling the pressure of the separated blood plasma; passing the blood plasma to the filtering device for filtering out lipids; controlling the temperature of the filtered blood plasma; and feeding the blood plasma back to the blood. The method is clearly effective and accurate, quick response indication, securer and safer, more tolerant, and the treatment time is short.

Abstract: A cardiotomy reservoir, comprising an outer wall provided, at the lid, with connectors for the inflow of blood to be filtered and, at the bottom, with a connector for the outflow of the filtered blood, a filtering mass being provided which divides the space delimited by the outer wall into a portion that is connected to the inflow connectors and a portion that is connected to the outflow connector; the cardiotomy reservoir comprises a layer of material adapted to retain fats present in blood, and further comprises a first partition and a second partition, which are adapted to delimit at different distances the region that comprises the blood outflow connector and are provided with ports for the passage of the blood in its path for accessing the connector which are arranged at differentiated levels with respect to the bottom, the ports that are provided in the first partition that lies closest to the outflow connector being located at a height, from the bottom, that is greater than the height of the ports prov

Abstract: A blood container and a method is provided for a blood transfusion, in particular, for a blood transfusion by which blood a patient is losing is collected, fat is separated from the blood, and the non-fat blood is transfused into the patient so as to prevent side-effects including fat embolism and the like from occurring due to the fat after the blood is transfused into the patient. The blood container includes a soft case and hard case. A first tube is formed at one side of the hard case to inject blood into the soft and hard cases and a second tube is formed adjacent to the first tube to discharge the blood out of the soft and hard cases, wherein the soft and hard cases have open side that adhere to each other to form a single body.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.

Abstract: An adsorbent of high-mobility-group proteins (HMG protein) which can remove HMG protein in body fluid is disclosed. The adsorbent according to the present invention has a water-insoluble carrier on which (a) substance(s) having (a) hydrogen-bondable functional group(s) and/or (a) hydrophobic functional group(s) is(are) immobilized.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid or from lipid-containing organisms from a fluid, such as plasma. These systems combine a fluid with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from the lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The at least one extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a concentration enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid or to a different patient for therapy.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid or from lipid-containing organisms from a fluid, such as plasma. These systems combine a fluid with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from the lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The at least one extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a concentration enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid or to a different patient for therapy.

Abstract: An in-vitro blood plasma lipids filtering method includes the following steps: separating out the blood plasma from the blood collection; flushing the apparatus carrying out the method with saline solution; controlling the temperature and pressure of the blood plasma; passing the blood plasma to screening procedure for filtering; and feeding the blood plasma back to the blood. The method is clearly effective and accurate, quick response indication, more secure and safer, more tolerant, and the treatment time is short.

Abstract: Systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. A fluid is combined with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to an acceptable concentration enabling the delipidated fluid to be administered to a patient without the patient experiencing undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid, to a different patient, or stored for later use.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. These systems contact a fluid with an extraction solvent, which causes the lipids in the fluid to separate from the fluid or causes lipids in the lipid-containing organisms to separate from the lipid-containing organism, using at least one hollow fiber contactor. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a level below a particular threshold enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without the patient experiencing undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid, to a different patient, or be stored.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid or from lipid-containing organisms from a fluid, such as plasma. These systems combine a fluid with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from the lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The at least one extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a concentration enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid or to a different patient for therapy.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. These systems contact a fluid with an extraction solvent, which causes the lipids in the fluid to separate from the fluid or causes lipids in the lipid-containing organisms to separate from the lipid-containing organism, using at least one hollow fiber contactor. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a level below a particular threshold enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without the patient experiencing undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid, to a different patient, or be stored.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid or from lipid-containing organisms from a fluid, such as plasma. These systems combine a fluid with at least one extraction solvent, which causes the lipids to separate from the fluid or from the lipid-containing organisms. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The at least one extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a concentration enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid or to a different patient for therapy.

Abstract: This invention is directed to systems and methods for removing lipids from a fluid, such as plasma, or from lipid-containing organisms. These systems contact a fluid with an extraction solvent, which causes the lipids in the fluid to separate from the fluid or causes lipids in the lipid-containing organisms to separate from the lipid-containing organism, using at least one hollow fiber contactor. The separated lipids are removed from the fluid. The extraction solvent is removed from the fluid or at least reduced to a level below a particular threshold enabling the fluid to be administered to a patient without the patient experiencing undesirable consequences. Once the fluid has been processed, the fluid may be administered to a patient who donated the fluid, to a different patient, or be stored.

Abstract: A blood drawing system including a closeable first conduit through which drawn blood can flow; a first pressurizeable collection vessel for receiving blood therein; a hollow-shaft member; a second conduit leading from the first conduit to the first collection vessel; and a third conduit leading from the first conduit to the hollow shaft member connectable to a negative-pressure second collection vessel. Closing the first conduit allows blood transfer from the first vessel into the second vessel without exposure to or inclusion of any external devices to accomplish such transfer. Also included is an intravenous system with a conduit through which medicament liquid can be delivered and from which medicament liquid-free blood can be withdrawn. A first pressurizeable vessel first removes and conserves for reintroduction residual medicament liquid from the conduit, while thereafter a second negative-pressure vessel draws subsequent medicament liquid-free blood from the conduit.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for a medical instruments for a Renal Replacement Therapy is disclosed that includes a pictogram representation of the fluid path of an extracorporeal blood circuit that represents fluid lines, pumps and sensors. To assist the user in responding to alarms and rectifying faults in the system the source of a potential trouble is animated. The location of a trouble spot is easily identified by flashing of the corresponding element of the pictogram, change of color or thickness of a corresponding line.

Abstract: This invention describes blood treating material having the capacity to selectively remove endotoxin and cytokine inducing substances from blood or plasma by extracorporeal adsorption for therapeutic septic shock treatment. The endotoxin adsorption ligands of the invention are oligopeptides synthesized from amino acids having a pk>7.2 such as arginine, lysine or histidine, using a polycondensation step such that the resultant oligopeptides exhibit a high degree of polydispersity. Also provided are methods and devices using an adsorbent having a polydisperse oligopeptide of the invention immobilized on a solid state support medium for removing endotoxin from the blood of human or animal subject.

Abstract: A method is described for determining recirculation of blood in a vascular access (11) of a patient undergoing dialysis treatment by means of a dialysis machine (10) comprising an arterial line (24) for withdrawing blood from the patient's body, a dialysis filter (16), and a venous line (26) for returning the blood to the patient's body. The present method consists in inducing, in the blood flowing in the venous line (26), a disturbance of a magnitude such as to bring the system into a transient state and determining blood recirculation in the vascular access (11) during the transient state as a function of the magnitude of the disturbance induced in the arterial line (24). In particular, the aforesaid disturbance consists of the variation of the haemoglobin concentration in the blood flowing in the venous line (26) and the variation is caused by controlling a change in the ultrafiltration flow in dialysis filter (16).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of removing fat from a mammalian body comprising the steps of: extracting blood from said mammalian body, said blood containing solubilised fat; extracting at least a portion of said solubilised fat from the blood; and returning the extracted blood to the mammalian body. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the process and a method of treating obesity with the process and apparatus.

Abstract: This invention is a device for removing occlusive fatty plaque from vascular blood of humans. The action of fatty plaque removal occurs by pumping vascular blood through the device. The device consists of a super-absorbent melt-blown microfiber oleophilic material, structural support for this absorbent material and an outer containment vessel in which the cleansing of blood is performed. Patient blood is directed from the circulatory system to a catheter and then to a pump and the device. After having been cleansed of fatty plaque, blood is directed back through a second catheter to the patient's circulatory system.

Abstract: This invention is a device for removing occlusive fatty plaque from vascular blood of humans. The action of fatty plaque removal occurs by pumping vascular blood through the device.

Abstract: There are provided an adsorbent which can effectively adsorb and remove endogenous cannabinoid in fluid, and a process for removing endogenous cannabinoid in fluid by means of the adsorbent. The adsorbent of endogenous cannabinoid comprising an adsorbent for endogenous cannabinoid comprising a water-insoluble material containing a substance whose solubility parameter &dgr; is at most 12 ((cal/ cm3)½) is obtained. Endogenous cannabinoid in fluid can be effectively adsorbed and removed by contacting the adsorbent of endogenous cannabinoid with fluid containing endogenous cannabinoid.

Abstract: The present invention has its objects to provide an adsorbent capable of efficiently adsorbing and removing LDL and VLDL from various lipoprotein-containing solutions, as well as a lipoprotein adsorber in which the adsorbent is used. This invention is related to a lipoprotein adsorbent which comprises a water-insoluble carrier having, on at least one part of the surface of the carrier, at least one group (other than p-nitrobenzoic acid) selected from the group consisting of groups represented by the general formula, and groups represented by the general formula.

Abstract: Extracorporeal affinity adsorption treatments which are aimed at the substantial removal of two or more compounds that are etiological in the pathogenesis of diseases in man provide effective therapeutic intervention means for these diseases. The methods are particularly suitable for the treatment of atherosclerosis, cancer, degenerative and autoimmune diseases. Extracorporeal chelation and immunotherapy for atherosclerosis, extracorporeal chelation treatment with on-line regeneration or replacement of chelant, extracorporeal immunotherapy with antibody fragments, and extracorporeal immunoadsorption utilizing antibodies bound to Protein A are also disclosed.

Abstract: A separating device for extracting cholesterol from plasma uses a spinner to disperse plasma into an extracting solvent in the form of fine droplets to improve separation efficiency, thereby making it suitable for delipidating blood plasma. Blood plasma is delipidated by providing the plasma to the spinner and dispersing the plasma into the extracting solvent in fine droplets. A de-emulsification step removes residual solvent from the plasma. Blood is removed from an animal and the blood plasma is delipidated. Delipidated plasma is de-emulsified and combined with the animal blood, which is then reintroduced into the animal.

Abstract: A method for the removal of cholesterol, triglycerides and other lipids from animal plasma, serum or other suitable blood fractions, as a discontinuous flow system, the method comprising withdrawing blood from a subject, separating the required fraction from the blood and mixing with a solvent mixture which extracts the lipids from the fraction, after which the delipidated fraction is recombined with the blood cells and returned to the subject, wherein the solvent extraction step is carried out separately and remote from the subject. The delipidated fraction is washed with a second solvent before being recombined with the blood cells. To ensure that the delipidated fraction is free from all extraction solvent, the fraction is mixed with an absorbent specific for the solvent that is being removed. The preferred absorbent is a macroporous polymeric bead contained in the pores of a sintered glass or plastic sphere, the being capable of absorbing organic molecules from an aqueous solution.