Method and apparatus for efficient hemodiafiltration
First Claim
1. In a blood dialysis system including a source of substitution fluid and a blood dialysis machine, a hemodiafiltration device comprising:
- a first dialyzer including;
a first membrane;
said first membrane defining a first blood compartment having a first blood inlet which receives blood and a first blood outlet which discharges partially diafiltered blood; and
said first membrane defining a first dialysate compartment having a first dialysate inlet and a first dialysate outlet;
means for mixing said partially diafiltered blood with a substitution fluid to obtain a blood/substitution fluid mixture;
a second dialyzer including;
a second membrane;
said second membrane defining a second blood compartment having a second blood inlet which receives said blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second blood outlet which discharges diafiltered blood; and
said second membrane defining a second dialysate compartment having a second dialysate inlet and a second dialysate outlet;
at least one sterility filter which receives dialysate from said dialysis machine and provides sterilized dialysate fluid to said means for mixing; and
a control unit which controls the flow of blood through said first and second dialyzers and the circulation of dialysate fluid between the dialysis machine, said first and second dialysate compartments and said at least one sterility filter.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for hemodiafiltration are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first dialyzer cartridge containing a semi-permeable membrane that divides the dialyzer into a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment. Fluid discharged from the blood compartment of the first dialyzer cartridge is mixed with sterile substitution fluid to form a fluid mixture and the mixture enters a second dialyzer cartridge. The second dialyzer cartridge contains a second semi-permeable membrane which divides the second dialyzer cartridge into a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment. Hemodiafiltration occurs in both cartridges.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a blood dialysis system including a source of substitution fluid and a blood dialysis machine, a hemodiafiltration device comprising:
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a first dialyzer including;
a first membrane;
said first membrane defining a first blood compartment having a first blood inlet which receives blood and a first blood outlet which discharges partially diafiltered blood; and
said first membrane defining a first dialysate compartment having a first dialysate inlet and a first dialysate outlet;
means for mixing said partially diafiltered blood with a substitution fluid to obtain a blood/substitution fluid mixture;
a second dialyzer including;
a second membrane;
said second membrane defining a second blood compartment having a second blood inlet which receives said blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second blood outlet which discharges diafiltered blood; and
said second membrane defining a second dialysate compartment having a second dialysate inlet and a second dialysate outlet;
at least one sterility filter which receives dialysate from said dialysis machine and provides sterilized dialysate fluid to said means for mixing; and
a control unit which controls the flow of blood through said first and second dialyzers and the circulation of dialysate fluid between the dialysis machine, said first and second dialysate compartments and said at least one sterility filter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of hemodiafiltration comprising the steps of:
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supplying a blood inflow;
diafiltering said blood inflow to provide a partially diafiltered blood outflow;
mixing said partially diafiltered blood outflow with a substitution fluid to provide a blood/substitution fluid mixture; and
diafiltering said blood/substitution fluid mixture. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A hemodiafiltration device comprising:
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a source of substitution fluid;
a first dialyzer including;
a first membrane;
said first membrane defining a first blood compartment having a first inlet which receives blood and a first outlet which discharges partially diafiltered blood;
said first membrane defining a first dialysate compartment having a first dialysate inlet for receiving dialysate fluid and a first dialysate outlet;
means for mixing said partially diafiltered blood with said substitution fluid to form a blood/substitution fluid mixture; and
a second dialyzer including;
a second membrane;
said second membrane defining a second blood compartment having a second inlet which receives said blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second outlet which discharges diafiltered blood; and
said second membrane defining a second dialysate compartment having a second dialysate inlet for receiving dialysate fluid and a second dialysate outlet. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
a control unit operatively connected to said first and second dialyzers for controlling the flow of blood through said first and second dialyzers and the circulation of dialysate fluid through said first and second dialyzers.
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18. A hemodiafiltration device according to claim 14, further including:
a dialysis machine for producing dialysate fluid, said dialysis machine being in fluid communication with said second dialysate compartment by a first conduit, a second conduit extending between said second dialysate outlet and said first dialysate inlet permitting said dialysate fluid to flow from the second dialysate compartment to the first dialysate compartment of said first and second dialyzers.
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19. A hemodiafiltration device according to claim 14, further including:
an interstage pump disposed between said first and second dialyzers and in fluid communication with said first and second dialysate compartments, said interstage pump being controllable so that a flow rate of the dialysate fluid from said second dialyzer to said first dialyzer is adjustably set at a predetermined rate.
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20. A hemodiafiltration device comprising:
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a source of substitution fluid;
a first dialyzer including;
a first membrane defining a first blood compartment and a first dialysate compartment;
said first blood compartment having a first inlet which receives blood and a first outlet which discharges blood having a first concentration of toxins;
said first dialysate compartment having a first dialysate inlet for receiving dialysate fluid and a first dialysate outlet;
means for mixing said blood having said first concentration of toxins with said substitution fluid to form a blood/substitution fluid mixture; and
a second dialyzer including;
a second membrane defining a second blood compartment and a second dialysate compartment;
said second blood compartment having a second inlet which receives said blood/substitution fluid mixture and a second outlet which discharges blood having a second concentration of toxins, the first concentration of toxins being greater than the second concentration of toxins; and
said second dialysate compartment having a second dialysate inlet for receiving dialysate fluid and a second dialysate outlet.
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Specification