초록 ▼

Dialyzers and methods are disclosed for performing shortened extracorporeal blood treatments. A flow restriction is provided in a dialyzer serving to partially impede flow of dialysate through the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer. As a result, the pressure of the dialysate upstream of the flow

Dialyzers and methods are disclosed for performing shortened extracorporeal blood treatments. A flow restriction is provided in a dialyzer serving to partially impede flow of dialysate through the dialysate compartment of the dialyzer. As a result, the pressure of the dialysate upstream of the flow restriction is sufficient to cause the pressure profile of the dialysate from the dialysate inlet to the dialysate outlet of the dialyzer to be non-linear, in contrast to prior-art dialyzers. This perturbation of the dialysate pressure profile permits a single dialyzer to be used to remove large amounts of blood water from a patient's blood and re-infuse large amounts of liquid to the blood while still attaining a desired net ultrafiltration of the patient without the need for more than one dialyzer per treatment or for a separate replacement fluid.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A dialyzer comprising:(a) a casing with a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a dialysate inlet, and a dialysate outlet;(b) a hollow-fiber semipermeable membrane having a lumen, the fiber extending through the casing and being connected to the blood inlet and the blood outlet so

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A dialyzer comprising:(a) a casing with a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a dialysate inlet, and a dialysate outlet;(b) a hollow-fiber semipermeable membrane having a lumen, the fiber extending through the casing and being connected to the blood inlet and the blood outlet so as to conduct extracorporeal blood from the blood inlet through the lumen to the blood outlet while a dialysate flow is conducted from the dialysate inlet through the casing to the dialysate outlet, the dialysate flow exhibiting a pressure profile on the membrane from the dialysate inlet to the dialysate outlet; and(c) the dialyzer including an impediment serving to restrict dialysate flow through the casing in a first region compared to a second region adjacent the first region, the restriction to dialysate flow in the first region serving to increase dialysate pressure on the membrane in the first region compared to the second region sufficiently to cause the pressure profile through the casing from the dialysate inlet to the dialysate outlet to be non-linear.