Volume-Based Priming of a Dialysis Machine

Abstract

A dialysis system can include a dialysis machine (e.g., a peritoneal dialysis machine) having a fluid system for delivering fluid (e.g., dialysate) to a patient. The dialysis machine can include at least one processor and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, can cause the at least one processor to determine capacity information of the fluid system of the dialysis machine, wherein the capacity information can include patient line capacity and precision adjustment capacity, and determine a perfusion capacity to perfuse the fluid system with fluid based on the capacity information. Other embodiments are described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to dialysis systems, and more particularly to techniques for priming a dialysis system prior to a dialysis treatment. Background Art

[0002] Dialysis machines are known for treating kidney disease. Two main dialysis methods are hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). During hemodialysis, a patient's blood passes through a dialyzer of a hemodialysis machine while dialysis fluid also passes through the dialyzer. A semipermeable membrane in the dialyzer separates the blood within the dialyzer from the dialysis fluid and allows for diffusion and osmotic exchange to occur between the dialysis fluid and the blood stream. During peritoneal dialysis, a patient's peritoneal cavity is periodically infused with dialysis fluid or dialysate solution. The membranous inner layer of the patient's peritoneum acts as a natural semipermeable membrane allowing for diffusion and osmotic exchange to occur between the solution and the blood stream. Automated peritoneal dialysis machines, known as PD cyclers, are designed to control the entire peritoneal dialysis process so that it can be performed at home, typically overnight, without the presence of clinical staff.

[0003] Dialysis machines, such as peritoneal dialysis machines, can include one or more containers (e.g., bags) that contain a fluid for patient infusion, such as dialysis fluid. For example, in a PD machine, tubing, serving as one or more fluid lines, is inserted into a patient's abdomen for flowing fresh dialysis fluid and removing used dialysis fluid, waste, and excess fluid. Prior to patient insertion and dialysis treatment, the tubing is primed with dialysis fluid to minimize air in the tubing being delivered to the patient's peritoneal cavity, which can cause pain or discomfort.

[0004] It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements may be useful. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. The present Summary is not necessarily intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0006] In accordance with aspects of the described embodiments, a dialysis machine can include a memory and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The memory can include instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine capacity information for a fluid system of the dialysis machine, the capacity information can include patient line capacity and precision adjustment capacity, and determine a priming volume to prime the fluid system with a fluid based on the capacity information. The dialysis machine can be a peritoneal dialysis machine.

[0007] In some embodiments of the dialysis machine, the dialysis machine may further include a pump, and when executed by at least one processor, the instructions may cause the at least one processor to perfuse the fluid system by causing the pump to pump a fluid of a perfusion volume into the fluid system.

[0008] In various embodiments of the dialysis machine, the patient line volume may include a maximum volume for fluid system configuration. In an exemplary embodiment of the dialysis machine, the fluid system configuration may be associated with at least one dimension of at least one component of the fluid system. In various embodiments of the dialysis machine, the fluid system may include a patient line tubing set, and the fluid system configuration may be associated with the length and diameter of the patient line tubing set. In some embodiments of the dialysis machine, the precision adjustment volume may be associated with a volume measurement error for measuring the fluid volume required to fill the fluid system.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of the dialysis machine, when executed by at least one processor, the instructions may cause the at least one processor to determine the perfusion volume according to the following equation: Perfusion volume = Patient line maximum volume + Precision adjustment maximum value. In various embodiments of the dialysis machine, the fluid system may include non-perfused elements, and when executed by at least one processor, the instructions may cause the at least one processor to determine the perfusion volume according to the following equation: Perfusion volume = Patient line maximum volume + Precision adjustment maximum value - Non-perfused element volume.

[0010] In some embodiments of the dialysis machine, the volume information may include system element information to indicate the volume of the fluid system from non-patient line elements of the fluid system. In various embodiments of the dialysis machine, the perfusion volume may include the worst-case fluid volume required to configure the perfused fluid system.

[0011] According to various aspects of the described embodiments, a method for perfusing a fluid system of a dialysis machine. The method may include determining volume information of the fluid system of the dialysis machine, the volume information may include patient line volume and precision adjustment volume, and determining a perfusion volume based on the volume information to perfuse the fluid system with fluid. The dialysis machine may be a peritoneal dialysis machine.

[0012] In some embodiments of the method, the method may include priming a fluid system by causing a pump to pump a priming volume of fluid into the fluid system. In various embodiments of the method, the patient line volume may include the maximum volume for a fluid system configuration. In an exemplary embodiment of the method, the fluid system configuration may be associated with at least one dimension of at least one component of the fluid system. In some embodiments of the method, the fluid system may include a patient line tubing set, and the fluid system configuration may be associated with the length and diameter of the patient line tubing set. In various embodiments of the method, the accuracy adjustment volume may be associated with a volume measurement error for measuring the volume of fluid required to fill the fluid system.

[0013] In some embodiments of the method, the priming volume may be determined according to the following equation: Priming volume = Patient line maximum volume + Accuracy adjustment maximum. In various embodiments of the method, the priming volume may be determined according to the following equation: Priming volume = Patient line maximum volume + Accuracy adjustment maximum - Non-priming component volume.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of the method, the volume information may include system component information, and the system component information may indicate the volume of the fluid system from non-patient line components of the fluid system. In various embodiments of the method, the priming volume may include the worst-case fluid volume required to prime the fluid system configuration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] As an example, specific embodiments of the disclosed machine will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of a dialysis system configured in accordance with the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of a dialysis machine in a dialysis system in accordance with the present disclosure is shown; Figure 1 of the dialysis system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of a dialysis machine controller in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 4 An exemplary embodiment of a warming bag for a dialysis system in accordance with the present disclosure is shown; Figure 1 of the dialysis system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 5 An exemplary operating environment in accordance with the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 6 An exemplary patient line volume determination in accordance with the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 7 An exemplary accuracy adjustment determination according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 8 An exemplary worst-case capacity error determination according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 9 A first logic flow according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 10 An exemplary embodiment of a second dialysis system configured according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 11 A first logic flow according to the present disclosure is shown; and

[0027] Figure 12 An embodiment of a computing architecture according to the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present embodiment will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several exemplary embodiments are shown. However, the subject matter of the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the same reference numerals always refer to the same elements.

[0029] As described above, in peritoneal dialysis operations, a fluid system is connected between a dialysis machine and a patient for delivering fresh dialysis fluid into the patient's peritoneal cavity and removing used dialysis fluid and contaminants after a predetermined time. A patient may experience several cycles of fresh dialysis fluid delivery and removal of used dialysis fluid and contaminants during a single treatment. In some embodiments, peritoneal dialysis treatment may be performed at home and may be carried out overnight while the patient sleeps.

[0030] When a fluid (e.g., dialysis fluid) is pumped or otherwise forced through a tubing, e.g., before insertion into the patient, the tubing is primed to reduce or even completely eliminate air present in the tubing. Priming minimizes or prevents air from being injected into the patient's peritoneal cavity, thereby minimizing potential pain, cramps, and / or other discomfort during dialysis treatment. Additionally, removing air by priming can minimize or eliminate air detection alarms in systems having an air detection function.

[0031] Semi - automatic or fully automatic priming checks can typically include a timer in a dialysis machine such that fluid flows through the tubing for a predetermined period of time, which can be consistent with the length of the tubing. Additionally, pressure sensors and / or programmed volume verification can be used, although these typically require direct contact with the fluid. Some systems may prime with a given volume of solution. However, such systems according to conventional techniques do not account for all variables that can affect the priming volume, such as system inaccuracies, tubing characteristics (e.g., tubing inner diameter and / or tubing length, etc.) and / or measurement errors, etc. Further, such systems according to conventional techniques may tend to use a smaller volume to avoid creating pressure during priming (e.g., to avoid over - priming) because the system does not have a tolerance (or sufficient tolerance) for the pressure increase resulting from using a priming volume larger than the volume required to remove air from the tubing. Other systems can use air detectors, e.g., on the patient line to detect when the fluid reaches the correct location to indicate that the system is primed. However, in some cases, the patient (or the automated system) may not know if the tubing is correctly connected (e.g., if the patient line connector is correctly positioned in the sensor) and / or may not be clear if all patient loading steps and checks have been performed to ensure correct sensor positioning.

[0032] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for volume - based priming of a dialysis system. In some embodiments, a dialysis system can operate to determine a priming volume for a dialysis machine fluid system, such as tubing and / or other components for delivering fluid (e.g., dialysate) to a patient. The priming volume can be based on volume information associated with the fluid system of the dialysis system, such as tubing information (e.g., characteristics that affect the volume of fluid that can be disposed within the tubing), system component information (e.g., characteristics that affect the volume of fluid that can be disposed within a fluid container and / or a warming element, etc.), accuracy information (e.g., the determined measurement accuracy of the system), and / or the like.

[0033] In some embodiments, the priming volume can include the maximum fluid volume that can be disposed in the fluid system, taking into account potential factors such as different fluid system component characteristics and fluid volume measurement accuracy. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, the priming volume can be or may be associated with the "worst-case" volume requirement (e.g., the maximum amount) of the fluid required for the priming system, including different configurations (e.g., lengths) of tubing sets that can be compatible with the system. In this way, the patient can be assured that the system will be primed because all or substantially all volume scenarios are considered when the priming volume is extended to the maximum, worst-case requirement. In certain configurations, the priming volume may be greater than the actual volume required for the priming system and may create pressure in the fluid system due to over-priming. As described in more detail below, systems according to some embodiments can include elements (e.g., filters, fluid containers, and / or the like) that can withstand pressure and / or expand or otherwise deform to control pressure increases (e.g., without being damaged, leaking, false alarming (e.g., incorrectly indicating a blockage or other clogging in the system due to overpressure), and / or the like).

[0034] Accordingly, some embodiments can provide technical advantages over conventional systems, including improvements in computing technology (e.g., computing systems operable to control or otherwise manage a dialysis system). A non-limiting example of a technical advantage is to provide more accurate and efficient priming of a dialysis system, e.g., minimizing patient involvement in verifying adequate priming. In another non-limiting example of a technical advantage, embodiments can provide a volume-based (as opposed to pressure-based) priming process that can effectively prime various types and lengths of fluid systems. Embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0035] Referring Figure 1-2 , the dialysis system 100 can include a peritoneal dialysis machine 200 for flowing fresh dialysis fluid into a patient's body and draining used dialysis fluid out of the patient's body. During treatment, a certain volume of dialysis fluid may enter the patient's abdomen and remain for a period of time, e.g., a dwell time. During the dwell time, the dialysis fluid may flow through the peritoneum and absorb contaminants and / or particulates from the patient's blood and exchange substances and fluids (e.g., electrolytes, urea, glucose, albumin, osmotically active particles, and other small molecules). At the end of the dwell time, the used dialysis fluid may flow out of the patient's abdomen and be discharged into a drain system, e.g., a drain line, connected to the tubing. Depending on the patient's treatment protocol, the exchange of fresh and used dialysis fluid may continue for several cycles after the dwell time.

[0036] The dialysate bag 122 can be connected to a dialysis machine 200. A valve can be attached to the bottom portion of the dialysate bag 122 to draw out fluid and minimize air conveyance. The dialysate from the dialysate bag 122 can be heated using a warming bag 224. According to some embodiments, when the dialysis system 100 has been primed and the dialysate has reached a predetermined temperature (e.g., about 98°-100°F, 37°C), the dialysate can be transferred into the patient. The dialysate bag 122 and / or the warming bag 224 can be connected to a cartridge that can be inserted into the dialysis machine 200. Additionally, a patient line and a drain line can be connected to the cartridge. The patient line can be connected to the patient's abdomen via a catheter and can be used to deliver dialysate to the patient's peritoneal cavity during use. The drain line can be connected to a drain system or a drain container and can be used to drain dialysate during treatment.

[0037] Although peritoneal dialysis and peritoneal dialysis machines are used in some examples herein, the embodiments are not limited thereto, as any fluid system (including any dialysis system) that needs to be primed and can operate according to a volume-based priming process according to some embodiments is contemplated herein.

[0038] Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of a dialysis machine 200 in a dialysis system 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. The dialysis machine 200 can be implemented in the dialysis system 100 and can include, for example, a housing 206, a processing module 201, a connection component 212, a touch screen 218, and a control panel 220 that can be operated by a user (e.g., a caregiver or a patient) to allow, for example, setting, starting, and / or terminating a dialysis treatment.

[0039] The touch screen 218 and the control panel 220 can allow the user to input various treatment parameters or other information (e.g., fluid system model, characteristics (e.g., length, diameter, and / or the like), and / or the like) into the dialysis machine 200 and otherwise control the dialysis machine 200. Additionally, the touch screen 218 can be used as a display. The touch screen 218 can be used to provide information to the patient and the operator of the dialysis system 100. For example, the touch screen 218 can display information related to the dialysis treatment to be applied to the patient, including information related to the prescription.

[0040] The dialysis machine 200 can include a processing module 201 (see, for example Figure 5The illustrative processing circuit), which is located inside the dialysis machine 200 or otherwise operatively coupled to the dialysis machine 200, the processing module 201 can be configured to communicate with the touch screen 218 and the control panel 220. The processing module 201 can be configured to receive data from the touch screen 218, the control panel 220, and sensors (such as air, temperature, and pressure sensors), and control the dialysis machine 200 based on the received data. For example, the processing module 201 can adjust the operating parameters of the dialysis machine 200.

[0041] The dialysis machine 200 can be configured to connect to a network. The connection to the network can be via a wired and / or wireless connection. The dialysis machine 200 can include a connection component 212, which is configured to facilitate the connection to the network. The connection component 212 can be a transceiver for wireless connection and / or another signal processor for processing signals transmitted and received through a wired connection. Other medical devices (such as other dialysis machines) or components can be configured to connect to the network and communicate with the dialysis machine 200.

[0042] One or more heating elements can be provided inside the dialysis machine 200. For example, the warming bag 224 can be inserted into the opening 210 in the direction indicated by the arrow 214. In an embodiment, the warming bag 224 can be configured to allow the dialysate to continuously flow through the warming bag 224 to reach a predetermined temperature before flowing into the patient. For example, in some embodiments, the dialysate can continuously flow through the warming bag 224 at a flow rate of about 200 mL / min. Internal heating elements (not shown) can be positioned above and / or below the opening 210 such that when the warming bag 224 is inserted into the opening 210, one or more heating elements can affect the temperature of the dialysate flowing through the warming bag 224. In some embodiments, the internal warming bag can alternatively be part of the tubing in the system, which is passed through, around, or otherwise configured relative to the heating element by the heating element. In some embodiments, the dialysis machine 200 can provide active measurement of the temperature of the dialysate in the dialysate bag and / or the warming bag, such as Figure 1-2 the dialysate temperature in the dialysate bag 122 and the warming bag 224 in Figure 1-2 It shows that the dialysate continuously flows through the warming bag 224 "in series" with the dialysis machine 200, and the acceptable temperature is achieved by applying internal heating elements. As described herein, before inserting the patient tubing into the patient, the tubing can be perfused with a fluid (such as dialysate) to remove air from the tubing.

[0043] Refer to Figure 3 shows a dialysis machine 300 and a controller 305 according to the present disclosure (see, for example, Figure 5Schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of (). The dialysis machine 300 can be a home dialysis machine, such as a peritoneal dialysis machine, for performing dialysis treatment on a patient, and can be included in the system 100 and dialysis machine 200 described above with reference to Figure 1-2 During the dialysis treatment process, the controller 305 can automatically control the execution of treatment functions, including volume-based perfusion processes. The controller 305 is operably connected to the sensor 340 and transmits signals to perform treatment functions (e.g., transferring dialysis fluid from the dialysis fluid bag 122 through the warming bag 224 and then into the patient) or treatment processes associated with various treatment systems. In some embodiments, a timer 355 can be included for timing the triggering of the sensor 340.

[0044] In some embodiments, the controller 305, processor 310, and / or memory 320 of the dialysis machine 300, or a combination thereof, can receive sensor 340 signals indicating the air content of the dialysis fluid. Each fluid bag (e.g., the dialysis fluid bag 122) can contain an approximate amount of dialysis fluid, such that "approximate amount" can be defined as a 3L fluid bag containing 3000 to 3150 mL, a 5L fluid bag containing 5000 to 5250 mL, and a 6L fluid bag containing 6000 to 6300 mL. The controller 305 can also detect the connection of all connected fluid bags 122. As described above, each fluid bag 122 can contain a certain amount of air, which can vary over time.

[0045] The communication between the controller 305 and the treatment system can be two-way, where the treatment system acknowledges the control signal, and / or can provide status information associated with the treatment system and / or the requested operation. For example, the system status information can include the status associated with a specific operation to be performed by the treatment system (e.g., triggering a pump to perfuse the system, triggering a pump to deliver dialysis fluid, and / or the like) and the status associated with a specific operation (e.g., ready to execute, perfusing, perfused, executing, completed, successfully completed, queued for execution, waiting for a control signal, and / or the like).

[0046] In various embodiments, the dialysis machine 300 may include at least one pump 350 operably connected to a controller 305. According to some embodiments, during a treatment operation that may be or may include a volume-based perfusion process, the controller 305 may control the pump 350 to pump fluids, such as fresh and used dialysate, to and from a patient. The pump 350 may also pump the dialysate in the dialysate bag 122 through the warming bag 224. The controller 305 is also operably connected to a speaker 330 and a microphone 335 disposed in the dialysis machine 300. The user input interface 315 may include a combination of hardware and software components that allow the controller 305 to communicate with external entities, such as a patient or other user. These components may be configured to receive information from actions, such as body movements or postures and vocal intonations. In an embodiment, the components of the user input interface 315 may provide information to an external entity. Examples of components that may be employed within the user input interface 315 include a keypad, buttons, a microphone, a touch screen, a display screen, and a speaker. The dialysis machine 300 may also be wirelessly connected via an antenna 345 for remote communication.

[0047] As Figure 3 shown, a sensor 340 may be included for monitoring parameters and is operably connected to at least the controller 305, the processor 310, and / or the memory 320, or a combination thereof. The processor 310 may be configured to execute an operating system that may provide platform services to application software, such as for operating the dialysis machine 300. These platform services may include interprocess and network communication, file system management, and standard database operations. One or more of many operating systems may be used, and the examples are not limited to any particular operating system or operating system feature. In some examples, the processor 310 may be configured to execute a real-time operating system (RTOS), such as RTLinux, or a non-real-time operating system, such as BSD or GNU / Linux.

[0048] The memory 320 (see, for example Figure 5 ) may include a computer-readable and writable non-volatile data storage medium configured to store non-transitory instructions and data. Additionally, the memory 320 may include a processor memory that stores data during operation of the processor 310. In some examples, the processor memory may include a relatively high-performance volatile random access memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static memory (SRAM), or synchronous DRAM. However, the processor memory may include any device for storing data, such as a non-volatile memory having sufficient throughput and storage capacity to support the functions described herein. Additionally, the examples are not limited to a particular memory, memory system, or data storage system.

[0049] Instructions stored on the memory 320 may include an executable program or other code that can be executed by the processor 310. The instructions may be persistently stored as encoded signals, and the instructions may cause the processor 310 to perform the functions described herein. The memory 320 may include information recorded on or in a medium, and this information may be processed by the processor 310 during instruction execution. The memory 320 may also include data recording specifications for, e.g., user timing requirements, treatment and / or operation timing, historical sensor information, etc. (see, e.g., Figure 5 ). The medium may be, for example, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory, etc., and may be permanently fixed to the controller 305 or removable from the controller 305.

[0050] A pressure sensor may be included for monitoring the fluid pressure of the dialysis machine 300, but the sensor 340 may also include other types of sensors, such as a temperature sensor and / or a weight sensor. It will be appreciated that the sensor 340 may include sensors with varying sampling rates, including wireless sensors.

[0051] The controller 305 may be disposed within the dialysis machines 200, 300, or may be coupled to the dialysis machines 200, 300 via a communication port or a wireless communication link schematically shown as the communication element 306 (see Figure 3 ). According to various examples, the communication element 306 may support one or more of a variety of standards and protocols, examples of which include USB, WiFi, TCP / IP, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Zigbee, CAN-bus, IP, IPV6, UDP, UTN, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SNMP, CDMA, NMEA, and / or GSM. As a component disposed within the dialysis machine 300, the controller 305 may be operably connected to any of the sensor 340, the pump 350, etc. The controller 305 may transmit control signals or trigger voltages to the components of the dialysis machine 300. As discussed, an exemplary embodiment of the controller 305 may include a wireless communication interface. The controller 305 may detect remote devices to determine if any remote sensors are available to augment any sensor data used to evaluate a patient.

[0052] As Figure 4As shown, the warming bag 224 may include a filter 405 in series with the warming bag 224, such as coupled to the inlet of the warming bag 224. For example, the dialysis fluid flowing from the dialysis fluid bag 122 through the warming bag 224 to the patient may flow through the filter 405, for example, before entering the warming bag 224. In an embodiment, the filter 405 may be directly or indirectly coupled to the warming bag 224 through a pipeline. The filter 405 may filter out the air content in the dialysis fluid flow. In some embodiments, the filter 405 may be a container 420, such as a cylindrical container, having an inlet for receiving dialysis fluid and air, and an outlet for flowing dialysis fluid, wherein the air content is filtered out from the dialysis fluid. It should be understood that the container 420 may be of any configuration, such as size and / or shape, to filter the air content from the dialysis fluid. In some embodiments, the filter 405 may be arranged as part of the patient connector (e.g., as part of the cap of the patient connector). In various embodiments, a filter additional to the filter 405 may be arranged as part of the patient connector. For example, the warming bag 224 may include a hydrophobic filter (not shown) located at the end of the patient pipeline through which air may be discharged during perfusion.

[0053] The dialysis fluid may flow through the filter 405 at the inlet of the warming bag 224 and may flow through an extended flow path in the warming bag 224. For example, the flow path may be a tortuous or meandering path so that the dialysis fluid may flow into the patient at a constant rate and may be heated to a desired predetermined temperature while flowing through the tortuous flow path of the warming bag 224. The dialysis fluid may flow from the warming bag into the patient at the outlet of the warming bag 224, as shown by arrow 415. Although Figure 4 the illustrated flow path is somewhat circular, any complex meandering flow path may be integrated in the warming bag 224 to ensure a constant flow of dialysis fluid, such that the dialysis fluid temperature is heated to a predetermined temperature before flowing into the patient.

[0054] As described above, the dialysis machine 200 may include serial heating of the dialysis fluid via the warming bag 224. The filter 405 may also be serially arranged with the warming bag 224, which may always be under positive pressure relative to the environment at the pump outlet and between the pump and the patient. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the warming bag may be compliant, e.g., capable of undergoing elastic deformation when subjected to an applied force. Thus, as described according to some embodiments having a warming bag, if the pressure increases during perfusion, at least a portion of the pressure may be reduced by the compliance of the warming bag.

[0055] Figure 5 An example of an operating environment 500 that may represent some embodiments is shown. As Figure 5As shown, the operating environment 500 may include a dialysis system 505 associated with the dialysis machine 200. In various embodiments, the dialysis system 505 may include a computing device 510 communicatively coupled to the dialysis machine 200. The computing device 510 is operable to manage a volume-based perfusion process, particularly associated with the dialysis machine 200.

[0056] Although only one computing device 510 and dialysis machine 200 are depicted in Figure 5 , embodiments are not limited thereto. In various embodiments, the functions, operations, configurations, data storage functions, applications, logic, and / or the like described with respect to the computing device 510 may be performed and / or stored therein by one or more other computing devices (not shown) communicatively coupled to the computing device 510 via a network, for example. The single computing device 510 and dialysis machine 200 are depicted in a simplified diagram for illustrative purposes only. For example, the computing device 510 may operate to partially or fully manage a volume-based perfusion process for a plurality of dialysis machines 200 communicatively coupled to the computing device 510 via a network, for example. Embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0057] The computing device 510 may include processing circuitry 520 communicatively coupled to a memory unit 530. The processing circuitry 520 may be or may include a processing module 201 and / or a controller 305. According to some embodiments, the processing circuitry 520 may include and / or may access various logics for performing processes. For example, the processing circuitry 520 may include and / or may access perfusion logic 522 and / or dialysis logic 524. The processing circuitry 520, perfusion logic 522, and / or dialysis logic 524, and / or portions thereof may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. As used in this application, the terms “logic,” “component,” “layer,” “system,” “circuit,” “decoder,” “encoder,” and / or “module” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution, examples of which are provided by the exemplary computing architecture 1100. For example, logic, a circuit, or a module may be and / or may include, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive, multiple storage drives (of optical and / or magnetic storage media), an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program, a computer, a hardware circuit, an integrated circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), a memory unit, a logic gate, a register, a semiconductor device, a chip, a microchip, a chipset, a software component, a program, an application, firmware, a software module, computer code, a combination of any of the foregoing, and / or the like.

[0058] Although in Figure 5The perfusion logic 522 and dialysis logic 524 depicted in

[0059] are within the processing circuitry 520, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the perfusion logic 522, dialysis logic 524, and / or any of their components may be located within an accelerator, a processor core, an interface, a separate processor die, fully implemented as a software application (e.g., perfusion application 540), and / or the like. Figure 3 The memory unit 530 (also see

[0060] memory 320 of

[0061] may include various types of computer-readable storage media and / or systems in the form of one or more high-speed memory units, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), double data rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, magnetic or optical cards, arrays of devices such as redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) drives, solid-state storage devices (e.g., USB memory, solid-state drives (SSD)), and any other type of storage medium suitable for storing information. Additionally, the memory unit 530 may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more low-speed memory units, including internal (or external) hard disk drives (HDD), floppy disk drives (FDD), and optical disk drives for reading or writing removable optical disks (e.g., CD-ROM or DVD), solid-state drives (SSD), and / or the like. The memory unit 530 may store the perfusion application 540, which may operate alone or in combination with the perfusion logic 522 and / or dialysis logic 524 to control or otherwise manage various operational aspects of the dialysis machine 200. For example, according to some embodiments, the perfusion logic 522 may operate to perform a volume-based perfusion process. In another example, the dialysis logic 524 may operate to perform a dialysis process (e.g., peritoneal dialysis process) through the dialysis machine 200.In some embodiments, the memory unit 530 may store capacity information 534, such as to determine a priming volume for a capacity-based priming process according to various embodiments. The capacity information 534 may include tubing information 550 associated with tubing (e.g., patient line tubing) for delivering fluid from the dialysis machine 200 to a patient. Generally, the tubing information 550 may include any information that can be used to determine the fluid volume that can be disposed within the tubing, such as the fluid volume when primed (i.e., no air within the tubing). Non-limiting examples of the tubing information 550 may include tubing length, tubing inner diameter, tubing outer diameter, tubing material, tubing compliance, tubing volume calculation, tubing tolerance, and / or the like.

[0062] In some embodiments, the priming logic 522 may determine at least a portion of the tubing information 550 based on operator input. For example, the operator may input certain tubing characteristics, such as tubing length, diameter, feature set information, and / or the like. In another example, the operator may input a tubing identifier (e.g., a manufacturer product identifier) and the priming logic 522 may determine at least a portion of the tubing information based on available data associated with the tubing identifier (e.g., via a manufacturer database, an operator database, and / or the like). In another example, the operator may create a predefined configuration that may include predefined information defining the tubing information 550, such as "short low feature with patient hub". In another example, the dialysis machine 200 may operate to automatically determine the type of tubing set, e.g., by reading, scanning, or otherwise obtaining information about the tubing set. The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0063] Although various dimensions and related terms (e.g., "long", "short", "low feature", "high feature", etc.) are used in this detailed description, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and thus the dimensions and terms are for illustrative purposes only. In particular, the capacity-based priming process may operate at any size capable of functioning according to some embodiments. Generally, a "short" tubing may be about 3 meters (m), and a "long" tubing may be about 6 m. However, in some embodiments, the tubing may be about 0.10 m, about 0.25 m, about 0.5 m, about 1.0 m, about 2.0 m, about 4.0 m, about 6.0 m, about 10.0 m, about 15.0 m, about 20.0 m, about 25.0 m, about 50.0 m, about 100.0 m, and any range or value between any two of these values (including the endpoints). The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0064] In various embodiments, the volume information 534 may include system element information 552 associated with elements of the dialysis system 200 that do not include the patient line tubing and that may hold or otherwise come into contact with fluid (e.g., non-patient line elements). Non-limiting examples of elements may include bags and other fluid containers, cartridges, hubs (e.g., the patient hub of a cartridge), and / or the like. For example, for the patient hub in a cartridge, the volume may be the patient hub volume + the patient pressure sensor (PPS) volume. In various embodiments, the line information 550 and the system element information 552 may provide fluid volume for the fluid system of the dialysis machine 200. Generally, the fluid system of the dialysis machine 200 may include components for storing or facilitating the flow of fluid from the dialysis machine 200 to the patient, including but not limited to catheters, lines, hubs, cartridges, bags, and / or the like. In various embodiments, the fluid system may be or may include components of the dialysis machine 200 that require priming.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the volume information 534 may include inaccurate (or incorrect) information or precision adjustment information 554 associated with the dialysis machine 200 and / or its components. Generally, the precision adjustment information 554 may include information indicating inaccuracies (e.g., tolerances, deviations, errors, and / or the like) or adjustments to the fluid volume measurements associated with the dialysis machine 200. In this way, a volume-based priming process may account for variables in the dialysis machine 200 and / or its components (e.g., circulators, warmers, disposable line sets, and / or the like), component positioning (e.g., fluid bag height, drain system height, patient line height, connector height, and / or the like), and / or other configuration variables. For example, at least a portion of a warming bag may be compliant, e.g., capable of undergoing elastic deformation when subjected to an applied force (e.g., being filled with fluid). Certain inaccuracies or measurement errors may be due to warming bag compliance. In various embodiments, the precision adjustment information 554 may be a percentage (e.g., a percentage of the expected priming volume). In other embodiments, the precision adjustment information 554 may be a value, e.g., a number of volume units (e.g., 10 mL). In some embodiments, the precision adjustment information 554 may be determined through one or more experiments, through manufacturer information, a dialysis machine information database, and / or the like (see, e.g., Figure 7 ). The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0066] In some embodiments, a priming volume 560 is generated by priming logic 522 based on at least a portion of the volume information to indicate the volume of fluid (e.g., dialysate) used to prime the dialysis system to remove or substantially remove air in the fluid system that moves fluid during dialysis. In various embodiments, the priming volume 560 may include multiple priming volumes, each priming volume for various configurations (e.g., a particular dialysis machine, short / long tubing sets with low / medium / high feature sets, a particular warming bag, a particular dialysate, and / or the like). In some embodiments, the corresponding priming volume may be selected by an operator or automatically selected by the priming logic 522 based on the volume information 534 (e.g., tubing information). For example, the operator may indicate that a "short" (e.g., 3 meters (m) or less) patient line tubing is being used. The priming logic 522 may select (or recommend to the operator to select) the corresponding "short" priming volume 560, which is configured to prime the fluid system of the dialysis machine 200 having tubing 3m or less.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the priming volume 560 may represent the maximum fluid volume (worst-case volume) that needs to be pumped through the fluid system of the dialysis machine 200 to prime the system, regardless of the specific circumstances of the fluid system (e.g., a volume sufficient to prime any compatible tubing set, warming bag, etc. or the like, suitable for or used with a particular dialysis machine). For example, some embodiments may determine a "long" priming volume 560 for a "long" tubing set (e.g., about 6 meters (m) or longer). In another example, various embodiments may determine a "short" priming volume 560 for a "short" tubing set (e.g., about 3m or less than 6m). In another example, various embodiments may determine a "product" priming volume for a particular product identifier. The embodiments are not limited to this context. Thus, various configurations should be able to achieve a primed state using the priming volume 560 since the priming volume includes the fluid volume required to prime the maximum volume configuration.

[0068] In a "best case" scenario, with the lowest volume (e.g., lowest patient line volume), the fluid system (or at least a portion thereof) may be "over-primed" due to the additional fluid. For example, for a high feature set (see, e.g., Figure 6),"Over-perfusion" conditions may occur when the volume is greater than about 90.6 mL and / or the maximum pressure is about 293 mbar. However, in some embodiments, the compliance of certain parts of the fluid system (e.g., the warming bag) can accommodate additional fluid with no or minimal pressure increase (e.g., a pressure below the threshold that causes fluid system leakage and / or alarms). In various embodiments, the pressure increase in the best-case scenario can be determined, and components (e.g., filters, valves, and the like) capable of withstanding such a pressure increase can be used in the fluid system of the dialysis machine 200, e.g., without damaging or leaking fluid through connectors (e.g., patient connectors) or other components. For example, the fluid system and / or its components (e.g., filters, valves, and the like) can be configured to withstand about 100 mbar, about 200 mbar, about 300 mbar, about 400 mbar, about 500 mbar, and any value or range between any two of these values (including the endpoints). In some embodiments, perfusion (including over-perfusion conditions) by a volume-based perfusion process can generate a pressure of about 50 mbar to about 300 mbar within parts of the fluid system. After pressure equilibrium (see, e.g., Figure 10 ), the pressure can drop to about 40 mbar to about 100 mbar.

[0069] In some embodiments, the volume information 534 can include the maximum pressure of various system components such as a filter (e.g., filter 405) above which the component may be damaged, not operate correctly, or otherwise be negatively affected. For example, the volume information 534 can include pressure rating information for the filter and / or other components of the dialysis machine 200. In various embodiments, the perfusion logic 522 can determine the maximum perfusion pressure that can be generated by perfusing the fluid system to the perfusion volume 560. For example, the perfusion logic can determine the maximum perfusion pressure that may be generated if the "worst-case" perfusion volume 560 is pumped into the "best-case" (i.e., minimum volume) fluid system. In an exemplary embodiment, if the maximum perfusion pressure is determined to exceed the maximum pressure of the components of the fluid system, the perfusion logic 522 can trigger an overpressure event. Non-limiting examples of overpressure events can include generating an alarm, aborting the volume-based perfusion process, and / or the like. In some embodiments, the operator can ignore the overpressure event. The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0070] In various embodiments, the perfusion volume 560 can be determined according to the following equation:

[0071] Perfusion volume = Maximum patient line volume + Maximum precision adjustment (Equation 1).

[0072] In various embodiments, the maximum patient line capacity may include the maximum capacity of the patient tubing line and / or other fluid system components that need to be perfused during a volume-based perfusion process. For example, in some embodiments, the maximum patient line capacity may include the tubing of the fluid system. In another example, if applicable, the maximum patient line capacity may include portions of the tubing and the cassette, such as the patient hub in the cassette (e.g., approximately 2 mL, based on a hub capacity of, for example, 1.83 mL and a PPS capacity of 0.12 mL).

[0073] In some embodiments, certain portions of the fluid system may not or may not need to be perfused via a volume-based perfusion process ("non-perfused elements") (although they may be perfused using other perfusion processes). For example, a warming bag may be perfused using a separate bag perfusion process. Thus, the capacity of non-perfused elements, such as the warming bag, may be removed from the perfusion volume determination. In such embodiments, the perfusion volume 560 may be determined according to the following equation:

[0074] Perfusion volume = maximum patient line capacity + maximum precision adjustment - non-perfused element capacity (Equation 2)

[0075] For example, in various embodiments with a warming bag (see, for example, Figure 2 ), the perfusion volume 560 may be determined according to the following equation:

[0076] Perfusion volume = maximum patient line capacity + maximum precision adjustment - bag p capacity (Equation 3),

[0077] where p is the pressure of the bag (e.g., approximately 40 mbar). In some embodiments, the pressure of the bag in Equation (3) may be approximately 40 mbar, with a low feature set capacity of approximately 5.4 milliliters (mL) and a high feature set capacity of approximately 6.1 mL. See, for example, Figure 6 .

[0078] Figure 6 Depicts an illustrative determination of the maximum patient line capacity according to some embodiments. As Figure 6 shown, a determination of the maximum patient line capacity may be generated for the low feature set 605 and / or the medium / high feature set 610. Thus, the perfusion volume may be determined for various configurations, categories, or other types of fluid system components, such as tubing having a low feature set, a medium feature set, and / or a high feature set. In various embodiments, for the low feature set of the tubing, the maximum patient line capacity may be approximately 35.9 mL, approximately 38.6 mL, or approximately 41.4 mL. The full patient line error value (see, for example, Figure 8 ) may be the difference between the lowest patient line capacity and the highest patient line capacity. For Figure 6In the example depicted in , the full patient line error for the low feature set may be 41.4 mL - 35.9 mL = 5.5 mL. Thus, in some embodiments, the volume-based perfusion process may use the worst-case volume of 41.4 mL to determine the perfusion volume. In this way, the non-worst-case tubing sets of 35.9 mL and 38.6 mL will be perfused because they require less fluid for perfusion compared to the worst-case volume of 41.4 mL. Similarly, the worst-case patient line volume of 84.1 mL may be used for the medium / high feature set 610.

[0079] In some embodiments, the precision adjustment may be based on the volume measurement error for the amount of fluid (e.g., dialysate) required to measure the volume to fully fill the fluid system (e.g., fill the fluid system with fluid in the absence of air). For example, if the volume information of the fluid system, manufacturer specifications, and / or the like indicate that a volume of X mL (e.g., based on tubing length and diameter) is required to fully fill the fluid system, but the actual measurement indicates that a volume of X + Y mL is required, the precision adjustment may be Y mL (or a percentage, ratio, or other value based on Y mL). In various embodiments, the precision adjustment may be based on multiple measurements (e.g., standard deviation or other constructs based on multiple measurements).

[0080] Figure 7 Depicts the precision adjustment for a fluid system according to some embodiments. As Figure 7 shown in the graph 705 of , a volume precision experiment with n = 24 was performed on the fluid system. The worst-case precision adjustment or error based on the adjustment measurement information depicted in graph 705 is approximately + / -10 mL. In some embodiments, the precision adjustment may be determined based on a multiplier of the standard deviation or other constructs of the measurement error (e.g., bar 715 or based on bar 715). For example, the maximum precision adjustment may be equal to (multiplier) × (standard deviation). In Figure 7 the example depicted in , the maximum precision adjustment may be determined by the following formula: (6) × (standard deviation) = + / -10 mL. In an exemplary embodiment, the full precision adjustment (see, for example, Figure 8 ) may be the difference between the highest precision error (10 mL) and the lowest precision error (-10 mL). For example, the full precision error for the example of graph 705 may be 10 mL – (-10 mL) = 20 mL.

[0081] In various embodiments, the worst-case volume error may be determined based on the following in terms of the full precision adjustment and the full patient line error:

[0082]

[0083] For example, Figure 8 the worst-case volume error for the example provided in may be determined according to the following equation:

[0084]

[0085] This document includes one or more logical processes, which represent exemplary methods for performing novel aspects of the disclosed architecture. Although, for simplicity of explanation, one or more of the methods shown herein are illustrated and described as a series of actions, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions. Accordingly, some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a method may alternatively be represented as a series of related states or events, such as in a state diagram. Additionally, for novel implementations, not all acts recited in the method are required. Boxes shown in dashed lines may be optional boxes of the logical process.

[0086] The logical process may be implemented in software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. In software and firmware embodiments, the logical process may be implemented by computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or machine-readable medium. The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0087] Figure 9 An embodiment of the logical process 900 is shown. The logical process 900 may represent some or all of the operations performed by one or more of the embodiments described herein, such as the dialysis machine 200, the controller 305, and / or the processing circuit 520 and / or its components. In some embodiments, the logical process 900 may represent some or all of the operations for performing a volume-based priming process.

[0088] The logical process 900 may determine volume information at block 902. For example, the processor 520 (e.g., via the priming application 540) may determine volume information 534 for the dialysis machine 200 that includes line information 550, system element information 552, and precision adjustment information 554. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the volume information 534 may be input by an operator of the dialysis machine 200. For example, the operator may input line length, line type (e.g., product A of manufacturer B), line size, a predetermined configuration, and / or the like. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the volume information 534 may be automatically determined based on one or more factors such as operator input, component identifiers, predefined configurations, and / or the like. For example, the operator may input that a "short" line set is being used and the priming logic 522 may determine the corresponding volume information 534 for the "short" line set. In another example, the operator may input that a line set of approximately 5 m is being used and the priming logic 522 may determine the corresponding volume information 534 for the 5 m line set.

[0089] At block 904, logic flow 900 may determine a priming volume. For example, processor 520 may access volume information 534 to determine priming volume 560. In various embodiments, given variations in the fluid system, priming volume 560 may be, for example, a worst-case volume for a particular configuration or set of configurations. Configurations may be classified based on various characteristics including, but not limited to, tubing length, tubing diameter, tubing manufacturer, specific tubing product, tubing material, and / or the like, and / or any combination thereof. For example, priming volume categories may be determined for "short" tubing sets, "long" tubing sets, and / or the like. Each tubing type (e.g., "short", "long", and / or the like) may be associated with various characteristics (or "feature sets"), such as internal dimensions, external dimensions, and / or the like. A "short" tubing priming volume 560 may be generated for tubing of a certain length or lengths that is worst-case for all feature sets of a particular length or length category. For example, for certain feature sets (e.g., a small feature set with a 1 mm inner diameter, a medium feature set with a 3 mm diameter, a large feature set with a 5 mm inner diameter, and / or the like), a "short" tubing priming volume 560 may be generated for tubing sets of a particular length (e.g., 3 m) or shorter.

[0090] In various embodiments, logic flow 900 may determine priming volume 560 according to equation (1). In various embodiments, the patient line maximum volume may include line information 550 of the patient tubing line and / or other fluid system components that need to be primed during a volume-based priming process. For example, in some embodiments, the patient line maximum volume may include the tubing of the fluid system. In another example, if applicable, the patient line maximum volume may include portions of the tubing and the cartridge, such as the patient hub in the cartridge (e.g., approximately 2 mL, based on a hub capacity of, for example, 1.83 mL and a PPS capacity of 0.12 mL).

[0091] In such embodiments, priming volume 560 may be determined according to equation (2) below:

[0092] Priming volume = patient line maximum volume + precision adjustment maximum - non-priming element volume.

[0093] At block 906, logic flow 900 may prime the dialysis machine by pumping a fluid of the priming volume through the fluid system. For example, processor 520 may cause a pump (e.g., pump 350) of dialysis machine 200 to pump a fluid (e.g., dialysate) of priming volume 560 through the fluid system. In some embodiments, the entire fluid system of dialysis machine 200 may be primed with fluid. In various other embodiments, only the fluid system components that need to be primed (e.g., the fluid system excluding non-priming elements) may be primed with fluid.

[0094] Figure 10 An exemplary embodiment of a dialysis system 1100 according to the present disclosure is shown. As Figure 10 shown, the dialysis system 1000 may include a dialysis machine 1020 operable to facilitate dialysis of a patient 1050. In some embodiments, the dialysis machine 1020 may include a plurality of valves 1001-1008 operable to manage fluid movement within the dialysis machine 1020. A plurality of supply bags 1030-1032 may be arranged to supply fresh dialysis fluid to the dialysis machine 1020. In various embodiments, the dialysis machine 1020 may be associated with various pressure sensors to determine the pressure of the fluid within certain parts of the dialysis machine 1020, such as an inlet pressure sensor (IPS) 1022, PPS 1024, and / or OPS 1028. In an exemplary embodiment, the dialysis machine 1020 may be associated with various air sensors, including a patient air sensor 1030 and / or an air management air sensor 1032. In some embodiments, a pump 1026 may be operable to pump fluid (i.e., dialysis fluid) from the supply bags 1030-1032 through various parts of the dialysis machine 1020 (e.g., depending on the open / closed state of the valves 1001-1008). In various embodiments, the dialysis machine 1020 may be associated with a drain bag 1034 and / or a warming bag 1036.

[0095] Figure 11 An embodiment of a logic flow 1100 is shown. The logic flow 1100 may represent some or all of the operations performed by one or more embodiments described herein, such as the dialysis machine 200, the controller 305, the processor 520, the dialysis system 1000, and / or its components. In some embodiments, the logic flow 1100 may represent some or all of the operations for performing a volume-based perfusion process for a dialysis machine having a fluid warming system (e.g., see Figure 2 for a serial fluid warming system).

[0096] At block 1102, the logic flow 1100 may perform warming bag perfusion. For example, the controller 305 may cause a warming bag perfusion process to perfuse the warming bag 224. In various embodiments, reference Figure 10, the warming bag perfusion using the solution from supply bag 1030 can use valves 1001, 1005, 1007, and / or 1008, the solution from supply bag 1031 can use valves 1002, 1005, 1007, and / or 1008, and the solution from supply bag 1032 can use valves 1003, 1005, 1007, and / or 1008. In some embodiments, the warming bag perfusion sequence can include opening the supply bag valve (i.e., valve 1001, 1002, or 1003) for at least one supply bag, valves 1005 and 1008 to perfuse the warming bag. In various embodiments, valve 1008 can be closed and valve 1007 can be opened to perfuse the patient line. In an exemplary embodiment, after the warming bag perfusion, valve 1008 can be closed and valves 1001 and 1005 can remain in the open state. In some embodiments, the warming bag perfusion process can include or can be followed by one or more other processes (e.g., pressurization), tests, and / or the like. For example, an illustrative pressurization process can include that the controller 305 can pump fluid into the warming bag 224 at a specific flow rate (e.g., the same flow rate as the warming bag integrity test) at the maximum capacity of the warming bag (e.g., about 50 mL) at a certain warming bag pressure (e.g., about 40 mbar outlet pressure sensor (OPS) (average)). In some embodiments, all valves 1001 - 1008 can be closed after the pressurization process.

[0097] In block 1104, the logic flow 1100 can perform patient line perfusion. For example, the processor 520 can execute a volume-based perfusion process, such as an embodiment of the logic flow 900 according to Figure 9 . In some embodiments, referring to Figure 10 , valves 1001 (or the supply bag valve of the corresponding supply bag), 1005, and 1007 can be opened. In various embodiments, for example, the volume-based perfusion process can include pumping a fluid of perfusion volume 560 at a specific flow rate (e.g., at a flow rate of about 200 mL / m, about 47.3 mL for a "low profile" tubing set or about 90.6 mL for a "medium / high" profile set). The volume-based perfusion process for the dialysis machine 200 can have a block limit, e.g., a peak of 340 mbar (PPS). In some embodiments, referring to Figure 10 , valve 1007 can be closed after a period of time (e.g., about 15 seconds) after filling the patient line with a specified volume at a specified flow rate for the feature set.

[0098] The logic flow 1100 can optionally perform a warming bag integrity test in block 1106. For example, the controller 305 can perform an integrity test on the warming bag 224 (e.g., OPS to about 200 mbar), ending with pumping a back pressure of 40 mbar on the OPS.

[0099] At block 1108, the logic flow 1100 can balance the pressure between the warming bag and the patient line. For example, the controller 305 can actuate one or more valves to facilitate pressure balance between the warming bag 224 and the patient line (and / or the rest of the fluid system). In some embodiments, referring Figure 10 to, to balance the pressure between the warming bag and the patient line, valve 1007 can be opened while valve 1001 (or the supply bag valve for the corresponding supply bag), 1005, and 1008 can be closed.

[0100] At block 1110, the logic flow 1100 can shut down the system. For example, the controller 305 can close all or substantially all valves to shut down the fluid system of the dialysis machine 200. In one example, referring Figure 10 to, valve 1007 can be closed, for example, to prevent fluid from flowing into the patient line.

[0101] Figure 12 An embodiment of an exemplary computing architecture 1200 suitable for implementing the various embodiments described above is shown. In various embodiments, the computing architecture 1200 can include an electronic device or be implemented as part of an electronic device. In some embodiments, the computing architecture 1200 can represent, for example, the dialysis machine 200, the controller 305, and / or the processing circuit 520. The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0102] As used in this application, the terms “system” and “component” and “module” are intended to refer to computer-related entities, hardware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution, examples of which are provided by the exemplary computing architecture 1200. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive, multiple storage drives (optical and / or magnetic storage media), an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program, and / or a process running on a computer. As an illustration, an application running on a server and the server can both be components. One or more components can reside within a process and / or an execution thread, and a component can be located on one computer and / or distributed between two or more computers. Additionally, components can be communicatively coupled to each other through various types of communication media to coordinate operations. Coordination can involve one-way or two-way exchange of information. For example, components can transfer information in the form of signals transmitted through a communication medium. The information can be implemented as signals assigned to various signal lines. In such an assignment, each message is a signal. However, alternative embodiments can alternatively employ data messages. Such data messages can be sent through various connections. Exemplary connections include parallel interfaces, serial interfaces, and bus interfaces.

[0103] The computing architecture 1200 includes various general computing elements, such as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors, memory units, chip sets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimedia input / output (I / O) components, power supplies, etc. However, the embodiments are not limited to being implemented by the computing architecture 1200.

[0104] As Figure 12 shown, the computing architecture 1200 includes a processing unit 1204, a system memory 1206, and a system bus 1208. The processing unit 1204 can be a commercially available processor and can include dual microprocessors, multi-core processors, and other multi-processor architectures.

[0105] The system bus 1208 provides an interface to system components including, but not limited to, the system memory 1206, for the processing unit 1204. The system bus 1208 can be any of several types of bus structures that can further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. Interface adapters can be connected to the system bus 1208 through a slot architecture. Example slot architectures can include, but are not limited to, Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (Extended) (PCI(X)), PCI Express, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), etc.

[0106] The system memory 1206 can include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more high-speed memory units, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), double data rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, magnetic or optical cards, array memories such as devices in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) drives, solid-state storage devices (such as USB memories, solid-state drives (SSD)), and any other type of storage medium suitable for storing information. In Figure 12 the illustrated embodiment, the system memory 1206 can include non-volatile memory 1210 and / or volatile memory 1212. The basic input / output system (BIOS) can be stored in the non-volatile memory 1210.

[0107] The computer 1202 may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more low-speed memory units, including an internal (or external) hard disk drive (HDD) 1214, a floppy disk drive (FDD) 1216 that reads from or writes to a removable magnetic disk 1211, and an optical disk drive 1220 that reads from or writes to a removable optical disk 1222 (e.g., CD-ROM or DVD). The HDD 1214, FDD 1216, and optical disk drive 1220 may be connected to the system bus 1208 via an HDD interface 1224, an FDD interface 1226, and an optical disk drive interface 1228, respectively. The HDD interface 1224 for external drive implementation may include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1114 interface technologies.

[0108] The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatile and / or non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, etc. For example, many program modules may be stored in the drives and memory units 1210, 1212, including an operating system 1230, one or more application programs 1232, other program modules 1234, and program data 1236. In one embodiment, one or more application programs 1232, other program modules 1234, and program data 1236 may include, for example, various applications and / or components of the devices 105, 205, 305, and / or 405.

[0109] The user may input commands and information into the computer 1202 through one or more wired / wireless input devices, such as a keyboard 1238 and a pointing device such as a mouse 1240. These and other input devices are typically connected to the processing unit 1204 via an input device interface 1242 coupled to the system bus 1208, but may be connected via other interfaces.

[0110] A monitor 1244 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 1208 via an interface such as a video adapter 1246. The monitor 1244 may be internal or external to the computer 1202. In addition to the monitor 1244, the computer typically includes other peripheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, etc.

[0111] The computer 1202 can operate in a network environment using a logical connection via wired and / or wireless communication to one or more remote computers such as the remote computer 1248. The remote computer 1248 can be a workstation, server computer, router, personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment device, peer device, or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described with respect to the computer 1202, although for simplicity only the memory / storage device 1250 is shown. The depicted logical connections include wired / wireless connections to a local area network (LAN) 1252 and / or a larger network, such as a wide area network (WAN) 1254. Such LAN and WAN networking environments are common in offices and companies and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which can be connected to a global communications network, such as the Internet.

[0112] The computer 1202 is operable to communicate with wired and wireless devices or entities using IEEE 802 series standards, such as wireless devices operably configured for wireless communication (e.g., IEEE 802.16 air modulation technology). This includes at least Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity), WiMax, and Bluetooth TM wireless technologies and the like. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure like a traditional network or just an ad hoc communication between at least two devices. Wi-Fi networks use radio technologies called IEEE 802.11x (a, b, g, n, etc.) to provide secure, reliable, and fast wireless connections. Wi-Fi networks can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wired networks (using IEEE 802.3-related media and functions).

[0113] Numerous specific details have been set forth herein to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments. It is understood that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments.

[0114] Some embodiments can be described using the terms "coupled" and "connected" along with their derivatives. These terms are not used as synonyms for each other. For example, the terms "connected" and / or "coupled" can be used to describe some embodiments to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. However, the term "coupled" can also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0115] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, it is to be understood that terms such as "processing", "operation", "computation", "determination", or the like refer to actions and / or processes of a computer or a computing system or similar electronic computing device that manipulate and / or transform data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic) within the registers and / or memories of the computing system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the memories, registers, or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices of the computing system. The embodiments are not limited to this context.

[0116] It should be noted that the methods described herein need not be performed in the order described or in any particular order. Additionally, the various activities described with respect to the methods determined herein can be performed in a serial or parallel manner.

[0117] Although specific embodiments have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. The present disclosure is intended to cover any and all modifications or variations of various embodiments. It should be understood that the above description has been made in an illustrative manner, rather than a restrictive one. By reading the above description, those skilled in the art will be clear about the combination of the above embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments includes any other applications using the above combinations, structures, and methods.

[0118] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or method acts, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the above specific features or acts. Rather, the above specific features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

[0119] As used herein, an element or operation recited in the singular and preceded by the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding a plurality of elements or operations, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Additionally, a reference to "one embodiment" of the present disclosure is not to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also include the recited features.

[0120] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. In fact, based on the foregoing description and the drawings, various other embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in addition to those described herein. Accordingly, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, although the present disclosure has been described in the context of a particular environment for a particular purpose in a particular implementation context, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that its use is not limited thereto, and the present disclosure can be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Therefore, the claims set forth below should be interpreted in accordance with the full scope and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein.

Claims

1. A dialysis machine, comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: determine capacity information of a fluid system of the dialysis machine, wherein the fluid system includes non-perfusion elements, the capacity information includes patient line capacity and precision adjustment capacity, and the precision adjustment capacity includes a capacity measurement error for measuring the fluid capacity required to fill the fluid system; determine a perfusion capacity based on the capacity information to perfuse the fluid system with fluid, and determine the perfusion capacity according to the following equation: Perfusion capacity = Patient line maximum capacity + Precision adjustment maximum value - Non-perfusion element capacity.

2. The dialysis machine according to claim 1, wherein the dialysis machine further comprises a pump, When executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to perfuse the fluid system by causing the pump to pump fluid of the perfusion capacity into the fluid system.

3. The dialysis machine according to claim 1, wherein, The patient line capacity includes the maximum capacity for fluid system configuration.

4. The dialysis machine according to claim 3, wherein, The fluid system configuration is associated with at least one dimension of at least one component of the fluid system.

5. The dialysis machine according to claim 3, wherein, The fluid system includes a patient line tubing set, and the fluid system configuration is associated with the length and diameter of the patient line tubing set.

6. The dialysis machine according to claim 1, wherein, When executed by the at least one processor, the instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the perfusion capacity according to the following equation: Perfusion capacity = Patient line maximum capacity + Precision adjustment maximum value.

7. The dialysis machine according to claim 1, wherein, The capacity information includes system element information to indicate the fluid system capacity of non-patient line elements from the fluid system.

8. The dialysis machine according to claim 1, wherein, The perfusion capacity includes the worst-case fluid capacity required to perfuse the fluid system configuration.

9. A method for perfusing a fluid system of a dialysis machine, comprising: determine capacity information of a fluid system of the dialysis machine, wherein the fluid system includes non-perfusion elements, the capacity information includes patient line capacity and precision adjustment capacity, and the precision adjustment capacity includes a capacity measurement error for measuring the fluid capacity required to fill the fluid system; determine a perfusion capacity based on the capacity information to perfuse the fluid system with fluid; and determine the perfusion capacity according to the following equation: Perfusion capacity = Patient line maximum capacity + Precision adjustment maximum value - Non-perfusion element capacity.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The method includes: perfusing the fluid system by causing a pump to pump fluid of the perfusion capacity into the fluid system.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The patient line capacity includes the maximum capacity for fluid system configuration.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The fluid system configuration is associated with at least one dimension of at least one component of the fluid system.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The fluid system includes a patient line tubing set, and the fluid system configuration is associated with the length and diameter of the patient line tubing set.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The perfusion capacity is determined according to the following equation: Perfusion capacity = Patient line maximum capacity + Precision adjustment maximum value.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The capacity information includes system element information to indicate the fluid system capacity of non-patient line elements from the fluid system.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The perfusion capacity includes the worst-case fluid capacity required to perfuse the fluid system configuration.

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