SINGLE NEEDLE DIALYSIS SYSTEM AND METHODS
Dialysis systems and methods are described which can include a number of features. The dialysis systems described can be to provide dialysis therapy to a patient in the comfort of their own home. The dialysis system can be configured to prepare purified water from a tap water source in real-time that is used for creating a dialysate solution. The dialysis systems described also include features that make it easy for a patient to self-administer therapy.
1 . A method of providing dialysis, comprising:
inserting a single needle of a dialysis system into a patient;
activating an inflow phase of the dialysis system with a single blood pump that includes withdrawing blood from the patient through the single needle into a blood circuit of the dialysis system and into an accumulator reservoir of the blood circuit; and
activating an outflow phase of the dialysis system with the single blood pump that includes moving blood from the accumulator reservoir through a dialyzer of the dialysis system and back into the patient through the single needle.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflow phase further comprises:
closing a venous valve positioned on a venous line of the blood circuit;
opening an arterial valve positioned on an arterial line of the blood circuit;
opening a first valve positioned on a first fluid line that fluidly couples the accumulator reservoir to the blood circuit at a location downstream of the single blood pump; and
closing a second valve positioned on a second fluid line that fluidly couples the accumulator reservoir to the blood circuit at a location upstream of the single blood pump.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the inflow phase comprises running the single blood pump in a forward direction.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the outflow phase further comprises:
opening a venous valve positioned on a venous line of the blood circuit;
closing an arterial valve positioned on an arterial line of the blood circuit;
closing a first valve positioned on a first fluid line that fluidly couples the accumulator reservoir to the blood circuit at a location downstream of the single blood pump; and
opening a second valve positioned on a second fluid line that fluidly couples the accumulator reservoir to the blood circuit at a location upstream of the single blood pump.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the outflow phase comprises running the single blood pump in a forward direction.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflow phase comprises filling the accumulator reservoir with blood.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflow phase comprises operating the single blood pump in a forward direction for a preset period of time.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising syncing an ultrafiltration flow of dialysate through the dialyzer with the outflow phase.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the single blood pump operates at a substantially similar flow rate during the inflow phase and the outflow phase.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the single blood pump operates at a first flow rate during the inflow phase and a second flow rate during the outflow phase.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first flow rate is faster than the second flow rate.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first flow rate is slower than the second flow rate.
13 . A dialysis system, comprising:
a blood circuit comprising an arterial line, a venous line, and a single needle connected to the arterial line and venous line;
a blood pump configured to interact with the blood circuit to move a flow of blood through the blood circuit;
a dialyzer fluidly coupled to the blood circuit;
an accumulator reservoir fluidly connected to the blood circuit with a first line and a second line, the first line being coupled to the blood circuit downstream of the blood pump and the second line being coupled to the blood circuit upstream of the blood pump;
a venous valve positioned on the venous line;
an arterial valve positioned on the arterial line;
a first valve positioned on the first line;
a second valve positioned on the second line;
an electronic controller operatively coupled to the blood pump, the venous valve, the arterial valve, the first valve, and the second valve, wherein the electronic controller is configured to:
activate an inflow phase that comprises closing the venous valve and the second valve, opening the arterial valve and the first valve, and operating the blood pump in a forward direction to withdraw blood from the patient through the single needle into the blood circuit and into the accumulator reservoir via the first line; and
activate an outflow phase that comprises opening the venous valve and the second valve, closing the arterial valve and the first valve, and operating the blood pump in the forward direction to move blood from the accumulator reservoir into the blood circuit via the second line and through the dialyzer and back into the patient through the single needle.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the inflow phase is stopped when the accumulator reservoir is filled with blood.
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the inflow phase is stopped when the blood pump is operated in a forward direction for a preset period of time.
16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to sync an ultrafiltration flow of dialysate through the dialyzer with the outflow phase.
17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the blood pump operates at a substantially similar flow rate during the inflow phase and the outflow phase.
18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the blood pump operates at a first flow rate during the inflow phase and a second flow rate during the outflow phase.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the first flow rate is faster than the second flow rate.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the first flow rate is slower than the second flow rate.
21 . A method of retrofitting a dual-needle dialysis system to operate as a single-needle dialysis system, comprising:
forming a Y-junction between a venous line and an arterial line of a blood circuit of the dual-needle dialysis system;
replacing first and second needles of the dual-needle dialysis system with a single needle at the Y-junction;
replacing a saline source of the dual-needle dialysis system with an accumulator reservoir;
inserting the single needle into a patient;
activating an inflow phase of the dialysis system that includes withdrawing blood from the patient through the single needle into the blood circuit of the dialysis system and into the accumulator reservoir of the blood circuit; and
activating an outflow phase of the dialysis system that includes moving blood from the accumulator reservoir through a dialyzer of the dialysis system and back into the patient through the single needle.