Peritoneal dialysis circuit

A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) fluid circuit comprising:

• a patient line extending between a first end, configured to connect to a patient's abdomen, and a second end;
• a fluid recirculation loop comprising:
• a delivery line connected to the second end of the patient line and configured to supply fresh dialysis fluid towards the patient line;
• a withdrawal line connected to the second end of the patient line and configured to withdraw spent dialysis fluid from the patient line;
• and
• a discharging line connected to a recirculation portion, wherein the discharging line extends from the recirculation portion to an outlet for draining dialysis fluid;
• a first pump arranged on the delivery line and configured to supply the fresh dialysis fluid towards the patient line;
• a second pump arranged on the withdrawal line and configured to withdraw the spent dialysis fluid from the patient line,
• wherein the fluid recirculation loop further comprises the recirculation portion extending from an outlet of the second pump up to an inlet of the first pump according to a fluid direction defined by the first pump and the second pump, the recirculation portion not including the second end of the patient line, wherein the fluid direction is defined from the first pump towards the patient line, and from the patient line to the second pump, and from the second pump towards the recirculation portion,
• wherein the delivery line, the withdrawal line and the recirculation portion are fluidly connected to each other in series defining the fluid recirculation loop;
• and
• a control unit operatively connected to the first pump and the second pump, the control unit being configured to perform a peritoneal dialysis procedure comprising the step of:
• commanding activation of the first pump at a first flow rate, and commanding activation of the second pump at a second flow rate different from the first flow rate, and circulating the dialysis fluid into the fluid recirculation loop through the first pump and the second pump, wherein the first pump and the second pump are active simultaneously to provide the first flow rate and the second flow rate,
• wherein, during the peritoneal dialysis procedure, the control unit is further configured to:
• receive an optimal first flow rate comprised between 100 ml/min and 1500 ml/min and an optimal second flow rate comprised between 100 ml/min and 1500 ml/min, the optimal first flow rate and the optimal second flow rate representing an optimal operating condition for the first pump and for the second pump;
• set the first flow rate of the first pump within a first range of 30% of the optimal first flow rate;
• and
• set the second flow rate of the second pump within a second range of +30% of the optimal second flow rate;
• command the first flow rate in a range between 100 ml/min and 1500 ml/min;
• and
• command the second flow rate in a range between 100 ml/min and 1500 ml/min.

A peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) fluid circuit comprising:

• a patient line extending between a first end configured to connect to a patient's abdomen and a second end;
• a fluid recirculation loop comprising:
• a delivery line connected to the second end of the patient line to supply fresh dialysis fluid towards the patient line;
• and
• a withdrawal line connected to the second end of the patient line to withdraw spent dialysis fluid from the patient line;
• a first pump arranged on the delivery line to supply the fresh dialysis fluid towards the patient line;
• a second pump arranged on the withdrawal line to withdraw the spent dialysis fluid from the patient line;
• a first flow meter configured to measure a current first flow rate provided by the first pump, the first flow meter being arranged in series with the first pump so that a same fluid flow rate flows through the first pump and the first flow meter, wherein the first flow meter is arranged on the fluid recirculation loop upstream of the first pump;
• a second flow meter configured to measure a current second flow rate provided by the second pump, the second flow meter being arranged in series with the second pump so that a same fluid flow rate flows through the second pump and the second flow meter, wherein the second flow meter is arranged on the fluid recirculation loop downstream from the second pump or on the withdrawal line downstream from the second end of the patient line,
• wherein the fluid recirculation loop further comprises a recirculation portion extending from an outlet of the second pump up to an inlet of the first pump according to a fluid direction defined by the first pump and the second pump, the recirculation portion not including the second end of the patient line,
• wherein the fluid direction is defined from the first pump towards the patient line, and from the patient line to the second pump, and from the second pump towards the recirculation portion;
• and
• a control unit operatively connected to the first pump and to the second pump, the control unit being configured to perform a peritoneal dialysis procedure comprising the step of:
• commanding activation of the first pump at a first flow rate, and commanding activation of the second pump at a second flow rate different from the first flow rate, and wherein the first pump and the second pump are active simultaneously to provide the first flow rate and the second flow rate,
• filling the patient's abdomen with dialysis fluid through the patient line, during a filling procedure, the first flow rate being higher than the second flow rate, and
• removing the spent dialysis fluid from the patient's abdomen through the patient line, during a drainage procedure, the first flow rate being lower than the second flow rate, the control unit being configured to alternate the filling procedure and the drainage procedure,
• wherein, during the peritoneal dialysis procedure, the control unit is further configured to:
• determine the current first flow rate measured by the first flow meter;
• determine the current second flow rate measured by the second flow meter;
• calculate a current exchange parameter value based on a difference between the current first flow rate and the current second flow rate, the current exchange parameter value representing a current exchange flow rate of the dialysis fluid with the patient;
• compare the current exchange parameter value with a desired exchange parameter value;
• and
• based on the comparison, if when a difference between the current exchange parameter value and the desired exchange parameter value exceeds a predefined threshold, adjust a difference in flow rate between the first pump and the second pump towards the desired exchange parameter value by changing rhe first flow rate of the first pump and/or the second flow rate of the second pump.