Systems and metods for performing peritoneal dialysis

A system for providing peritoneal dialysis to a patient, the system comprising:

• a catheter having an inflow lumen and an outflow lumen in communication with the patient's peritoneal cavity;
• a fluid circuit in fluid communication with the catheter thereby defining a fluid loop capable of circulating a therapy fluid into, through and out of a peritoneal cavity of the patient;
• a supply of a dialysate;
• a chamber coupled to the fluid loop through which the dialysate can be fed at a feed rate into the fluid loop;
• a cycler that pumps the dialysate into the fluid loop and circulates the dialysate along the fluid loop at a circulation rate to remove a therapeutic effective amount of solutes and excess water from the patient;
• and
• a discharge fluid path coupled to the fluid loop through which the therapy fluid is drained from the fluid circuit at a discharge rate effective to cause the therapy fluid to be circulated a plurality of times along the fluid loop prior to discharge.

A system for providing peritoneal dialysis to a patient, the system comprising:

• a catheter having an inflow lumen and outflow lumen in communication with the patient's peritoneal cavity;
• a fluid circuit in fluid communication with the catheter thereby defining a fluid loop capable of circulating a therapy fluid into, through and out of the peritoneal cavity;
• a supply of a dialysate coupled to the fluid loop;
• a cycler that pumps the dialysate into the fluid loop at a feed rate and circulates the dialysate along the fluid loop at a circulation rate to remove a therapeutic effective amount of solutes and excess water from the patient;
• a cleaning device coupled to the fluid loop via a cleaning fluid path wherein the therapy fluid including the dialysate can be fed into the cleaning fluid path and cleaned at a cleaning rate prior to reintroduction into the fluid loop;
• and
• a discharge fluid path coupled to the fluid loop through which the therapy fluid is drained at a discharge rate effective to circulate the therapy fluid a plurality of times along the fluid loop prior to discharge.

A method of providing peritoneal dialysis to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling a fluid circuit in fluid communication to a catheter in a peritoneum of the patient thereby defining a fluid loop along which a therapy fluid is capable of being circulated into, through and out of the peritoneum;
• supplying a source of dialysate to the fluid loop at supply rate;
• circulating the therapy fluid including the dialysate along the fluid loop at a circulation rate to remove a therapeutic effective amount of excess water and solutes from the patient;
• draining the fluid loop of the therapy fluid at a discharge rate;
• and
• causing the dialysate to circulate a plurality of times along the fluid loop prior to discharge.

A method of providing peritoneal dialysis to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling a fluid circuit in fluid communication to a catheter in a peritoneum of the patient thereby defining a fluid loop along which a therapy fluid is capable of being circulated into, through and out of the peritoneum;
• coupling a chamber to the fluid loop;
• supplying a source of dialysate to the fluid loop through the chamber at a supply rate;
• circulating the therapy fluid including the dialysate along the fluid loop at a circulation rate to remove a therapeutically effective amount of excess water and solutes from the patient;
• and
• draining the fluid loop of the therapy fluid at a discharge rate effective to cause the dialysate to circulate a plurality of times along the fluid loop prior to discharge.

A method for reducing an amount of dialysate used during dialysis therapy, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling a fluid circuit in fluid communication to a catheter in a peritoneum of the patient thereby defining a fluid loop along which a therapy fluid is capable of being circulated into, through and out of the peritoneum;
• supplying a source of dialysate in an amount of about 25 liters or less to the fluid loop at a supply rate;
• circulating the therapy fluid including the dialysate along the fluid loop at a circulation rate to remove a therapeutically effective amount of ultrafiltrate and solutes from the patient;
• draining the fluid loop of the therapy fluid at a discharge rate;
• and
• causing the dialysate to circulate a plurality of times along the fluid loop prior to discharge.