Artifical Kidney

A method for gradual, and at least semi-continuous, blood treatment in an artificial kidney, the method including:

• providing an artificial kidney including:
• a first fluid connection;
• a second fluid connection;
• a third fluid connection;
• a first fluid passage extending between the first fluid connection and the second fluid connection, the first fluid connection defining an upstream end of the first fluid passage and the second fluid connection defining a downstream end of the first fluid passage;
• a second fluid passage extending from a first location on the first fluid passage, adjacent the upstream end, to a second location on the first fluid passage, the second location being adjacent the downstream end;
• and
• a third fluid passage extending from a third location along the second fluid passage to the third fluid connection, wherein the second fluid passage at the first location is connected to the first fluid passage by a first separator and the third fluid passage at the third location is connected to the second fluid passage by a second separator;
• feeding a blood stream from a body of a living human or animal being into the artificial kidney, where anticoagulation is first effected, blood cells and molecules of large and medium molecular weight, such as large and medium sized proteins, are then primarily separated from plasma;
• feeding the molecules of large and medium molecular weight separated from plasma back to the blood stream,
• regulating a water and salt balance by diverting excess plasma water and further removing from the blood stream, plasma or plasma water accumulated and toxic substances, by removal of specific electrolytes and waste products, and wherein purified or partially purified plasma and plasma water are carried back to the blood tract of the body.