Renal failure therapy systems having reduced time between treatments

A renal failure therapy machine comprising:

• a dialysis fluid circuit including:
• a fresh dialysis fluid line, and
• a spent dialysis fluid line,
• a flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube having a connector for removably connecting to a dialyzer;
• a flexible spent dialysis fluid tube having a connector for removably connecting to the dialyzer;
• a fresh dialysis fluid pump located along the fresh dialysis fluid line to pump fluid towards the dialyzer;
• a spent dialysis fluid pump located along the spent dialysis fluid line to pump spent fluid from the dialyzer;
• a control unit configured to cause the fresh dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid towards the dialyzer through the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube and to cause the spent dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid away from the dialyzer through the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube;
• and
• a housing for housing the dialysis fluid circuit, the fresh dialysis fluid pump, and the spent dialysis fluid pump, wherein the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube and the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube extend from the housing;
• at least one of (i) a first disinfection device positioned between the fresh dialysis fluid line and the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube, or (ii) a second disinfection device positioned between the spent dialysis fluid line and the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube, and
• recirculation circuitry extending to (i) a first machine connector for mating with the connector of the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube during local disinfection, and (ii) a second machine connector for mating with the connector of the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube during local disinfection,
• wherein the control unit is further configured to cause the at least one first or second disinfection device to be energized during the local disinfection, creating a barrier against bacterial transport.

A renal failure therapy machine comprising:

• a dialysis fluid circuit including:
• a water line receiving water,
• a water tank receiving water from the water line and feeding water to a first infusion point,
• a main heater to heat water in the water tank,
• a first concentrate line with a first concentrate pump to control injection of a first concentrate substance from a first concentrate source at a first infusion point in the water line,
• a second concentrate line with a second concentrate pump to control injection of a second concentrate substance from a second concentrate source at a second infusion point in the water line, water mixed with first and second concentrate forming a fresh dialysis fluid,
• a fresh dialysis fluid line receiving the fresh dialysis fluid, and
• a spent dialysis fluid line,
• a fresh dialysis fluid tube having a connector for removably connecting to a dialyzer;
• a spent dialysis fluid tube having a connector for removably connecting to the dialyzer;
• a fresh dialysis fluid pump located along the fresh dialysis fluid line to pump fluid towards the dialyzer;
• a spent dialysis fluid pump located along the spent dialysis fluid line to pump spent fluid from the dialyzer;
• a control unit configured to drive the fresh dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid towards the fresh dialysis fluid tube and to drive the spent dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid away from the spent dialysis fluid tube;
• a housing for housing the dialysis fluid circuit, the fresh dialysis fluid pump, and the spent dialysis fluid pump;
• a first disinfection device positioned between the fresh dialysis fluid line and the fresh dialysis fluid tube;
• a second disinfection device positioned between the spent dialysis fluid line and the spent dialysis fluid tube;
• and
• recirculation circuitry extending to (i) a first machine connector for mating with the connector of the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube during local disinfection and (ii) a second machine connector for mating with the connector of the spent dialysis fluid tube during local disinfection,
• wherein, during local disinfection, the connector of the fresh dialysis fluid tube is connected to the first machine connector and the connector of the spent dialysis fluid tube is connected to the second machine connector, and
• wherein the control unit is configured to:
• control the fresh dialysis fluid pump and/or the spent dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid from the fresh dialysis fluid line to the first disinfection device and to the fresh dialysis fluid tube, through the first machine connector, through the recirculation circuitry up to the second machine connector, along the spent dialysis fluid tube, through the second disinfection device and into the spent dialysis fluid line, and
• cause the first and second disinfection devices to be energized, creating a barrier against bacterial transport.

A renal failure therapy machine comprising:

• a dialysis fluid circuit including:
• a fresh dialysis fluid line, and
• a spent dialysis fluid line,
• a flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube having a connector for removably connecting to a dialyzer;
• a flexible spent dialysis fluid tube having a connector for removably connecting to the dialyzer, wherein the flexible fresh and spent dialysis fluid tubes are self-heating tubes;
• a fresh dialysis fluid pump located along the fresh dialysis fluid line to pump fluid towards the dialyzer;
• a spent dialysis fluid pump located along the spent dialysis fluid line to pump spent fluid from the dialyzer;
• a control unit configured to drive the fresh dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid towards the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube and to drive the spent dialysis fluid pump to pump fluid away from the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube;
• a housing with a wall for housing the dialysis fluid circuit, the fresh dialysis fluid pump, and the spent dialysis fluid pump, wherein the first machine connector is a quick-disconnect connector located at the wall of the machine and the second machine connector is a quick-disconnect connector located at the wall of the machine, the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube and the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube extending from the housing;
• at least one of (i) a first disinfection device positioned between the fresh dialysis fluid line and the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube, or (ii) a second disinfection device positioned between the spent dialysis fluid line and the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube, and
• recirculation circuitry extending to (i) a first machine connector for mating with the connector of the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube during local disinfection and (ii) a second machine connector for mating with the connector of the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube during local disinfection;
• a quick-disconnect distal end connector of the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube plugged into the quick-disconnect connector located at the wall of the housing;
• a quick-disconnect distal end connector of the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube plugged into the quick-disconnect connector located at the wall of the housing;
• and
• a disinfection circuit beginning in the fresh dialysis fluid line, extending through the flexible fresh dialysis fluid tube, through the recirculation circuitry, through the flexible spent dialysis fluid tube, and through spent dialysis fluid line to a drain, being completed by the quick-disconnect distal end connector of the respective flexible fresh and spent dialysis fluid tubes plugged into the respective quick-disconnect connector located at the wall of the housing,
• wherein the control unit is further configured to disinfect the disinfection circuit and cause the at least one first or second disinfection device and the flexible fresh and spent dialysis fluid tubes to be energized during the local disinfection, creating a barrier against bacterial transport.