Hemo(dia)filtration apparatus and filtrate flow regulator

A hemo(dia)filtration apparatus comprising a first blood filter divided by a membrane into two chambers, in which the first chamber is connected into a dialyzing fluid path and the second chamber is connected into a blood path dialyzing fluid path comprising a supply line extending from a means for preparing the dialyzing fluid to a blood filter and comprising a first balance chamber, and said dialyzing fluid path comprising a discharge line extending from said first blood filter to a drain and comprising a second balance chamber;

• a first pump for conveying dialyzing fluid within a closed loop;
• a bypass line connecting the supply line to the discharge line of the dialyzing fluid path, in which a bypass valve is arranged;
• an ultrafiltration device;
• a first sterile filter incorporated in the supply line between the first balance chamber and the blood filter is divided by a germ-repelling membrane into a first and a second chamber;
• and a second sterile filter being divided by a germ-repelling membrane into a first and a second chamber;
• wherein
• said second sterile filter is also a second blood filter (60) arranged in the supply line (22) between first filter (38) and first blood filter (12),
• the first chamber (64) of said second blood filter (60) is connected into the dialyzing fluid path (20) and the second chamber (68) is connected into the blood path (80),
• said first chamber (64) of said second blood filter (60) is connected via a first connecting line (72) to the first chamber (14) of the first blood filter (12) and the second chamber (68) of the second blood filter (60) is connected via a second connecting line (74) to the second chamber (16) of the first blood filter (12), and
• at least one second pump (78) for generating a transmembrane pressure difference between said blood filters is arranged in one of the connecting lines (72, 74) between the blood filters (60, 12) in such a way that in one blood filter (60, 12) a positive transmembrane pressure is generated in the direction to the blood path (80) and in the other blood filter (12, 60) a negative transmembrane pressure is generated in the direction to said blood path (80).

A hemo(dia) filtration apparatus comprising:

• a blood path including:
• a first blood filter adapted to receive a blood flow from a patient, the first blood filter having a membrane;
• and
• a second blood filter disposed in the blood flow from the first blood filter, the second blood filter having a membrane;
• a dialyzing fluid path including:
• a first chamber of a balance unit, the first chamber capable of receiving a flow of dialyzing fluid from a dialyzing fluid source;
• a filter to sterilize the flow of dialyzing fluid from the dialyzing fluid source, the sterilizing filter having a membrane which prevents passage of germs;
• the second blood filter being disposed in the flow of dialyzing fluid from the sterile filter, the membrane of the second filter being disposed between the dialyzing fluid flow and the blood flow;
• the first blood filter being disposed in the flow of dialyzing fluid from the second blood filter, the membrane of the first filter being disposed between the dialyzing fluid flow and the blood flow;
• and
• a second chamber of the balance unit disposed in the flow of dialyzing fluid from the second blood filter, the balance unit conveying an equal flow of dialyzing fluid through the first and second chambers;
• and
• a pump disposed between the first blood filter and the second blood filter along an element selected from the group consisting of the blood path and the dialyzing fluid path so as to generate higher pressure in the blood flow than in the dialyzing fluid flow across the membrane of one of the first blood filter and the second blood filter, and so as to generate higher pressure in the dialyzing fluid flow than in the blood flow across the other of the first blood filter and the second blood filter.