Method and apparatus for reprocessing dialyzers
AssigneeNoriaki Tanaka
InventorsNoriaki Tanaka, Tomiya Abe
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Abstract
This invention provides a method for reprocessing a dialyzer for hemodialysis, the method comprising the steps of rinsing the dialyzer with water and cleaning it with electrolyzed strongly acidic water, or the steps of rinsing the dialyzer with water, cleaning it with electrolyzed strongly alkaline water, rinsing it with water and cleaning it with electrolyzed strongly acidic water, as well as a reprocessing apparatus for carrying out the reprocessing method.
Claims15
A method for reprocessing a hollow fiber dialyzer for hemodialysis disengaged from the dialysis equipment after hemodialysis treatment, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) rinsing both a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment of said hollow fiber dialyzer with water, and
- (b) cleaning both compartments with electrolyzed strongly acidic water,
- wherein clearance values, expressed in ml/min, of said hollow fiber dialyzer remain substantially the same after repeated reprocessing and reuse.
A method for reprocessing a hollow fiber dialyzer for hemodialysis disengaged from the dialysis equipment after hemodialysis treatment, the method comprising the steps of rinsing both a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment of said hollow fiber dialyzer with water, cleaning both compartments with electrolyzed strongly alkaline water, rinsing the compartments with water and cleaning the compartments with electrolyzed strongly acidic water whereby clearance values, expressed in ml/min, of said hollow fiber dialyzer remain substantially the same after repeated reprocessing and reuse.
A method for reprocessing a hollow fiber dialyzer for hemodialysis disengaged from the dialysis equipment after hemodialysis treatment, the method comprising the steps of rinsing both a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment of said hollow fiber dialyzer with water, cleaning both compartments with electrolyzed strongly alkaline water, rinsing the compartments with water and cleaning the compartments with electrolyzed strongly acidic water wherein clearance values, expressed in ml/min, of said hollow fiber dialyzer remain substantially the same after repeated reprocessing and reuse.
An apparatus for reprocessing a hollow fiber dialyzer for hemodialysis disengaged from hemodialysis equipment after hemodialysis treatment, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a tank for holding electrolyzed strongly alkaline water,
- (b) a tank for holding electrolyzed strongly acidic water,
- (c) a tank for holding water,
- (d) two pumps,
- (e) lines extending from the three tanks and connected to respective inlets of the two pumps,
- (f) valves disposed in respective lines (e) upstream of the pumps,
- (g) a line which removably connects an outlet of one of the two pumps to a dialysate inlet port of the hollow fiber dialyzer to be cleaned or to a dialysate outlet port thereof,
- (h) a line which removably connects an outlet of the other of the two pumps to a blood inlet port of the hollow fiber dialyzer to be cleaned or to a blood outlet port thereof,
- (i) a line removably connected to the blood inlet port of the hollow fiber dialyzer or to the blood outlet port thereof, the line being disposed for the discharge of the water, electrolyzed strongly alkaline water or electrolyzed strongly acidic water flowing out from the blood compartment of the hollow fiber dialyzer, and
- (j) a line removably connected to the dialysate inlet port of the hollow fiber dialyzer or to the dialysate outlet port thereof, the line being disposed for the discharge of the water, electrolyzed strongly alkaline water or electrolyzed strongly acidic water flowing out from the dialysate compartment of the hollow fiber dialyzer.
A method for reprocessing a hollow fiber dialyzer for hemodialysis, the method comprising the steps of:
- (A) rinsing both a blood compartment and a dialysate compartment of said hollow fiber dialyzer with reverse osmosis processed water,
- (B) cleaning said compartments with electrolyzed strongly alkaline water,
- (C) rinsing said compartments with water,
- (D) cleaning said compartments with electrolyzed strongly acidic water, and
- (E) hermetically sealing said compartments with said electrolyzed strongly acidic water enclosed therein;
- wherein clearance values, expressed in ml/min, of said hollow fiber dialyzer remain substantially the same after repeated reprocessing and reuse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.