Continuous peritoneal dialysis apparatus

Abstract

A peritoneal dialysis system is illustrated of the continuous flow type which includes a reverse osmosis unit which prepares sterilized and filtered water for mixing with a sterilized dialysate in a dialysis production unit. The process includes proportioning water, dialysis concentrate, and dextrose to provide a dialysis fluid which is then heated and sterilized. The fluid may be accumulated in a reservoir which accumulates a desired amount of dialysis fluid as measured by a load cell which measures the weight of the fluid. The dialysis process may be used with a single or double catheter. A desired amount of fluid is delivered to the peritoneal cavity as measured by the load cell, and a desired amount of fluid is drained from the cavity as measured by a load cell into a drain reservoir so that a desired amount of peritoneal dialysis fluid is maintained in the cavity during dialysis. Alternately, or in addition, flowmeters are utilized to measure the flow rate of the fluid in and out of the peritoneal cavity, either simultaneously or cyclic, and control the amount of fluid in the cavity. Preferably, the process and system includes a double flow catheter in which the flow of dialysis fluid through the inflow passage and the outflow passage of the double flow catheter are simultaneous. During this time, the volume of fluid in the peritoneal cavity is monitored by an ultrasonic or other suitable sensor so that over extension of the cavity does not occur. In a preferred tidal dialysis regime, either the load cell and/or the flowmeter arrangement is utilized to fill the cavity with dialysis fluid, drain the cavity to a reserve volume, and refill the cavity with a tidal volume to provide a dialysis regime which includes a desired number of fill and partial drain cycles wherein a puddle of dialysis fluid always remains in the cavity.