Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for carrying out peritoneal dialysis includes a central manifold, a receptacle for waste dialysate, means for supporting and heating a plurality of fresh dialysate bags, a first conduit connecting the manifold with the patient catheter, a second conduit for connecting the manifold with the receptacle, and a plurality of additional conduits connecting the manifold individually with a plurality of fresh dialysate bags. The individual conduits can be selectively closed by clamping means controlled by an electronic control, and the latter has an automatic mode which cycles the apparatus through (a) a fill/dwell phase in which the contents of one of the fresh dialysate bags flows into the patient's peritoneum cavity by gravity and remains there, and (b) a drain phase which allows waste dialysate in the patient's peritoneum cavity to drain by gravity into the receptacle. The steps (a) and (b) are repeated for all of the bags until they have been used up. A safety provision is provided to determine whether a sufficient quantity of dialysate has drained from the patient's cavity during the drain phase. If not, the apparatus is shut down.

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First Claim