Patent ID: 6074359
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: A61H,A61M

Abstract:
A system for providing peritoneal dialysis to a patient comprising:a fluid catheter having a first end adapted to be placed in a peritoneal cavity of a patient having an associated peritoneal cavity fill volume and a second end directly connected to a fluid line, the fluid line connecting the second end of the catheter to a dialysate reservoir container containing a volume of dialysate fluid at least about one and one-half times the cavity fill volume, and a single pump for reversibly pumping dialysate fluid along the fluid line from the reservoir container to the fluid catheter and into the patient's peritoneal cavity and from the patient's patient's peritoneal cavity through the fluid catheter and along the fluid line directly back into the reservoir container, whereby after an initial volume of dialysate fluid is introduced into the patient's peritoneal cavity, smaller volume portions less than the initial volume of dialysate fluid may be periodically and successively removed from the patient's peritoneal cavity and returned directly to the reservoir container to dilute dialyzed waste products from the patient and portions of the dialysate fluid present in the reservoir container may be introduced into the patient's peritoneal cavity to maintain a diffusive gradient and provide peritoneal dialysis to the patient.