Patent ID: 7367346

Claim:
An apparatus for cleaning a hemodialyzer having a plurality of membrane hollow fibers provided in a housing, wherein the hemodialyzer comprises a blood side within the membrane hollow fibers and a dialysate side within the housing and outside of the membrane hollow fibers, and the housing includes a blood side inlet, a blood side outlet, a dialysate side inlet, and a dialysate side outlet, wherein the apparatus comprises a water inlet, a cleaning solution inlet, a liquid outlet constructed for attachment to the dialysate side inlet or the dialysate side outlet of the hemodialyzer for providing a pressurized liquid cleaning solution to the dialysate side, a compressed air outlet constructed for attachment to the blood side inlet or the blood side outlet of the hemodialyzer for providing pressurized air to the blood side, a mist separator constructed for attachment to the other of the blood side inlet or the blood side outlet of the hemodialyzer for receiving a two-phase flow, wherein the mist separator comprises an air outlet and a liquid outlet, and wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the liquid outlet and the compressed air outlet of the apparatus can provide a two-phase flow within the blood side of the hemodialyzer.