Patent ID: 8287480

Claim:
A hemodialysis apparatus comprising: a blood processing machine including a blood flow path through which blood of a patient flows and a dialysate flow path through which dialysate flows, where the blood flow path and the dialysate flow path are defined by a semipermeable membrane; a blood circuit for introducing the blood led from the patient into the blood flow path and leading the blood flowing through the blood flow path back to the patient; a blood pump attached to the blood circuit to pump blood; a dialysate circuit for introducing dialysate into the dialysate flow path and leading the dialysate flowing through the dialysate flow path from the dialysate flow path; a blocker disposed downstream of the blood pump for the blood circuit to block the blood circuit; a blood circuit pressure detector for detecting an internal pressure of a part of the blood circuit between the blood pump and the blocker; and a control unit connected with the blood pump and the blood circuit pressure detector, wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on the pressure detected by the blood circuit pressure detector, whether or not the blood circuit has encountered abnormal conditions while the blood circuit blocked by the blocker is filled with liquid by the blood pump; and wherein if the pressure detected by the blood circuit pressure detector has not reached a first predetermined level, a first determination is made that an abnormal condition has been encountered; and if the pressure has reached the first predetermined level, flow rate of the blood pump is increased; when the flow rate of the blood pump is increased, a second determination is made as to whether the pressure has reached a second predetermined pressure; and if the second predetermined pressure has not been reached, a third determination is made that an abnormal condition has been encountered, and if the second predetermined pressure has been reached, the blood pump is stopped.