Patent ID: 8652082

Claim:
A blood treatment apparatus, comprising: a blood treatment unit configured to receive untreated blood and fresh blood treatment fluid, and emit treated blood and used blood treatment fluid, at least one fluid pump configured to pass blood treatment fluid through the blood treatment unit, and at least one blood pump configured to extract untreated blood from a blood source, pass extracted blood through the blood treatment unit, and deliver treated blood to a target vessel, wherein each of the at least one blood pump comprises a pumping chamber and an impermeable flexible member separating the pumping chamber into a first accumulation container and a second accumulation container, the flexible impermeable member being movable within the pumping chamber to vary a volume relationship between the first and second accumulation containers, the second accumulation container being configured to receive an amount of the blood treatment fluid to act on the flexible impermeable member which thereby pumps blood from the first accumulation container, and the at least one fluid pump and the at least one blood pump being arranged such that the blood treatment fluid constitutes the working fluid for the at least one blood pump, wherein at least one of the at least one fluid pump is configured to control the operation of at least one of the at least one blood pump via the blood treatment fluid, and at least one of the at least one blood pump is integrated into a joint apparatus element comprising the blood treatment unit.