SYSTEM AND METHOD TO EFFICIENTLY CLEAN A BLOOD FILTER

A renal therapy apparatus includes a blood filter including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, arterial and venous lines in fluid communication with the blood filter, a blood pump for pumping blood through the arterial and venous lines and the blood filter, a treatment fluid pump in fluid communication with (a) a treatment fluid side of the blood filter or (b) the arterial or venous lines, and a control unit configured to control the blood pump and the treatment fluid pump during treatment and at least one of the blood pump or the treatment fluid pump during a filter cleaning sequence in which (i) in a first phase of the filter cleaning sequence, a first fluid including a blood-compatible and physiologically safe fluid is transferred back and forth across the insides and/or outsides of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, (ii) after the first phase, a second fluid is formed by mixing the first fluid with air, and (iii) in a second phase of the filter cleaning sequence, the second fluid is transferred across the insides and/or outsides of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes at least one time, wherein the use of the first and second fluids including the physiologically safe fluid enables the filter cleaning sequence to be performed, if desired, during the treatment. Q/12/210f