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Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Home Dialysis - NxStage Users => Topic started by: cassandra on August 29, 2015, 01:46:31 PM

Title: Leak in cartridge
Post by: cassandra on August 29, 2015, 01:46:31 PM
Hi all, I had for the first time ever ( okay 3 years) an alarm 38 on the cycler while it was nicely running in 23. I'd set up all the gear for my nightly session, and checked all the lines for kinks. They were fine, so pressed prime again. While it continued in 23 again, I checked the handbook for 38. Apparently too high or too low pressure in balance chamber. Mmm. It could be kinks in lines or loads of things that I (me) could have done wrong. It also mentions something about the saline pressure. I noticed a bit less saline than normal in the bag, so replaced it.

Than I saw water on the floor, and a bit on top of the Pure Flow. Only than I noticed the new saline bag being less than full. Turns out that the cartridge leaks.
The other 5 in the box were fine. It's CAR-172-01, LOT 50377016, UBD 2017-01

It's just because I was so slow to realise the leak, and because there is no mention of a possible leak in The Book, I panickedly turned of the cycler while scared of an electric shock (it poored out of the bottom by than. Than the alarm from the Pureflow went with fluid in tub, so dried out the tub after just making a new batch, stuffing loads of paper towels on top of the fluid sensor and dry the floor. So now enjoying my second double espresso, and will dialyse tomorrow. And I'll call Nxstage to at least put the possibility of a cartridge leakage under alarm 38. I mean only God ís faultless.

Love, Cas
Title: Re: Leak in cartridge
Post by: Simon Dog on August 29, 2015, 02:14:07 PM
The nocturnal setup for the NxStage has a plexiglass filter holder designed to channel leaks to the tray so the leak detector will pick them up.

I had a pureflow develop an internal leak which filled up the tub.  When I pulled the control unit, the entire shelf it sits on was soaked.   This happened on a Saturday.  NxStage shipped out a new unit Monday, and I was up and running (dry) on Tuesday.
Title: Re: Leak in cartridge
Post by: cassandra on August 30, 2015, 01:32:31 AM
Thanx for info Simon, I've had this cartridge on and off in my supplies and was told it was no different. I'll téll them to not supply them without the tray.

    :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: Leak in cartridge
Post by: micron on September 30, 2015, 08:39:02 AM
We had a cartridge leak recently too.  It set off the fluid alarm towards the end of treatment and definitely originated at the back of the filter cartridge (where those bladders are).  It was from the dialysate lines instead of the blood lines at least.  We gave our RN the cartridge number to follow up with NXStage.

I've noticed in general we have to check over all the connections carefully on the filter lately.  Actually had a loose cap at the top of the filter resulting in the saline all promptly exiting to our floor during prime.  Caps on the dialysate concentrate saks have also been loose to the point of falling off during setup (the green three pronged connector).