Leaky SAK what to do....

[Hootie]

Every so often....you learn something  new. Today we hit start button on pure flow when we were ready to begin....the bag was leaking big time around the one inch by two white filter between the two green clamps....a fast drip....I put some gauze tape,around it to try to stop it and called our friends at NxStage.

 Bill said due to danger of contamination I needed to hang bags. While preparing  and waiting for the bags to warm, his instructions were to take dialysis rate to zero so no dialysate would be used during  treatment. We continued to take fluids off during that time....

About time we got going the  veinous pressure went us as the needle needed adjusting as it had slipped a little.

Looks like a long treatment day...it comes with the territory....hopefully, the will help you if this happens to you.

NxStage  is picking up the defective bag for an assessment. Looking closely at it, appears that the plastic  is cracked. Think these heavy bags might have been tossed along the way to my house...

[Vt Big Rig]

We have already returned three SAKS for a leak in the same kind of filter leak. One I caught it as soon as I hit go on PureFlow. Once in the middle of the night we had  puddle on the floor. A third time the filter by dialysate output leaked. Obviously they have a production problem. Or supplier problem.

[PrimeTimer]

Thanks for sharing, Hootie. This is not the first time I've read about cracked and leaking micron filters. This worries me. For the heck of it, I took a used SAK that we haven't thrown out yet and tried to purposely break/crack the plastic micron filter with my hands as well as banging it around. Of course, I didn't take a hammer to it because that probably would have easily cracked it. Nonetheless, it took a beating from me and didn't crack. This makes me think that perhaps the crack on your filter is a defect rather than caused by the SAK being tossed around during delivery. I sure hope NxStage answers you soon about their findings. If you don't mind, what type SAK was it? 

As far as switching over to hanging bags during the middle of treatment, I'd be too scared of not making the connections fast enough before my husband's blood clotted up. You deserve some kudos for getting thru it! 

[Hootie]

Primetime, you are probably right on the leak.

Just to clarify....you cannot wait for the bags to be hung and heated with machine off. What NxStage said to do is take the the dialysate rate to zero with machine on. That way we continued to pull fluids and when bags were "hot and ready" like a Wendy's hamburger you change the the green dialysate line to the bags. Then you raise the dialysate rate back up to the normal FF prescription. It did take some time to get it ready but it was pretty easy.  It did extend time of treatment by about 30 minutes though.

Bad bag is packaged up ready for pick up....I did look through all remaining bags for a different lot number and all are  same lot. We will see what happens.

The one additional lesson for me is to turn the pure flow on before needle  sticking is started to make sure there are no leaks in the filter.....

[cassandra]

What a session that was.... Any news? And again what sack was it? My 403 sack going okay sofar.

Luck and love, Cas

[Vt Big Rig]

What a session that was.... Any news? And again what sack was it? My 403 sack going okay sofar.

Luck and love, Cas

Mine were 405's, Cas

[Hootie]

My SAKS were 306s.