Priming The Blood Circuit; Standard Prime Method - Fresenius Medical Care 2008T Operator's Manual

Chapter 2—Daily Preparation for Treatment

Priming the Blood Circuit

There are two different ways to prime the blood circuit on the 2008T hemodialysis
machine—Standard Prime method and Prime Amount method. The Standard Prime method
allows the operator to prime the blood circuit by controlling the flow of the saline manually.
The Prime Amount method is a machine option that is set in the Service Mode, and limits the
amount of saline used in the priming procedure to a preset volume. Prime the blood circuit
according to how your machine was set up. Follow your unit protocol or dialyzer
manufacturer's instructions for priming and rinsing dialyzers.

Standard Prime Method

1. Connect the dialyzer end of the arterial bloodline to the arterial port of the dialyzer.
Rotate the dialyzer to the arterial end down position.
2. Connect the dialyzer end of the venous bloodline to the venous port of the dialyzer.
3. Insert the venous line in the venous line clamp and the optical detector. Close the optical
detector door.
Warning! The tubing beneath the venous drip chamber must be inserted into the venous line
clamp and the optical detector.
4. Hang a saline bag and attach an administration line, if not already attached, to the saline
port on the arterial bloodline. Aseptically spike the saline bag.
5. Gravity prime the patient end of the arterial bloodline below the saline "T" with saline.
When primed, clamp the patient end of the arterial bloodline.
6. If the heparin pump is to be used: connect the heparin syringe, prime the heparin line
with heparin, and load heparin syringe into heparin pump. If the heparin pump is not
used, clamp the heparin line.
7. On the control panel keypad, press the Prime key.
8. Press the blood pump Start/Stop key and run the blood pump at a rate of 150 ml/min.
Adjust the flow rate by pressing the  (up) or  (down) keys.
9. Fill the arterial drip chamber to an acceptable level using the  key (level adjust) on the
blood pump. Close the arterial pressure monitor line clamp and disconnect the line from
the arterial pressure port so the port is open to atmosphere.
Warning! The  Level Adjust key on the Blood Pump module can only be used to raise the
level in the arterial chamber. Do not press the Level Adjust key so long that the pressure
transducer protector becomes wet. Wet transducer protectors must be replaced to avoid
erroneous pressure readings.
52 2008T Machine Operator's Manual P/N 490122 Rev N