K141731 · Nephros, Inc. · NHV · Oct 24, 2014 · Gastroenterology, Urology
Device Facts
Record ID
K141731
Device Name
NEPHROS DSU-H, NEPHROS SSU-H
Applicant
Nephros, Inc.
Product Code
NHV · Gastroenterology, Urology
Decision Date
Oct 24, 2014
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Traditional
Regulation
21 CFR 876.5665
Device Class
Class 2
Indications for Use
The DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters are intended to be used to filter EPA quality drinking water. The filters retain bacteria, viruses and endotoxin. By providing ultrapure water for patient washing and drinking, the filters aid in infection control. The filters produce water that is suitable for wound cleansing, cleaning of equipment used in medical procedures and washing of surgeon's hands. The filters are not intended to provide water that can be used as a substitute for USP sterile water.
Device Story
DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters are hollow fiber ultrafiltration devices designed for in-line plumbing installation. The device utilizes a polysulfone hollow fiber membrane encased in an ABS housing to remove bacteria, viruses, and endotoxins from EPA-quality drinking water via size exclusion. The filters are used in clinical settings to provide ultrapure water for patient washing, drinking, wound cleansing, and cleaning of medical equipment. The device is operated by healthcare personnel. By reducing biological contaminants, the filters aid in infection control. The device does not require complex software or electronic processing; it functions as a passive mechanical filtration system.
Clinical Evidence
Bench testing only. Performance testing demonstrated retention capabilities: bacteria reduction > 10^11, virus reduction > 10^8, and endotoxin reduction > 10^5. These results were compared against the predicate device, showing equivalent or superior performance in contaminant removal.
Technological Characteristics
Hollow fiber ultrafilter; polysulfone membrane; ABS housing; size exclusion filtration principle; in-line plumbing installation; passive mechanical operation; no energy source; no software.
Indications for Use
Indicated for filtering EPA quality drinking water to provide ultrapure water for patient washing, drinking, wound cleansing, cleaning of medical equipment, and washing of surgeon's hands to aid in infection control. Not for use as a substitute for USP sterile water.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A water purification system for hemodialysis is a device that is intended for use with a hemodialysis system and that is intended to remove organic and inorganic substances and microbial contaminants from water used to dilute dialysate concentrate to form dialysate. This generic type of device may include a water softener, sediment filter, carbon filter, and water distillation system.
Special Controls
*Classification.* Class II (special controls). The device, when it is a water purification subsystem disinfectant, is exempt from the premarket notification procedures in subpart E of part 807 of this chapter subject to the limitations in § 876.9.
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Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Document Control Center - WO66-G609 Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
October 24, 2014
Nephros Incorporated Mr. Jim Summerton Manager Product Development 41 Grand Avenue River Edge, NJ 07661
Re: K141731
Trade/Device Name: DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters Regulation Number: 21 CFR 876.5665 Regulation Name: Water Purification Device, General Medical Use Regulatory Class: II Product Code: NHV Dated: September 24, 2014 Received: September 26, 2014
Dear Mr. Summerton:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device referenced above and have determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food. Drug. and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application (PMA). You may, therefore, market the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration. Please note: CDRH does not evaluate information related to contract liability warranties. We remind you, however, that device labeling must be truthful and not misleading.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it may be subject to additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register.
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Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not mean that FDA has made a determination that your device complies with other requirements of the Act or any Federal statutes and regulations administered by other Federal agencies. You must comply with all the Act's requirements, including, but not limited to: registration and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); medical device reporting (reporting of medical device-related adverse events) (21 CFR 803); good manufacturing practice requirements as set forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the electronic product radiation control provisions (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please contact the Division of Small Manufacturers, International and Consumer Assistance at its tollfree number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 796-7100 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Resourcesfor You/Industry/default.htm. Also, please note the regulation entitled. "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21CFR Part 807.97). For questions regarding the reporting of adverse events under the MDR regulation (21 CFR Part 803), please go to http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/ReportaProblem/default.htm for the CDRH's Office of Surveillance and Biometrics/Division of Postmarket Surveillance.
You may obtain other general information on your responsibilities under the Act from the Division of Small Manufacturers, International and Consumer Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 796-7100 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ResourcesforYou/Industry/default.htm.
Sincerely yours,
Teiashri Purohit-Sheth, M.D.
Tejashri Purohit-Sheth, M.D. Clinical Deputy Director DAGRID/ODE/CDRH FOR
Erin I. Keith, M.S. Director Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital, Respiratory, Infection Control and Dental Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
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## Indications for Use
510(k) Number (if known): K141731
Device Name: DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters
Indications For Use:
The DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters are intended to be used to filter EPA quality drinking water. The filters retain bacteria, viruses and endotoxin. By providing ultrapure water for patient washing and drinking, the filters aid in infection control. The filters produce water that is suitable for wound cleansing, cleaning of equipment used in medical procedures and washing of surgeon's hands. The filters are not intended to provide water that can be used as a substitute for USP sterile water.
Prescription Use _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ AND/OR Over-The-Counter Use _____________
(Part 21 CFR 801 Subpart D)
(21 CFR 801 Subpart C)
(PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE-CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED)
| Concurrence of CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE) | |
|--------------------------------------------------------|--|
|--------------------------------------------------------|--|
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Attachment 3
005: 510(k) Summary
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| Submitter: | Nephros Inc.<br>41 Grand Ave<br>River Edge, NJ 07661<br>Establishment Registration # 3003337893 |
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Contact Person | Jim Summerton, Manager Product Development<br>41 Grand Ave<br>River Edge, NJ 07661<br>201-343-5202 (p)<br>201-343-5207 (f)<br>summerton@nephros.com |
| Date Prepared | September 22, 2014 |
| Trade Name | DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters |
| Proposed Class | Class II |
| Classification Name<br>and Number | 21 CFR Part 876.5665 Water Purification Device, General<br>Medical Use |
| Product Code | NHV |
| Predicate Device | MainStream™ Water Purification Device – K012716 |
| Reference Devices | DSU and SSU Filters – K110285 |
| Device Description | The DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters are hollow fiber ultrafilters<br>that retain bacteria, viruses, endotoxin and particulate from water<br>used for washing and drinking. |
| Intended Use | The DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters are intended to be used to<br>filter EPA quality drinking water. The filters retain bacteria,<br>viruses and endotoxin. By providing ultrapure water for washing<br>and drinking, the filters aid in infection control. The filters<br>produce water that is suitable for wound cleansing, cleaning of<br>equipment used in medical procedures and washing of surgeon's<br>hands. The filters are not intended to provide water that can be<br>used as a substitute for USP sterile water. |
## 510(k) Summary: DSU-H and SSU-H Ultrafilters
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| Summary of the | The proposed device contains a polysulfone hollow fiber |
|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Technological | membrane encased in an ABS housing that retains bacteria, |
| Characteristics | viruses and endotoxin. Retention of contaminants is through size |
| | exclusion. Further details of the technology can be found in |
| | Section 11 'Device Description'. |
| Assessment of Non- | Based on non-clinical performance testing, the DSU-H and SSU- |
| clinical Performance | H Ultrafilters have been found to be substantially equivalent to |
| Data / Substantial | the predicate PrisMedical MainStream Filter (K012716). |
| Equivalence | |
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## SUBJECT - PREDICATE COMPARISON TABLES
| | Subject Device | Predicate Device | Reference Device |
|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 510(k)<br>Number | K141731 | K012716 | K110285 |
| Manufacturer<br>Name | Nephros Inc. | PrisMedical | Nephros Inc. |
| Indications<br>for Use | The DSU-H and SSU-H<br>Ultrafilters are intended<br>to be used to filter EPA<br>quality drinking water.<br>The filters retain<br>bacteria, viruses and<br>endotoxin. By<br>providing ultrapure<br>water for washing and<br>drinking, the filters aid<br>in infection control. The<br>filters produce water<br>that is suitable for<br>wound cleansing,<br>cleaning of equipment<br>used in medical<br>procedures and washing<br>of surgeon's hands. The<br>filters are not intended<br>to provide water that<br>can be used as a<br>substitute for USP<br>sterile water. | To produce from EPA<br>grade drinking water,<br>sterile purified water to<br>be used within 24 hours<br>of collection that is<br>suitable for:<br>- Cleaning and rinsing<br>open wounds<br>- Infection control<br>(cleaning equipment<br>used in medical<br>procedures, medical<br>personnel's hands)<br>- Use as a diluent for<br>enteral, nutritional,<br>oral vaccine, or oral<br>drug preparations<br>- All other uses of<br>sterile purified water<br>the practitioner or<br>clinician deems<br>necessary<br>- Not for parenteral<br>administration | The DSU and SSU<br>Filters are intended to<br>be used to filter water<br>or bicarbonate<br>concentrate used in<br>hemodialysis devices.<br>They assist in<br>providing<br>hemodialysis quality<br>water or bicarbonate<br>concentrate. The<br>device is not a<br>complete water<br>treatment system, but<br>serves to remove<br>biological<br>contaminants.<br>Therefore it must be<br>used in conjunction<br>with other water<br>treatment equipment<br>(RO, DI, etc.). |
| | Subject Device | Predicate Device | Reference Device |
| Operation | | | |
| Feed Water<br>Source | In-line plumbing | Gravity feed | In-line plumbing |
| Use Life | up to 3 Mo. (SSU-H)<br>up to 6 Mo. (DSU-H) | 3 Liters | 1 Year |
| Maximum<br>Inlet Pressure | 75 psi (SSU-H)<br>100 psi (DSU-H) | < 10 psi | 75 psi |
| Flow Rate<br>and Pressure<br>Drop | See Section 18 for<br>subject device flow<br>curves | 30 ml/min at 5 psi | Same as subject<br>device |
| Materials | | | |
| Casing | ABS | Polycarbonate | ABS |
| Filter | Polysulfone | Ultrafiltration Sheet | Polysulfone |
| Element(s) | Ultrafiltration Hollow<br>Fiber | Ultrafiltration<br>Membrane<br>Polypropylene mesh<br>Activated Carbon<br>Deionization Resin<br>Beads | Ultrafiltration Hollow<br>Fiber |
| Retention | | | |
| Bacteria<br>Reduction | > 1011 | > 107 | > 1011 |
| Virus<br>Reduction | > 108 | > 104 | > 108 |
| Endotoxin<br>Reduction | > 105 | > 104 | > 105 |
| Organic<br>Reduction | N/A | TOC reduced to < 1 ppm | N/A |
| Ion Reduction | N/A | > 103 dissociable ions | N/A |
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Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.