There are many medical situations that require removal of fluid from a
patient. There are many ways to remove the fluid but many of these
situations have not been solved. Herein, inventions are disclosed that
generate osmotic pressure that can be used to remove these fluids very
effectively, a technique which requires no harsh suction or pumping. One
embodiment involves implanting a reservoir that has a semipermeable
membrane sidewall. The reservoir contains trapped osmotic solutes that
can not pass out through the membrane. But fluid from the patient can
flow in. The osmotic pressure from the trapped solutes in the reservoir
draws fluid from the patient across the semipermeable membrane and into
the device. In some versions, the membrane can be changed as desired
during the lifetime of the device by pulling the membrane out through the
implanted device and putting a new one back in.