Continuous Arteriovenous Hemofiltration
A Report of Six Months' Experience
Abstract
Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration using small hollow-fiber hemofilters, without pumps, was used as an alternative to conventional methods of acute dialytic therapy. During a 6-month period, 15 patients had 17 treatments. Mean treatment duration was 98.5 ± 101.1 (SD) hours (range, 4 to 300 hours), for a total of 1673 hours. Mean output per treatment was 9.5 ± 4.4 mL/min, which was found to be adequate to control uremia despite a considerable protein intake. Six patients had a significant hemorrhage; however, all 6 had active bleeding and existing coagulopathies before beginning treatment. Overall, continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration was found to be a convenient and safe method for providing continuous fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance in patients with inadequate renal function. The treatment was particularly useful in patients with vascular instability or severe fluid overload.
Article and Author Information
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▸From the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, The Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Bronx, New York.
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Grant support: in part by Training Grant AM-07089 from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Folkert is a recipient of the Martha Lyon Slater Grant-In-Aid for Research from the New York Heart Association.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Andre A. Kaplan, M.D.; Division of Nephrology, The University of Connecticut Health Center, School of Medicine; Farmington, CT 06032.
- © 1984 American College of Physicians
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