Extracorporeal Blood Purification Systems

Abstract

The increase in the number of chronic kidney disease patients has encouraged the development of hemodialysis as a routine therapy. Basic improvements in the dialysis system, from the membrane and the tubing system to the dialysis monitor, have laid the basis for this development. The understanding of underlying control variables and their settings in terms of optimal therapy has also led to reduction of side effects that used to occur and therefore improved the quality of life and reduced mortality [31.1]. Innovative processes associated with the analysis of individual physiological patient parameters use feedback systems and control realized in the dialysis machine. These are currently state of the art. Using bioimpedance procedures, precise monitoring of the water balance of patients is possible. Even patients with liver failure currently use extracorporeal blood purification procedures. In contrast to hemodialysis, one uses protein-permeable membranes with which albumin-bound toxins are filtered. Their purification of the filtrate is then achieved by adsorber columns. Clinical studies have confirmed the efficacy of this procedure. Extracorporeal blood purification will, therefore, play a central role in renal and hepatic organ failure in the future.