[Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration in the newborn infant]

We present 12 newborns with acute renal failure (ARF) of different etiologies that were treated with continuous arterio-venous hemofiltration (CAVH).

Gestational age and birth weight ranged from 26-42 weeks and 700-4, 700 grams, respectively. The umbilical artery and vein were most frequently used as vascular accesses. Two types of filters were used: Gambro FH 22 and Amicon Minifilter.

Treatment lasted from 8 to 120 hours. We obtained an ultrafiltration median of 25 ml/h ranging from 10.75 mL/h to 82.8 mL/h (4.1-31.8 mL/k/h). The volume balance was negative in all patients. Treatment was well tolerated. Complications included hypotension when the system was started and hypoglycemia. CAVH was stopped because of normalization of renal function in 6 cases and death in the other 6. In the latter, cardiac malformation was the cause of death in 3 cases and multiple organ failure in the other 3.

CAVH is useful is the treatment of ARF in the oligoanuric newborn.