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Updated: May 21, 2026

Direct Drug Delivery to Kidney via the Renal Artery
Published on: April 17, 2021
Hemodialysis with a dialyzer loaded with argatroban may be performed in vivo without a systemic anticoagulant
Yixiong Zhang1, Jianping Ning, Pouranan Veeraragoo
1Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
Background/Aims:
Anticoagulation in hemodialysis (HD) patients at high risk of bleeding remains an intractable problem. Simulating endothelial cells by releasing anticoagulant on the membrane may be a promising alternative.
Methods:
We modified a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) dialyzer by loading argatroban into its membrane and verified its anticoagulation efficiency and its influence on coagulation markers such as activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), D-dimer and thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) in an animal HD model.
Results:
All HD sessions with the argatroban dialyzer were completed successfully with either no or minimal fiber clotting. D-dimer was lower in the argatroban group than in the PAN group; TAT and aPTT values were similar in the two groups, which suggests better anticoagulation and a similar influence on the coagulation system.
Conclusion:
HD with the argatroban dialyzer is feasible, safe and simple, and could be used in patients at high risk of bleeding.
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