Comparison of a new parallel-flow, plate dialyser and a hollow fibre dialyser

A new, low-price, parallel-flow, plate dialyser--the LPP dialyser--has been compared with a hollow fibre dialyser--the C-DAK dialyser. At dialysate flows of 510-680 ml/min and blood flows 140-200 ml/min the clearances of urea, creatinine and uric acid were 30-40 ml/min greater in the C-DAK dialyser. In the patients the mean creatinine at end of dialysis increased 1.7 mg% during treatment with the LPP dialyser. The ultrafiltration rate was found to be greater in the LPP dialyser than in the C-DAK dialyser. No membrane ruptures were observed in 200 LPP dialysers compared to 2 of 1200 C-DAK dialysers. The mean residual blood volume was 6.4 ml in the LPP dialyser + blood lines and 5.3 ml in the C-DAK dialyser + blood lines. The difference is insignificant. The LPP dialyser may be useful when dialysis is carried out frequency and when overhydration is a major problem.