[Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration for the treatment of acute kidney failure]

Continuous arterio-venous haemofiltration (CAVH), a simple technique not employing pumps, was used for treatment of acute renal failure in 25 intensive care patients (mean age 52 +/- 16 [SD] years). Acute renal failure was due to trauma in 9 patients, occurred after surgery in 7 patients and was related to septicaemia in 5 patients, peritonitis in 2 patients and pancreatitis in one patient; in one patient acute renal failure developed during pregnancy after preexisting renal disease. Seventeen patients were oliguric and 8 patients were non-oliguric, with a mean daily urine output of 507 +/- 407 ml. At the start of CAVH the serum creatinine level was 511 +/- 198 mumol/l. The duration of treatment with CAVH was 1 to 36 days (average 9.3 days). Access to the circulation was by cannulation of the femoral artery and vein in 23 patients and by Scribner shunt in 2 patients. After an initial systemic dose of 2000 IU heparin, a continuous infusion of 250-1000 IU/hr into the arterial blood line was administered, adjusted to a partial thrombin time of 58 +/- 28 sec. With this heparin regimen a single haemofilter could be used for an average time of 2.6 +/- 1.2 days. The mean spontaneous filtration rate was 6 +/- 2 ml/min, resulting in the following serum levels: creatinine 490 +/- 187 mumol/l; urea 39 +/- 12.5 mmol/l; potassium 4.5 +/- 0.5 mmol/l. Nine catheter-associated complications occurred in 5 patients. The most important aspect of CAVH was its simplicity, optimal control of fluid balance and the possibility of unlimited parenteral nutrition. Uremia was adequately and continuously controlled. Prognosis of ARF was related to the patients' underlying illness.