[Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration in acute postoperative and post-traumatic kidney failure]

Acute renal failure of 40 patients with polytrauma or abdominal surgery was treated by continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration. The excretory function of the kidney could be replaced by the method. Spontaneous urine excretion recurred in five patients after an interval of 11.3 days. The best survival rate was in patients with acute renal failure after bleeding shock. Contrary to the conventional hemodialysis no special personal or apparatus besides the hemofilter is necessary. Thus, continuous hemofiltration is not withheld from patients that can not be moved to dialysis.