[Short-term dialyses using the Rhodial system]

In order to achieve an optimal rehabilitation of patients undergoing dialysis an abbreviation of the periods of dialysis with unchanged frequency of dialysis is necessary, when the patients are widely free of symptoms. Using conventional dialysators we only conditionedly succeed in shortening the time and this is not without any problems. The development of the acrylonitril-membrane (RP 6) and the use in the closed system (Rhodial-system) allows an extreme shortening of the time. It is reported on the use of the Rhodial-system since June 1975. The efficiency of the dialysator (RP 6) in the region of the middle molecules makes possible periods of dialysis of 3 times 3 hours a week in oligo-anuric patients. It is reported on the results of more than 3,000 dialyses in the behaviour of the micromolecular substances, of haemoglobin and haematocrit, blood pressure, polyneuropathy as well as of the subjective behaviour of the patient. These results led to abandoning dialyses with conventional membranes, as far as they transgress the time of dialysis of 9 hours a week.