A hemodialysis apparatus based on biologically active dialysate

Abstract

Hepatic and renal insufficiency caused by ionizing radiation, bums, injuries, infectious diseases, intoxication, narcomania, etc. may induce metabolic and toxemic damage to the human body. In Russia, more than 200,000 patients regularly undergo therapy for renal insufficiency, and there is a 10% yearly increase in the number of such patients. Conventional methods of therapeutic detoxication decrease the mortality rate in patients with these diseases by only 20%. Hemodialysis and ultrafittration of blood involves mass exchange between the patient's blood and a dialysate through semipermeable membrane. There are presently standards for parameters of automatic extracorporeal blood clearance, blood perfusion, and specifications of massexchange devices (hemodialyzers, hemofilters, plasma filters, and blood conducting manifolds). The optimal composition of dialysate and parameters of its transport are also well known [1]. Modern hemodialysis devices are equipped with microprocessor control, and all components of these devices contacting with sterile physiological media are disposable. This provides reproducibility of results of hemodialysis and excludes virtually completely the adverse effects of the devices on the patient's state. However, the problem of improvement of quality of artificial clearance of blood (up to the efficacy of normal clearance in a healthy human body) remains to be solved. In the mid 1950s, both in Russia and abroad experimental studies were directed toward development of an artificial liver. This device was intended to partially replace the functions of damaged liver by making use of modified swine hepatocytes as an artificial detoxicating medium.