Vascular Access Blood Flow Estimation Based On Standardized Extracorporeal Blood Flow in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Measurement of vascular access flow (Qa) is a recommendation in the care of hemodialysis patients. We developed an observational study to answer the following question: Can access blood flow be estimated?Methods: This observational study was carried out in the hemodialysis unit of the José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital in Cuenca-Ecuador. The sample calculation was 41 cases. Patients older than 17 years with stage 5d chronic renal failure and vascular access with arteriovenous fistula were included. The variables were descriptive of the population: Qa and extracorporeal blood flow (Qb). Qa measurement was performed with the Transonic ® monitor. Qb was measured at dynamic arterial line pressures (DALPs) of -60 mmHg, -100 mmHg, -160 mmHg, and -200 mmHg. The correlation coefficient "r" was obtained between Qa and Qb. SPSS 22.0 was used to analyze the information and perform a linear regression equation to estimate access blood flow (eQa).Results: Fifty-seven patients aged 62.9 ± 12.7 years with 29.4 ± 33 months on hemodialysis were included; 23 women (40.3%) and 45.6% had diabetic nephropathy. Fistulas were seen in 40 cases in the left upper limb (70.2%) and 17 (29.8%) in the right upper limb. The prevalence of aneurysms was 10.5%. The 50th percentile of Qb was 415 mL/min with a DALP of -200 mmHg. The mean access flow was 1516 ± 878 ml/min. The correlation between Qb and Qa was statistically more significant between Qb and DALP of -200 mmHg. The association had a coefficient Rs = 0.643 (IC 0.453 to 0.771) P <0.0001. The estimated access flow eQa = (Qb at DALP of -200 mmHg (mL/min) * 16.63) - 5449.71.Conclusions: It was possible to estimate access blood flow with parameters for easy intradialysis measurements. The equation obtained, if applied to the same patient with the same DALP, could become a useful parameter for monitoring vascular access.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00522704. Registered 14 March 2008, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00522704

Membrane Oxygenator for Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation

Extracorporeal blood oxygenation has become an alternative to supply O2 and remove CO2 from the bloodstream, especially when mechanical ventilation provides insufficient oxygenation. The use of a membrane oxygenator offers the advantage of lower airway pressure than a mechanical ventilator to deliver oxygen to the patient’s blood. However, research and development are still needed to find appropriate membrane materials, module configuration, and to optimize hydrodynamic conditions for achieving high efficient gas transfer and excellent biocompatibility of the membrane oxygenator. This review aims to provide a comprehensive description of the basic principle of the membrane oxygenator and its development. It also discusses the role and challenges in the use of membrane oxygenators for extracorporeal oxygenation on respiratory and cardiac failure patients.

Use of extracorporeal blood purification therapy (ECBPT) as an adjuvant to high-dose corticosteroids in a severely ill COVID-19 patient with concomitant bacterial infection

COVID-19 presents with a spectrum of severity, ranging from asymptomatic or mild symptoms to those with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Corticosteroids are widely used for their efficacy in reducing inflammatory responses. However, its use may be limited to patients with immunosuppression. An adjunct therapy for cytokine storm in COVID-19 is extracorporeal blood purification therapies using high adsorptive filters, such as oXiris, to remove cytokines. We share our experience in using continuous renal replacement therapy with oXiris haemofilter as a temporising measure to high-dose corticosteroids in managing cytokine storm in a deteriorating COVID-19 patient with concomitant bacterial infection.

Application of combined hemadsorption with eculizumab as rescue treatment of a pediatric patient with multiple organ failure related to severe hemolytic uremic syndrome

Many different extracorporeal blood purification techniques have been proposed in critically ill adult patients with sepsis and sepsis-like syndromes. In this context, hemoperfusion devices such as CytoSorb have been recently approved for extracorporeal cytokine removal. In the neonatal and pediatric setting however, the application of this method brings with it various challenges including profound technical difficulties with data for its application in critically ill pediatric patients remaining sparse. We present a case of a 2-year-old female patient affected by severe Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli-hemolytic uremic syndrome (STECHUS) admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with anuria, hemodynamic instability and severe neurological deterioration. By using a combined “rescue” therapy regimen with hemodiafiltration, hemadsorption (CytoSorb), plasmapheresis (PEX) and Eculizumab, the patient could be successfully stabilized, accompanied by a control of the hyperinflammatory response and an improvement in the neurological condition, finally leading to recovery. In pediatric patient extracorporeal blood purification techniques might potentially represent a promising adjuvant therapeutic option for the complications related to hemolytic uremic syndrome and hyperinflammation, but further studies are needed.

Extracorporeal blood purification is appropriate in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and multi-organ failure: COMMENTARY

This is an Early Access article. Please select the PDF button, above, to view it. Be sure to also read the PRO: 10.34067/KID.0006632020 and the CON: 10.34067/KID.0007382020

Extracorporeal blood purification is appropriate in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and multi-organ failure: PRO

This is an Early Access article. Please select the PDF button, above, to view it. Be sure to also read the CON: 10.34067/KID.0007382020 and the COMMENTARY 10.34067/KID.0005242021