Abstract
Intracapillary clotting tendency is a disadvantage in capillary type artificial kidney, not only because of possible deterioration of dialysis performance, but also because of resultant augmentation of residual blood volume.
In vitro examination of blood flow distribution performed in Cordis Dow HFAK Model 4 shows that blood flow rate is merely 1/4 to 1/5 less in a central portion of a capillary bundle than peripheral.
Concurrently, there is a characteristic tendency that obstruction of capillaries due to clotting occurs more frequently in central capillaries than peripheral capillaries of HFAK clinically used.
Considering that thrombus tends to develop in slow velocity on a foreign surface and blood will be more concentrated in central capillaries by ultrafiltration than peripheral capillaries, it is concluded that uneven distribution of blood flow is a acausative factor of “central clotting” of HFAK examined.
