Although newly developed polymethylmethacrylate membrane shows better dialysis performance in vivo in single experimental procedures, long term effect by maintenance' dialysis has not been studied.
In this regard we tried long term maintenance dialysis for three patients of renal failure with Toray B-1 Filtryzer (TBF). Two cases were treated with TBF for three months and one for ten months.
As UFRP of TBF is 6.4ml/mmHg/hr, this dialyzer shows better permeability for water and large molecular size substsnces, while permeability for small molecules such as urea is slightly less than cellulose acetate membrane dialyzers.
The sign and symptomes which had been improved with TBF and not with cellulose acetate membrane dialyzer were hypertension, platelet aggregation ability, erythrocyte membrane fragility test determined by coil planet centrifuge system and patients' feeling of well-being.
Although decrease of middle molecule peak was prominent in the appearance of Sephadex G15 gel chromatography, changes of motor nerve conduction velocity was not so significant.
TBF can improved some dialysis-refractory uremic symptomes, but it is still controversial whether characteristic high permeability for water and large molecules is related with the observed clinical results.
