Evaluation of the pressure variation and lifetime of a newly developed asymmetric triacetate membrane hemofilter

Abstract

While the asymmetric triacetate (ATA) membrane, a novel hemofilter, has the potential to achieve an extended membrane lifetime given its high biocompatibility, this has not been investigated in clinical settings. The present study aimed to determine the stability of internal circuit pressure and membrane lifetime of the ATA membrane in clinical use with a retrospective case-control design. Patients who underwent continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) after cardiac surgery due to acute kidney injury for more than 24 hours were divided into two groups based on the type of membrane used: the ATA group (n=15) and the cellulose triacetate (CTA) group (n=14). Patient characteristics, intra-circuit pressure variations, and membrane lifetime at 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours from the start of CRRT were compared between the two groups. There was no significant difference in patient characteristics except hematocrit. The rate of change in TMP at 24 hours from the start of CRRT were significantly higher in the CTA group. There was no significant difference in membrane lifetime. These results suggest that the ATA membrane has more stable circuit pressure compared to the CTA membrane in clinical use. A future study will be necessary to observe and compare these membranes for more than 24 hours.