Separation of dialysis and ultrafiltration-does it really help?

Ultrafiltration alone for fluid removal has been used and assessed in a number of clinical studies. A paired study of ultrafiltration alone against haemodialysis has shown that as compared to haemodialysis, ultrafiltration alone within the ultrafiltration rates used is well tolerated. The use of ultrafiltration alone for both acute and chronic fluid overload has been shown to be an ideal therapeutic procedure. In a third study using the Rhodial 75 system and RP6 dialyser in a group of non-fluid-overloaded patients the separation in time of ultrafiltration from haemodialysis has shown no obvious advantages over regular haemodialysis.