Slow continuous ultrafiltration (SCUF)--the safe and efficient treatment for patients with cardiac failure and fluid overload.

Slow Continuous ultrafiltration (SCUF) was first used in 1980 as an alternative mode of fluid removal for patients with oliguric acute renal dysfunction from whatever causes. The advantage of this treatment is that haemodynamic parameters remain stable in the presence of significant removal of fluid. We are describing our experience in 7 patients [age: 57 +/- 9 years; 4 male, 3 female] with cardiac failure and fluid overload who had undergone 8 sessions of SCUF. All of them had renal impairment and were resistant to diuretics. Blood lines were attached to a Kawasumi Renak-E dialyser (Cuprophane membrane) in series using Gambro AK10 dialysis blood pump. The following parameters were monitored: Blood pump (Qb): 175 +/- 26 ml/min, time (T): 393 +/- minutes. Venous pressure averaged a55 +/- 24 mmHg. We achieved ultrafiltration of 2,189 +/- 699 ml/session or 5.5 +/- 1.7 ml/hr. There was no significant change in blood pressure [systolic pre: 143 +/- 14, post: 136 +/- 13 mmHg, not significant; diastolic pre: 87 +/- 10, post: 83 + 10 mmHg, not significant and pulse rate [pre: 87 +/- 9 vs post: 84 +/- 2 per minute, not significant. Heparin dosage averaged 274 +/- 26 IU/hr during the SCUF. We conclude that SCUF is beneficial to diuretic resistant patients with cardiac failure and fluid overload in whom dialysis treatment is not required.