Inconsequence of membrane choice in acute renal failure?

The choice of hemodialysis membrane in acute renal failure has caused a heated debate, principally because of the dogmatism with which the results of preliminary clinical studies have been translated into prescription dictum. The issue, however, is not merely the limitations of these two studies, but rather the shift in emphasis they may have engendered in the approach to dialytic therapy in acute renal failure. Dogmatism based on limited or flawed data does not serve the interests of our patients, and the issue of hemodialysis in acute renal failure is far more complex than the exaggerated importance of membrane choice.