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Usefulness of a Nonmachinery Based System for the Reinfusion of Cell‐Free and Concentrated Autogenous Ascitic Fluid
Author(s) -
Katoh Shuji,
Kojima Takao,
Itoh Kazuki,
Yoneyama Satoshi,
Ida Kazunori,
Nakaji Shuhei
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1997.tb00483.x
Subject(s) - ascitic fluid , chemistry , medicine , surgery , ascites
A nonmachinery based system using gravity dependent flow for the treatment and reinfusion of ascitic fluid was developed, and its usefulness was assessed. In a preliminary study using bovine plasma, samples with protein concentrations below 5.0 g/dl were found to be treatable with this system. Bovine plasma containing blood, prepared to 0.5% hematocrit and with a protein concentration of 3.0 g/dl, was also treatable. We conducted a clinical study of 1,799 treatment sessions (1,495 using a machinery based system and 304 using a nonmachinery based system) of 343 patients with ascites refractory to various treatments. The recovery ratio of protein from the original ascitic fluid was 96% using the nonmachinery based system and 77% with the machinery based system (p < 0.01). Of 253 continuous reinfusions of ascitic fluid using the nonmachinery based system, the original ascitic fluid at protein concentrations below 2.5 g/dl was treatable. Original ascitic fluid below a hematocrit of 0.7% (protein concentration, 1.4 g/dl) was also treatable. This new procedure was simple and time and labor saving; the high recovery ratio of protein also demonstrated the usefulness of the new system.