Hemodialysis in children: principles and practice.

Hemodialysis has benefited from major progress over the last decade, improvements in technology and in clinical management. The morbidity over the sessions have decreased, seizures being exceptional, hypotensive episodes or headaches rare and pain related to the fistula puncture is effectively prevented by xylocaine ointment. The development of urea kinetic modeling allows the calculation of the dialysis dose Kt/V, and an indirect assessment of the protein intake. Even if the validity of these parameters are questioned their analyse provides an assessment and therefore is a "good thing." The patient also benefited from the technological revolution. The newer machines provide for precise control of ultrafiltration volumetrically assessed, buffered bicarbonate became a standard technique, biocompatible and highly efficient membranes and specific material available for infants have been developed. More recently the concept of ultrapure dialysate, ie, free of microbiological contamination, germs and endotoxins was developed, as was the availability of continuous blood volume monitoring during the session. The hemodiafiltration modality especially with the on line concept, because of all the advantages, should not be limited only to patients at risk. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company