Continuous arteriovenous hemodialysis in critically ill infants.

Continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) and continuous arteriovenous hemodialysis (CAVHD) were performed in 6 critically ill infants with hypervolemia and anuria using the Amicon Minifilter and Minifilter plus. The ultrafiltration rates produced during CAVH and CAVHD were 2.1 +/- 0.3 and 1.7 +/- 0.4 ml/min/m2 and the urea clearances were 2.0 +/- 0.4 and 6.6 +/- 1.4 ml/min/m2. Serum creatinine and urea levels increased during CAVH and decreased during CAVHD. Both treatment modes were well tolerated by all infants. CAVHD is superior to CAVH in terms of urea clearance and maintains all advantages of CAVH such as simplicity and safety.