Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy provides concise, evidence-based, bedside guidance for the management of critically ill patients with acute renal failure, offering quick reference answers to clinicians' questions about treatments and situations encountered in daily practice.

A comprehensive reference covering all aspects of the clinical management of adult and child dialysis patients. This edition includes seven new chapters including one on EPO use in dialysis patients and one on the HIV positive patient.

Hemodialysis (HD) is the commonest form of kidney replacement therapy worldwide with a prevalence rate close to 90%. Despite significant improvements in HD techniques and related devices and solutions, the cardiovascular and all-cause mortality of HD patients remains unacceptably elevated. More recently, there have been significant improvements in the creation and maintenance of vascular access as well as the knowledge of types, classification, and monitoring of uremic toxins and their relationship with inflammation, atherosclerosis and vascular classification, and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. More interesting is the innovation in dialysis membranes/dialyzers, which resulted in the creation of the medium cut-off membrane, which enables the safe, simple, and effective removal of middle- and large-sized uremic toxins. This type of HD treatment is called expanded hemodialysis (HDx) therapy, which so far has resulted in significant improvement in the quality of life of HD patients as well as reductions in hospitalization, medications, and non-fatal cardiovascular events. Updates on Hemodialysis discusses these innovations and how they can be used to improve daily practice and achieve the best possible medical outcomes in HD patients.

The revised, updated Fourth Edition of this popular handbook provides practical, accessible information on all aspects of dialysis, with emphasis on day-to-day management of patients. Chapters provide complete coverage of hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, special problems in dialysis patients, and problems pertaining to various organ systems. This edition reflects the latest guidelines of the National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis adequacy and on nutrition. New chapters cover chronic kidney disease management in predialysis patients, frequent daily or nocturnal hemodialysis, and hemodiafiltration. Chapters on venous and arteriovenous access have been completely revised. Each chapter provides references to relevant Web sites.

Despite constant significant advances, cardiovascular as well as more general outcomes of hemodialysis treatment remain unsatisfactory. The introduction of innovative 'high retention onset' membranes has led to the development of a new treatment modality called 'expanded hemodialysis' (HDx), which is the focus of this book. This new therapy is likely to benefit end-stage kidney disease patients, thanks to enhanced removal of molecules retained by current dialysis techniques. HDx is simple to set up and application does not require special hardware or specific nursing skills. This book contains emerging evidence and fascinating new hypotheses on HDx. It is highly recommended for all physicians and healthcare professionals who are caring for dialysis patients and are seeking innovation and improved care solutions. It will also be of considerable interest to students and fellows.

This book contains notable contributions from the well-known Vicenza course on hemodialysis and miniaturized wearable devices for renal replacement therapy. The main themes covered in this publication include cardio-renal syndromes as well as new technologies in hemodialysis, new dialysis membranes and techniques, the importance of vitamin D receptors in renal and extra-renal physiology, and the control of risk factors such as blood pressure and lipid disorders. Special interest is placed on new models of organization including large dialysis networks and health care economics. Moreover, acute kidney injury and its impact on the subsequent development of chronic kidney disease are discussed together with the use of modern biomarkers. Microfluidics, nanotechnology and miniaturized dialysis devices suitable for wearable ambulatory treatments are also covered in depth. The publication at hand is a useful tool for consultation by the clinician as well as for those involved in the care of patients with end-stage kidney disease.

For more than a generation haemodialysis has been the principal method of treating patients with both acute and chronic renal failure. Initially, developments and improvements in the system were highly technical and relevant to only a relatively small number of specialists in nephrology. More recently, as advances in therapy have dem onstrated the value of haemofiltration in the intensive therapy unit and haemoperfusion for certain types of poisoning, the basic principles of haemodialysis have been perceived as important in many areas of clinical practice. In this volume, the potential advantages of bicarbonate haemo dialysis are objectively assessed, the technical and clinical aspects of both haemofiltration and haemoperfusion discussed and the con tinuing problems associated with such extra corporeal circuits analysed. All the chapters have been written by recognized experts in their field. The increasing availability of highly technical facilities for appropriately selected patients should ensure that the information contained in the book is relevant not only to nephrologists but to all practising clinicians. ABOUT THE EDITOR Dr Graeme R. D. Catto is Professor in Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Aberdeen and Honorary Consultant Phy sician/Nephrologist to the Grampian Health Board. His current inter est in transplant immunology was stimulated as a Harkness Fellow at Harvard Medical School and the Peter Bent Brighton Hospital, Boston, USA. He is a member of many medical societies including the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland, the Renal Association and the Transplantation Society.