Introducing Evodial – the world’s first heparin-grafted membrane
Interactions between blood components, the extracorporeal circuit and air may induce the activation of several biological reactions, thereby leading to clotting. During routine hemodialysis, the blood’s tendency to clot is prevented by applying anticoagulation procedures, often involving the use of heparin. Although end-stage renal disease patients may benefit from reduced heparin administration during dialysis, it is important to also address the potential increased risk of clotting instances. Today’s first presentation discussed the potential benefits and initial clinical experiences of using Evodial, a newly developed heparin-grafted membrane from Gambro, to achieve those dual objectives. Professor Michèle Kessler from the University Hospital of Nancy (Hôpital Brabois), France, chaired the symposium:
“The dialysis patient population is ageing, suffering from various co-morbidities and becoming more and more fragile. The Evodial dialyzer, equipped with a heparin-grafted membrane, is an innovation that should provide us with new opportunities to improve treatment tolerance. Patients that could benefit from the systemic heparinization reduction allowed by this new therapeutic option are primarily the ones with poor cardiovascular status, dyslipidemia, diabetes and hypercoagulability due to inflammatory status.”
High cut off technology – a unique possibility to recover renal function in Myeloma kidney patients
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer where malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow over-produce serum free light chains. The presence of abnormally high concentrations of serum free light chains in the blood is a major cause of acute renal failure and aggressive free light chain removal have been seen to be beneficial for those patients suffering from that condition. Gambro’s High cut off membrane products, HCO 1100 and Theralite, have proved to be particularly effective for this type of removal. The second speaker at the symposium, Dr. Paul Cockwell, Department of Nephrology, Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre, Birmingham, UK, presented initial clinical results achieved with this therapy approach:
“Historically, patients with Cast nephropathy (Myeloma kidney) that require dialysis have very low rates of renal recovery. However a recent study shows that 70% of patients treated with High-cut off therapy in this setting recover independent renal function. This exciting data indicates the potential of HCO-HD to improve patient outcomes in this specific disease.”
For further information, please contact:
Maria Lundbäck, Director External Communications Gambro,
tel. +46 705 13 6534
More information is also available at www.gambro.com