THE SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF ACUTE RENAL FAILURE BY PERITONEAL IRRIGATION

Abstract

Acute renal failure in which irreversible changes have not occurred in the kidneys is not an uncommon condition, and the mortality in such cases is tragically high because of the accumulation of substances which are normally excreted by the kidneys. A considerable reduction in this mortality may be expected by an artificial means of removing these substances, thereby prolonging life while the kidneys recover sufficiently to resume function. Such an artificial method is applicable to numerous conditions which cause acute renal failure: transfusion reaction, toxicity to sulfonamide compounds, poisoning with heavy metals, toxemia of pregnancy and severe trauma. The idea of artificial removal of the substances ordinarily excreted by the kidneys is not new. Abel, Rowntree and Turner 1 in 1914 demonstrated a method of dialyzing these substances from the circulating blood of living animals by a system of celloidin tubes interposed in the vascular system. Putnam 2 in 1923