Hemofiltration

Hemofiltration (pronounced: hee-mo-fil-tray-shun) is a renal replacement therapy often used in the intensive care unit setting to treat acute kidney injury.

Etymology

The term "hemofiltration" is derived from the Greek words "haima" meaning blood, and the English word "filtration", referring to the process of filtering impurities.

Definition

Hemofiltration is a process that uses a dialyzer to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are not functioning properly. It is a form of renal replacement therapy that is often used in the intensive care unit setting to treat acute kidney injury.

Procedure

In hemofiltration, blood is passed through a set of tubing (a dialyzer) to a machine that filters out waste products and excess fluid. The cleaned blood is then returned to the body. The process is similar to the natural function of the kidneys, but it is performed externally.

Related Terms

Dialyzer: A medical device that performs the function of a kidney by filtering waste products and excess fluid from the blood.
Renal replacement therapy: Any therapy that replaces the normal blood-filtering function of the kidneys.
Acute kidney injury: A sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days.
Intensive care unit: A department of a hospital where critically ill patients are housed for treatment by specialized staff.