Dialytic therapy of acute renal failure.
On the basis of experience with dialysis therapy of 1000 patients with acute renal failure in the years from 1955 to 1985 the most important aspects of the treatment were discussed. The precise incidence of acute renal failure is not known. It seems that a number of patients die without being diagnosed. Dialysis therapy is indicated when blood urea concentration exceeds 30 mmol/L and/or serum potassium concentration is higher than 6.5 mmol/L, when patients are over-hydrated or show first signs of uremia. Hemodialysis remains the gold standard among all methods of blood purification. Catheterization of subclavian veins is the most advantageous access to circulation for hemodialysis. Majority of medical complications due to renal failure as well as technical ones may be avoided. Mortality is still high and has not changed in 30 years in spite of medical and technical improvement of treatment because of higher proportion of patients with uncurable underlying disease and higher age. Therapy of patients with acute renal failure should be centralized. No patient, should die of renal failure and its complications.