Performance Characteristics of Hemofilters with Heparin Surface Coating: An Experimental Study

Heparin surface coated hemofilters and tubing sets were evaluated in comparison to identical but uncoated controls in 8 bovine experiments (74±6 kg). No heparin was given (neither systemically nor in the priming fluid). The hemofilters were primed with one liter of Ringer's lactate in both groups and the maximal filter performance (arterial line pressure 300 mmHg; transmembrane pressure (TMP) 500 mmHg) was measured over 6 hours or until filter occlusion. All coated and one control filter remained functional during the scheduled 6 hours. The mean filter patency was 360±0 minutes for coated versus 21 0±99 minutes for uncoated (p<0.01). Mean blood flow at 1 hourand6hours was 675±114and580±96ml/minfor coated versus 432±183 and 25±43 for uncoated (NS; p<0.0l). Mean filter output during the 6th hour and total filter output over 6 hours was 4225±998 ml and 21779±4273 for coated versus 400±692 and 7717±9757 for uncoated (p<0.01; p