I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: MooseMom on July 11, 2011, 09:35:37 PM
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OK, so, this is a rather technical question, but I'm still curious. I've been doing some reading and have read about different materials that dialyzers can be made of, namely
Cellulose (which is not biocompatible so seems not to be in general use anymore)
Cellulose acetate, diacetate or triacetate
Polysulfone
Polyethersulfone
Polyester polymer alloy (PEPA)
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), which I understand is not yet in use in the US.
So, dialyzers of which kind of material listed above are most used, and why? Are there vast differences between results gained by one material over another? Does one cause less inflammation than others? Why isn't PMMA available in the US? Will it be available any time soon? Is it vastly better than anything we get in the US? Thanks for any insight on this; I know it's probably a bit squirrely, but so it goes.
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I really dont know what type of material that Nxstage uses or if they have different filters..... I know when I was in center there were a couple of people who had to have a special filter.... but for the most part I beleive everyone uses the same type.... I am pretty sure we dont have choices regarding filter material.... if you have a certain problem then I guess YOUR Doctor will precribe a different filter... I am sure its a one filter fits all like most of the other stuff in dialysis.... choice doesnt seem to be popular in dialysis....
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Ok I'm a chemist by training but I was lousy at organic chemistry which is what this is. I suspect that PMMA is not used because of cost more than anything else. Chemically, your first 2 are related and your second 2 are related, think siblings. Some differences but not much.
I honestly think that as dialyzers they all work pretty much the same. You need a membrane to do the filter work. While they might have small differences, chemically the differences may not even be significant. That's the scientific significant which may not mean what you think it means.
The companies that make the dialysis machine contract with someone for this chemical and the usual factors of cost and availability come into play. You also get exclusivity contracts so another manufacturer of a similar machine has to use a different chemical.
But I used to work in pharmaceuticals so if you have a question about that I might have a more coherent answer.