First Clinical Experience with the Artificial Kidney

Vascular Access for Hemodialysis

“…Venipuncture needles were used as means for blood acquisition from the femoral artery and its reinfusion to the patient by vein puncture, in 1943 by Kolff W. [12,13]. Regular hemodialysis treatments were possible in 1950s through the use of a medical apparatus (Kolff 's twin-coil kidney [14] ), thus projecting the problem of a reliable, capable of repeated use vascular access. Nowadays, the artery-side-to-vein-end-anastomosis has become a standard procedure [15].…”

A Study of Various Angioaccess in Haemodialysis Patients

“…In the 1950s, the technical devices were available for regular haemodialysis treatments, e.g. Kolff's so-called twin-coil kidney 5 but, the Achilles heel was a reliable access to the circulation for multiple use which did not yet exist. Vascular access is not only the obvious 'Achilles heel' of hemodialysis (HD) but it is also the quiet undercurrent of trends in patient outcomes.…”

RRT in AKI: Start Early or Wait?

“…At its inception, hemodialysis was reserved for patients facing imminent uremic death (1). Soon thereafter, the concept of prophylactic dialysis was advanced (2), and over the past half century, initiation of RRT before the onset of overt uremic symptoms has become well established.…”