Home Dialysis Central
...everything you need to know about doing dialysis at home.
Dialysis museum
Here we present a chronological tour of dialysis from the beginning.
All photos by Jim Curtis; descriptions courtesy of Baxter.
C-DAK Artificial Kidneys (Hollow Fiber Dialyzers)
The first presterilized, ready to use “Capillary Artificial Kidney” was made with a new capillary membrane called Cuprophan™.
The dialysis community was looking for artificial kidneys with increased efficiency. The way this objective was accomplished was by using more fibers in the device. As a result, the size of the artificial kidney began to grow. Later models of this type of device would utilize a thinner wall membrane that would allow for fewer fibers and a smaller size artificial kidney.
Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Cycler
The Baxter (Travenol Laboratories back then) “Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Cycler” introduced in 1984. When patients got tired of doing their own exchanges, Baxter automated the process so it would all happen at night. No-one called it the Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Cycler—too many words. It was called simply the PacX because the tubing setup made a X on the front panel.
Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters
- The Goldberg catheter (A) was designed to prevent migration by the inflation of a small balloon in the distal portion of the catheter. Inflation was achieved by pumping air into the side arm on the proximal end of the catheter.
- This unique peritoneal catheter (B) contains a housing around the distal end of the catheter to prevent omentum interference. There are two rings inside the housing to prevent collapse. It is called the “Valli” catheter and was manufactured in Italy.
- This curled catheter (C) has a weight at the distal end of the catheter to help keep the catheter down into the pelvic gutter. It is an early version of the Tecnkhoff curled catheter that uses Dacron™ cuffs.
- This is a prototype of a catheter (D) with a silver collar designed to be placed at the exit site. Silver was selected because of its antibacterial properties.
- This is a prototype catheter (E) with a stainless steel collar designed to secure the exit site to prevent infection.
- The Valli catheter (F) was designed to prevent omental interference.
- Early prototype of the Toronto Western catheter (G).
Di Paolo N, Patrini G, Garosi G, Buoncristiani U, Brardi S, Monaci G. A new self-locating peritoneal catheter. Perit Dial Int. 1996; 16: 623-627.
Goldberg EM, Hill W. A new peritoneal access prosthesis. Proc Clin Dial Transplant Forum. 1973; 3: 122-5.
Valli A, Androtti C, Degetto P, Midiri R, Mazzon M, Rovati C, Valentini A, Crescimanno U, Depaoli Vitali E, Manili L, Camerini C. 48-months’ experience with Valli-2 catheter. Adv Perit Dial. 1988; 4: 292-7.
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