USEFULNESS OF A NONMACHINERY BASED SYSTEM FOR THE REINFUSION OF CELL-FREE AND CONCENTRATED AUTOGENOUS ASCITIC FLUID

A nonmachinery based system using gravity dependent flow for the treat ment: and reinfusion of ascitic fluid was developed-and its usefulness was assessed. In a preliminary study using bovine plasma, samples wit h protein concentrations below 5.0 g/dl were round to be treatable wit h this system. Bovine plasma containing blood, prepared to 0.5% hemato crit and with a protein concentration of 3.0 g/dl, was also treatable, We conducted a clinical study of 1,799 treatment sessions (1,495 usin g a machinery based system and 304 using a nonmachinery based system) of 343 patients with ascites refractory to various treatments. The rec overy ratio of protein from the original ascitic fluid was 96% using t he nonmachinery based system and 77% with the machinery based system ( p < 0.01). Of 253 continuous reinfusions of ascitic fluid using the no nmachinery based system, the original ascitic fluid at protein concent rations below 2.5 g/dl was treatable. Original ascitic fluid below a h ematocrit of (0.7% (protein concentration. 1.4 g/dl) was also treatabl e. This new procedure was simple and time and labor saving; the high r ecovery ratio of protein also demonstrated tile usefulness of the new system.