Although theoretically an ideal form of treatment, hemodiafiltration (HDF) has not been widely used because it was considered to be impractical. However, the increasing sophistication of HDF techniques - on-line HDF and push/pull HDF - has made this form of treatment a viable alternative to conventional hemodialysis (HD). The present volume describes the new developments and evaluates their clinical effectiveness. A section of the book is also devoted to the related technique of acetate-free biofiltration. The advantages of HDF over HD in the therapy of a number of conditions are also discussed. Beneficial effects are demonstrated, for example, for joint pain, restless legs syndrome, pruritus and insomnia. Bringing together the experience of leading specialists, the book will be appreciated by all those concerned to optimize dialysis treatment.
