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Abstract: PO0936

Green Hemodialysis: Is It Really Possible to Save Water and Plastic Without Affecting the Quality of the Treatment?

Session Information

Category: Dialysis

  • 701 Dialysis: Hemodialysis and Frequent Dialysis

Authors

  • Gómez Ruiz, Ismael Antonio, Médica Santa Carmen, Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
  • Martin-Alemañy, Geovana, Médica Santa Carmen, Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
  • Ardavin Ituarte, Juan M., Médica Santa Carmen, Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
  • Olmedo Ocampo, Rossana, Médica Santa Carmen, Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico

Group or Team Name

  • Santa Carmen
Background

Hemodialysis (HD) is essential for the preservation of life in many patients but represents a complex issue in ecology producing a large waste load that affects the environment. Sustainable waste management policies are scarce. The aim of the present study was to show the particular water and plastic savings in a mexican HD center that practices the reuse of dialyzers and reject water (RW) without affecting the quality of care provided for patients .

Methods

Prospective cohort study performed between January and May 2021 in a HD center with 90 patients (AK 98 Baxter®). HD center has 15 employees, 5 bathrooms and 12 sinks. Volumes of produced and reused RW were measured by flow meters. A detailed analysis of the residual biochemical content of RW was performed. The weight of plastic waste was compared between patients with reused membranes and patients with non-reused membranes. Finally, to evaluate the quality of the HD treatment in reused dialyzers (1-12 reuses), the difference between 5 monthly measurements of the spKt/V was determined using a repeated measure ANOVA considering a p>0.05 for no difference.

Results

During the study period 4158 HD sessions were provided, 394 m3 of RW were produced, 312 m3 (79%) were reused for all center sanitation purposes. Analysis of the residual biochemical content of RW is shown in Table 1. A total of 1902 HD sessions were performed with reused dialyzers. With each dialyzer reuse (Revaclear Baxter®) 0.88 lbs of plastic waste was spared. This translates into 1.53 tons less waste. No adverse effects were observed. No statistical significance difference was observed in single pool Kt /V between treatments with reused filters.

Conclusion

These results suggest that reuse of RW in the sanitation of the centers and dialyzer reuse resulted in significant savings in water and plastic without affecting the quality of treatment received by patients.