CHF Solutions, a medical device company dedicated to changing the lives of patients suffering from fluid overload, announced that physicians on the frontlines of treating patients with COVID-19 have used Aquadex therapy for patients who need fluid removal between dialysis treatments as an alternative therapy when dialysis machines or trained dialysis personnel are not available. In addition, patients hemodynamically unstable and fluid overloaded, who may not be able to tolerate dialysis but still need fluid removal, are being treated with the Aquadex therapy. 
 
The real-world case studies and related discussion were presented during a physician-led webinar hosted by CHF Solutions on April 10. Dr. Daniel J. Goldstein, M.D., FACS, FACC (Montefiore Medical Center, New York, N.Y.) moderated the panel discussion which included Dr. Maria DeVita, M.D., FACP, FASN (Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, N.Y.), Dr. Mehdi Oloomi, M.D. (Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, N.Y.) and Dr. Giovanni Piovesana (Phoebe-Putney Hospital, Albany, Ga).
 
The physicians’ discussion and recommendations were supported by a recent article published by the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.¹ In the publication, the authors concluded, “the use of other machines to replace a standard dialysis machine may have merit such as machines that only do isolated ultrafiltration to perform all isolated ultrafiltration procedures, thereby keeping standard full-size dialysis machines available to perform treatments.”
 
“Acute kidney injury is a significant risk for critically ill patients with COVID-19,” said Dr. DeVita. “Adequate access to dialysis equipment is a growing concern as is the growing number of patients who need fluid removal but are poor candidates for traditional dialysis. We see ultrafiltration as a valuable treatment in both instances and are seeing a clear benefit to including Aquadex therapy as a vital part of our armamentarium to treat COVID-19.”

Watch a video of the use of ultrafiltration in COVID-19 patients here.
 
“As we continue to learn about this novel virus, it is important that we listen to the dedicated medical professionals treating patients on the front line. We are pleased that Aquadex therapy can help critical care patients during this pandemic,” said John Erb, CEO of CHF Solutions. “As previously announced, we have increased production to meet anticipated demand and ensure that physicians, nurses and the clinical staff have the solutions they need to treat patients impacted with COVID-19.  I also want to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their continued partnership with us as they find ways to treat those affected by the coronavirus and extend our most sincere gratitude to the first responders and medical teams taking care of the critically ill patients.”

The Aquadex SmartFlow system delivers clinically proven therapy using a simple, flexible, and smart method of removing excess fluid from patients suffering from hypervolemia (fluid overload). The Aquadex SmartFlow system is indicated for temporary (up to eight hours) or extended (longer than eight hours in patients who require hospitalization) use in adult and pediatric patients weighing 20 kg or more whose fluid overload is unresponsive to medical management, including diuretics.

Reference
¹ CJASN ePress. Dwyer, et al. published on April 3, 2020 as doi: 10.2215/CJN.03750320