Hemodialysis in Infants Under 1 Year of Age for Acute Poisoning

Abstract

SINCE hemodialysis was first used for the therapy of poisoning,¹many adults have been treated successfully.²Although acute poisoning with various toxins commonly occurs in children, we have been able to find only 27 (Table 1) reported cases of hemodialysis for acute poisoning in this age group. Of these 27 children, only one was under 1 year of age. This report describes our experience with hemodialysis, using a small Kiil dialyzer after cannulation of the superficial femoral artery and saphenous vein, in two infants (ages 7 and 10 months) with acute poisoning. In addition, the literature on hemodialysis in children for poisonings and hemodialysis in infants under 1 year of age is reviewed. Methods Cannulation.—The teflon-silastic cannula described by Quinton et al¹⁰were used. Under light general anesthesia, the superficial femoral artery and saphenous vein were isolated in the femoral triangle and cannulated with No. 16