NITROGEN AND FLUID BALANCE IN TREATMENT OF ACUTE UREMIA BY PERITONEAL LAVAGE

Abstract

A NUMBER of experiments have been conducted to test the possibilities of using the peritoneal surfaces in vividialysis.¹ The basis for this work is the well established fact that water, crystalloids and some colloids including plasma proteins are readily absorbed by the lining membranes of the serous cavities.² It has been demonstrated further that intact erythrocytes labeled with radioactive iron³ rapidly leave the peritoneal space of the dog by way of the lymphatic vessels of the diaphragm and subsequently appear in the peripheral blood. Fortunately, in the absence of inflammation or tumor the passage of formed elements of the blood in the reverse direction is minimal and the concentration of protein in peritoneal transudates is low.⁴ Equilibrium between crystalloids of the interstitial fluids is established rapidly when various isotonic or mildly hypertonic and hypotonic fluids are injected into the abdomen.⁵ For this reason, lavage of