Advanced Filtration System for Serum Potassium

Hyperkalemia continues to be a concern when treatingcombatcasualties.Like other stabilizinginterventions such as damagecontrol resuscitation,“Bridge Dialysis”is needed to improvethesurvival of patients with post-traumatic acutekidney injury. Unfortunately,current hemodialysis systems (includingthe new home ones) are bulky. TDA Research, Inc(TDA), in collaboration with University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB), is developing a compact,single-person portable,ruggedized, battery-operated, advanced filtration system for serum potassium to serve as a bridge dialysis system in the post traumaticcare ofcombatcasualties sufferingfrom hyperkalemia. Thesystem is designed to run for aminimum of6 hours to stabilizethe patient until appropriaterenal replacement therapy (RRT) begins. In PhaseI we developed an adsorbent with high uptakecapacity and excellent selectivity for K+ over othercations. Based on theseresults,wefabricated a breadboard prototype bridge dialysis unit and demonstrated its ability to continually remove potassium from blood. In the PhaseII,we will fabricate a high fidelity prototype unit and demonstratetheefficacy of filtration media in animal models of trauma or ischemia-reperfusion induced hyperkalemia. Theend state of PhaseII is a prototypethatcan enter theFDA approval process.