title: Preliminary Diffusive Clearance of Silicon Nanopore Membranes in a Parallel Plate Configuration for Renal Replacement Therapy.
abstract: Silicon nanopore membranes (SNMs) with compact geometry and uniform pore size distribution have demonstrated a remarkable capacity for hemofiltration. These advantages could potentially be used for hemodialysis. Here, we present an initial evaluation of the SNM's mechanical robustness, diffusive clearance, and hemocompatibility in a parallel plate configuration. Mechanical robustness of the SNM was demonstrated by exposing membranes to high flows (200 ml/min) and pressures (1,448 mm Hg). Diffusive clearance was performed in an albumin solution and whole blood with blood and dialysate flow rates of 25 ml/min. Hemocompatibility was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry after 4 hours in an extracorporeal porcine model. The pressure drop across the flow cell was 4.6 mm Hg at 200 ml/min. Mechanical testing showed that SNM could withstand up to 775.7 mm Hg without fracture. Urea clearance did not show an appreciable decline in blood versus albumin solution. Extracorporeal studies showed blood was successfully driven via the arterial-venous pressure differential without thrombus formation. Bare silicon showed increased cell adhesion with a 4.1-fold increase and 1.8-fold increase over polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated surfaces for tissue plasminogen factor (t-PA) and platelet adhesion (CD41), respectively. These initial results warrant further design and development of a fully scaled SNM-based parallel plate dialyzer for renal replacement therapy.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, †Division of Nephrology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; ‡Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; §UCSF Imaging Center at China Basin, San Francisco, California; ¶Division of Pediatric Nephrology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; and ‖Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Zohora
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Rishi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kant
authors.forename: Eun Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durack
authors.forename: Maythem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: Loi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hetts
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brakeman
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Fissell
authors.forename: Shuvo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D058608:Nanopores; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012825:Silicon; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012825:Silicon