Artificial kidney: status of the art and new perspectives.

Extracorporeal dialysis was first performed in 1943 and has become a routine for End Stage Renal Patients from the early sixties. In the last 30 years researchers have focused on biocompatibility of artificial materials and optimisation of removal of uremic toxins by the membrane as in the long term treatment many complications like amylodosis heart and bone lesions, accelerated amyloidosis and immune system failure can occur. From this point of view high flux dialytic membranes are currently considered more biocompatible therefore being able to prevent such diseases.