A Non-Drug, Non-Diuretic Treatment Option for Fluid Overload:

Aquapheresis is a medical therapy designed to remove excess salt and water from the body safely, predictably, and effectively from patients suffering from fluid overload. It removes excess salt and water and helps to restore a patient’s fluid balance or euvolemia.

Click on the image to view an interactive animation of Aquapheresis with the Aquadex FlexFlow.

Physicians can specify and adjust the exact amount and rate of fluid to be removed from each patient, resulting in a gradual reduction that has no significant clinical impact on blood pressure, heart rate, or the balance of electrolytes (chemical substances, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride) in the body.

Up to 500 ml or 1.1 lb of fluid can be safely removed per hour. The average removal rate is 250 ml or ½ lb an hour and treatment usually lasts about 24 hours. Studies have shown that the total hospital stay with Aquapheresis therapy is around three to four days.

Aquapheresis therapy complements drug-based options such as diuretics (drugs that help rid the body of excess water), inotropic drug therapies (drugs that stimulate the heart to expel more blood with each beat), or vasoactive drug therapies (drugs that dilate blood vessels) to achieve the target fluid removal goal for the patient. And, because it removes sodium and resets body fluid levels, Aquapheresis may also improve the effectiveness of oral diuretics that patients take on an ongoing basis (e.g. water pills).

Aquapheresis using the Aquadex FlexFlow has been used to treat thousands of patients and is in active use in hundreds of hospitals across the United States.

What Should I Expect During My Treatment?

Trained medical personnel will check with you periodically during the treatment. You will see the pumps on the console turning, your blood flowing through the blood filter circuit, and the excess fluid slowly being collected in the collection bag. You may notice that you feel better right away, or it may take some time depending on your condition and amount of excess fluid that needs to be removed. If you had shortness of breath, it may go away. Although the risks for this treatment are minimal, if you feel dizzy, nauseated, or have pain or bruising at your catheter site(s) or experience other unusual and unexpected symptoms during your treatment, tell your healthcare provider immediately. You may be given a blood thinner (anticoagulant) before and/or during your treatment to avoid any problems with blood filter circuit clotting.

How long is the Treatment?

The exact length of time of the treatment is determined by how much total fluid needs to be removed and how fast your healthcare provider can remove it. The less you move, the more efficiently the blood gets pumped through the filter and the sooner the desired amount of fluid may be removed. The average treatment is approximately 24 hours in which an average of 6 Liters or 13.2 lbs of fluid is removed.

What Should I Expect After My Treatment?

After the treatment is completed, the Aquadex FlexFlow will be stopped and the blood filter circuit will be disconnected from the catheter(s). The catheter(s) may be removed or your healthcare provider may decide to leave them in place. When the catheter(s) are removed, dressings will be placed on the locations. These should be monitored for signs of bleeding or infection. The doctor will adjust your medications as needed. Depending upon your condition, you may be treated with the Aquadex FlexFlow more than once or you may be able to go home from the hospital right away.

Aquapheresis Therapy requires a doctor’s prescription and its exact indication for use can be found under "our therapy".