What is this chocolate milk in my circuit? A cause of acute clotting of a continuous renal replacement circuit: Questions

Aadil Kakajiwala, Kathleen Chiotos, Julie Brothers, April Lederman, Sandra Amaral

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: One of the greatest problems associated with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is the early clotting of filters. A literature search revealed three case reports of lipemic blood causing recurrent clotting and reduced CRRT circuit survival time in adult patients, but no reports of cases in children.

DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT: A 23-month-old male infant with Martinez-Frias syndrome and multivisceral transplant was admitted to the hospital with severe sepsis and hemolytic anemia. He developed acute kidney injury, fluid overload and electrolyte imbalances requiring CRRT and was also administered total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and fat emulsion. The first circuit lasted 60 h before routine change was required. The second circuit showed acute clotting after only 18 h, and brownish-milky fluid was found in the circuit tubing layered between the clotted blood. The patient's serum triglyceride levels were elevated at 988 mg/dL. The lipid infusion was stopped and CRRT restarted. Serum triglyceride levels improved to 363 mg/dL. The new circuit lasted 63 h before routine change was required.

CONCLUSION: Clotting of CRRT circuits due to elevated triglyceride levels is rare and has not been reported in the pediatric population. Physicians should be mindful of this risk in patients receiving TPN who have unexpected clotting of CRRT circuits.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2249-2251
Number of pages3
JournalPediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
Volume31
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2016

Keywords

  • Acute clotting
  • Child
  • Continuous renal replacement therapy
  • Martinez–Frias syndrome

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'What is this chocolate milk in my circuit? A cause of acute clotting of a continuous renal replacement circuit: Questions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this