The preliminary results of the blood purification technique show a clear advantage of high efficacy hemodiafiltration over conventional hemodialysis in several areas, including:

-- Improved removal of uremic toxins.

-- Decreased number of hospitalization days.

-- A better tolerance for patients.

-- Minimizes the state of chronic inflammation that too often may lead to complications over a long course of dialysis.

-- Diminished need for certain medications.

"Conventional hemodialysis continues to save lives, but we now have the technology to improve the lot of dialysis patients," Dr. Renee Levesque of the University of Montreal said in a statement. "We're proud to soon be accepting a cohort of 40 patients undergoing high efficacy hemodiafiltration." Levesque said in a statement. Levesque said he hopes that one day soon all dialysis patients will be treated in this fashion.