Baxter International, a global innovator in renal care, has launched a new version of its AK 98 hemodialysis (HD) system offering two-way IT connectivity, capabilities to meet the needs of patients with lower weights, and functions that simplify treatment set up and reduce downtime between sessions.
The AK 98 system can be used to deliver HDx enabled by THERANOVA, Baxter's latest hemodialysis therapy that provides high performance treatments with integration into existing healthcare infrastructure. Due to kidney failure, people with end-stage renal disease retain harmful toxins in their blood. During HD therapy, blood is passed through a dialyzer, which acts as the artificial kidney to filter toxins from the blood.
"We designed our new AK 98 system specifically to help dialysis providers minimize the operational challenges associated with hemodialysis," said Laura Angelini, general manager, Chronic Renal at Baxter. "Enhanced features such as two-way IT connectivity and an easy-to-use interface were designed to eliminate time spent manually handling documents and improve clinical workflows."
The AK 98 system can now be connected to the dialysis provider's central IT network, allowing seamless management and integration of clinic and treatment information. During treatment set-up, the hemodialysis prescription is sent to the AK 98 system from the provider's central IT network. Once treatment is concluded, the encrypted data is transmitted back to the provider's network, where it is secured and stored. Treatment data is then cleared from the AK 98 system.
The AK 98 system features new blood lines, which work alongside Baxter's smallest dialyzers, to help providers treat low weight patients, whose lower blood volumes require specialized equipment for effective HD treatment.
The AK 98 system, which first launched in 2015, is available in many countries in Asia, Europe and Latin America. It is not currently available for use in the United States. More information is available at ak98system.com.