Dialyzer

Dialyzers for Hemodialysis

Dialyzers are single-patient filters used in every hemodialysis session to clean the blood of patients with kidney failure. This category brings together hollow fiber dialyzers from brands such as Nipro, Fresenius, Dora, Lepu, Polymed, Wego and Vital, along with specialty filters for hemoperfusion and plasma separation. Dialysis units and hospitals can compare options by flux, model and pack size in one place.

What Is a Dialyzer?

A dialyzer, also spelled dialyser and sometimes called a hemodialyzer or dialysis filter, is the filter that does the work of the kidneys during hemodialysis. It contains a semipermeable membrane that removes waste products, excess fluid and electrolytes from the blood. Because it performs this filtering role outside the body, a dialyzer is often described as an artificial kidney.

How Does a Dialyzer Work?

During treatment, blood flows from the patient through the blood tubing set into the dialyzer, while dialysis fluid (dialysate) flows around the membrane in the opposite direction. Two processes take place across the membrane:

• Diffusion: waste products such as urea and creatinine move from the blood, where their concentration is high, into the dialysate.
• Ultrafiltration: pressure across the membrane draws excess fluid out of the blood.

The cleaned blood then returns to the patient through the venous line. The direction of flow, the membrane and the surface area together determine how efficiently a dialyzer clears toxins and removes fluid.

Dialyzer vs Dialysis Machine

A dialyzer and a dialysis machine work together but are not the same thing. The dialysis machine pumps blood, prepares the dialysate and monitors pressures and safety alarms. The dialyzer is the disposable filter attached to the machine's blood circuit, where the actual blood cleaning happens. Dialyzers are consumables replaced regularly, while the machine is capital equipment.

What Is a Hollow Fiber Dialyzer?

A hollow fiber dialyzer contains thousands of thin, capillary-like fibers bundled inside a plastic housing. Blood flows through the inside of the fibers while dialysate flows around them. This design packs a large membrane surface area into a compact cartridge, which is why hollow fiber dialyzers are the standard type used in hemodialysis today. Older designs, such as coil and parallel plate dialyzers, have largely been replaced by hollow fiber models.

Parts of a Dialyzer

A hollow fiber dialyzer has a cylindrical housing that holds the fiber bundle, potting compound that seals the fiber ends, header caps at each end, two blood ports (arterial and venous) and two dialysate ports on the side of the housing.

Types of Dialyzers

Dialyzers are mainly classified by flux, membrane material and intended use:

• Low flux dialyzers: smaller membrane pores, mainly clearing small molecules such as urea and creatinine.
• Medium flux dialyzers: a middle ground in pore size and water permeability.
• High flux dialyzers: larger pores and higher water permeability, allowing removal of larger "middle molecules" as well as small solutes.
• By membrane material: most modern dialyzers use synthetic membranes such as polysulfone. For example, the Vital Hollow Fiber Dialyzer uses a polysulfone membrane and is supplied in packs of 24.
• Single-use and reusable dialyzers: single-use dialyzers are discarded after one session. Some dialysis centres reprocess dialyzers for reuse in the same patient, following the manufacturer's labelling and applicable regulations.
• Specialty filters: hemoperfusion cartridges and plasma filters are used for specific therapies rather than routine hemodialysis.

 

How to Choose a Dialyzer

The right dialyzer depends on the patient's prescription and the treating nephrologist's advice. Procurement teams and dialysis units usually compare:

• Flux type: low, medium or high flux, as prescribed for the patient.
• Membrane surface area: larger surface areas generally allow greater clearance; the model number often indicates the size.
• Membrane material and sterilisation method: stated on the product label and packaging.
• Single use or reuse: based on the unit's reprocessing policy.
• Compatibility: with the dialysis machine and the blood tubing sets in use.
• Pack size and price: dialyzers are often bought in boxes of 24 for regular sessions.
  
  

Dialyzer Price in India

Dialyzer prices depend on the brand, flux type, membrane, surface area and pack size. On Medikabazaar, standard hollow fiber dialyzers are currently priced from about ₹300 to ₹800 per piece, while specialty hemoperfusion and plasma filters cost more. Prices are shown on each product, so you can compare dialysis filter prices across brands before ordering.

Buy Dialyzers Online at Medikabazaar

Use the filters on this page to compare dialyzers by brand, flux and price, and open each product for its model and pack details. To complete the hemodialysis circuit, you can also order blood tubing sets and AV fistula needles, or explore the full range of nephrology supplies.

Dialyzer FAQs

What is a dialyzer used for?

A dialyzer is used during hemodialysis to remove waste products such as urea and creatinine, excess fluid and electrolytes from the blood of patients whose kidneys can no longer do this. It acts as an artificial kidney outside the body.

What is the price of a dialyzer in India?

Dialyzer prices in India depend on the brand, flux type, membrane and pack size. On Medikabazaar, standard hollow fiber dialyzers cost about ₹300 to ₹800 per piece, while specialty hemoperfusion and plasma filters cost more.

What is the difference between high flux and low flux dialyzers?

High flux dialyzers have larger membrane pores and higher water permeability, so they remove larger middle molecules as well as small waste products. Low flux dialyzers have smaller pores and mainly clear small molecules such as urea and creatinine. The choice depends on the patient's dialysis prescription.

Can a dialyzer be reused?

Single-use dialyzers are discarded after one session. Some dialysis centres reprocess dialyzers for reuse in the same patient, but only under strict cleaning and testing protocols that follow the manufacturer's labelling and applicable regulations.

What is dialyzer surface area?

Dialyzer surface area is the total area of membrane available for filtration, measured in square metres (m²). A larger surface area generally allows greater clearance of waste products. Most adult hemodialysis dialyzers range from about 1.0 to 2.5 m².

What is a dialyzer membrane made of?

Most modern dialyzer membranes are made of synthetic polymers such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone and polymethylmethacrylate. Older dialyzers commonly used cellulose-based membranes.

Which is the best dialyzer for hemodialysis?

There is no single best dialyzer for every patient. The right choice depends on the patient's prescription, including the required flux type and surface area, as well as the unit's reuse policy and compatibility with its dialysis machines. The treating nephrologist should guide the selection.