Market Overview

Hemofiltration machines are primarily used in kidney dysfunction or acute renal failure. Hemofiltration is a renal replacement therapy used for removal of metabolic waste from the blood such as creatinine and urea when kidney isn’t functioning well. Hemofiltration machines are mainly used in intensive care units.

Renal failure is the common condition observed in critically ill patients and according to national kidney foundation Inc., number of cases of acute kidney failure are increasing in developing countries such as China and India owing to increasing elderly population.

Despite of significant technological advances in the renal replacement therapy, there is a significant need of high volume hemofiltration machines, which creates significant room for the growth of global hemofiltration systems market. According to World Health Organization (WHO), currently 1.4 Mn patients are receiving renal replacement therapy across the globe and the incidence of acute renal failure is increasing with the rate of 8% annually.

Hemofiltration systems perform artificial ultrafiltration of a blood. Several commercially available hemofiltration systems include Prismaflex, Aquadex FlexFlow, Prismaflex eXeed II, CF200 etc. These machines remove water and waste from the blood and replacement fluid is dded to the blood before te blood is returned to the patient’s body.

Increased hospitalization rates and incidence of acute kidney failure in intensive care units are the major factors driving the growth of global hemofiltration machines market over the forecast period. Moreover, expanding cases of major causes for acute kidney failure such as incidence of diabetes mellitus, metabolic acidosis, etc. are also expected to boost the global market for hemofiltration machines.

For instance, in the U.S., approximately 2-5% of patients admitted to hospital develop acute kidney failure. Understanding of pathophysiology of acute renal failure has made significant contribution in development of advanced renal replacement therapy techniques such as hemofiltration. However, high price of the machines is the major restraint for the growth of global hemofiltration systems market.

The global market for hemofiltration machines is segmented on basis of product type, end user and geography:

Product Type	Portable Hemofiltration machines Mobile Hemofiltration machines
End User	Hospitals Ambulatory surgical centers Outpatient Dialysis Units

Advancements in the continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) such as introduction of high volume and high permeability hemofiltration techniques. Based on product type, hemofiltration machines are classified as portable hemofiltration machines and mobile hemofiltration machines. Portable hemofiltration machines product type segment if expected to hold highest share in global hemofiltration machines market.

Based on end user, the global market for hemofiltration machines is classified as hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and outpatient dialysis units. Hospitals end user segment is expected to hold maximum share in the global market owing to increasing number of visits in intensive care units (ICU). Ambulatory surgical centers end user segment is expected to contribute second largest share in global market for hemofiltration machines.

On the basis of regional presence, global hemofiltration machines market is segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America will continue to dominate the global hemofiltration machines market for due to high incidence of acute kidney failure. Europe is expected to hold second largest market share in global hemofiltration machines market. In developed countries, there is a high incidence of intensive care unit-acquired acute kidney failure, whereas in developing countries there is a high incidence of community-acquired acute kidney failure.

Some of the major players in global hemofiltration systems market are Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, INFOMED SA, etc.