Is anyone having issues with leaner than normal Granuflo? I recently recieved in 2k and 3k and both batches seem to be at the very low end of the allowed limits. I have even adjusted the final fill and it didn't seem to make much difference so I made a larger adjustment today to see if that will help. I think FMC is getting cheap on filling their bags.
Check the Fresenius web site. The values have change for specific gravity reading.Go to in this order....Dialysis products..product support documentation...Tech manuals and field service bulletins...Granuflo bulletins..it will be the first one listed.
Posts: 12 | Location: DOWN SOUTH | Registered: 05 May 2005
http://www.fmcna.com/fusa/fieldbulletins/08grn001.pdfThe above link is to Fresenius’ website it has to do with a field service up date on specific gravity of granuflo product. There have been some significant changes in the acceptable ranges for most if not all products
Hi Folks. It's gratifying to see our work discussed - I'm part of the team that sponsored the new specific gravity table. Let me answer some of your questions. First of all, there has been no change to the formulations. What we did is survey all the historical data, and used a statistical analysis to optimize the values. Then (as amario132 suggests) we recomputed the values to 25 degrees (most clinics regulate their RODI systems to around this temp, so it was the most convenient). If you look at the foot note on the bulletin, you'll find a conversion factor if you are working at some other temperature. Again, I assure you there has been no change to the product since the 3-bag version was launched in 2003, and even that is the same composition as the old NP version. Thanks for talking us up, and I'll check back from time to time.
LabRat, can you explain to us in a simple way, why the Acetate is 8 on the Granuflo box, but we need to enter as 4 on the K's screen. But on the one gallon jug, I just punch in whatever the number according to the label.
What's the reason, the content of the 55 gallons drum or the 1 gallon jug cannot mix with the Granuflo, although they are all 2K2.5Ca for example.
Sure, Tommy, but I'll have to talk just a little chemistry - most of it you're probably aware of.
In modern 3-stream dialysates, you start with an acid component and a bicarbonate base. In Naturalyte and Granuflo concentrates, the acidic character is provided by Acetic Acid. In the Naturalyte liquid concentrates we use Acetic Acid, and each equivalent of acid comes with 1 equivalent of acetate ion. But in the Granuflo dry acid, we use sodium diacetate; for each equivalent of acid, there are 2 equivalents of acetate ion.
What you are entering on the screen is actually the equivalents of acid, which is important because it must be neutralized by the bicarbonate base to get the dialysate to a neutral pH. While the Granuflo dry acid contains 8 acetate ions (or 6, for those using the 3000-series products), there are still only 4 equivalents of acid (or 3 in the 3000-series).
Hope that's clear enough, and thanks for the question. I'll check back from time to time.
