Hemodialysis and Artificial Kidney — NEET Biology
📚 Practice ConceptThe porous cellophane membrane of the tube allows the passage of molecules based on concentration gradient. As nitrogenous wastes are absent in the dialysing fluid, these substances freely move out, thereby clearing the blood. The cleared blood is pumped back to the body through a vein after adding anti-heparin to it. This method is a boon for thousands of uremic patients all over the world.
Which of the following statements concerning the use of heparin during hemodialysis are correct? S1: Heparin is an anticoagulant added to the blood before it enters the artificial kidney. S2: The primary function of heparin during dialysis is to maintain the pH balance of the patient's blood. S3: Anti-heparin is administered to the patient's cleared blood before it is returned to the body. S4: Heparin is also added to the dialysing fluid to prevent the formation of precipitates within the dialyser.
View solution & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: C — S1 and S3
The core concept is the specific role of heparin and anti-heparin in the hemodialysis procedure. S1: "Blood drained from a convenient artery is pumped into a dialysing unit after adding an anticoagulant like heparin." This statement is correct. S2: Heparin is an *anticoagulant*, meaning its primary function is to prevent blood clotting, not to maintain pH balance. This statement is incorrect. S3: "The cleared blood is pumped back to the body through a vein after adding anti-heparin to it." This statement is correct. S4: Heparin is added to the *blood*, not the dialysing fluid. Its purpose is to prevent blood clotting, not precipitate formation in the dialyser. This statement is incorrect. Therefore, statements S1 and S3 are correct.
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