We report the results of continuous arteriovenous haemodiafiltration (CAVHD) treatment in 12 critically ill intensive care patients with acute renal failure (eight males, four females - mean age 60.9 years - range 47 to 76) (APACHE II score 28.8, range 18-37). All patients were oligoanuric or had a rising creatinine (greater than or equal to 100 microM/L per day). Vascular access was obtained by Scribner shunt or wide-bore femoral arterial and venous cannulae. At the beginning of CAVHD therapy the mean plasma urea was 38 mM/L (SE 4.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 25.1 to 75.6 mM/L) and the mean creatinine was 604 microM/L (SE 70, 95% CI 450-756 microM/L). After 72 hours of therapy, despite oligoanuria, urea concentration had fallen to a mean of 15.7 mM/L (SE 2.4, 95% CI 12.5-22.9 mM/L) and the creatinine concentration to 297 microM/L (SE 25, 95% CI 243-351 microM/L), respectively. The mean ultrafiltrate volume was 441 mL/hr (SE 33, 95%, range 50-1050 mL/hr). There were no complications related to the extracorporeal circuit, the filter, anticoagulant therapy, electrolyte status or changes in patients' haemodynamic state. Excellent biochemical control of azotaemia was uniformly achieved during CAVHD therapy. Five patients (41.6%) survived to be discharged from the Intensive Care Unit. CAVHD is a simple, safe and effective continuous renal replacement therapy. CAVHD offers technical advantages over alternative therapy while providing equivalent or better biochemical control of azotaemia and volume status in critically ill patients with acute renal failure.