Objective To investigate the efficacy and prognosis of various blood purification (CVVH、IHD、PD)in acute renal failure patients following cardiac surgery. Methods One hundred and forty-eight patients with acute renal failure (ARF) after cardiac surgery who received renal surpport therapy between Dec 1990 and Dec 2003 were involved in this study. Of them, 43 were treated with continuous veno-venous hemofiltration(CVVH)(CBP group), 77 with intermiffent hemodialysis (IHD group) and 28 were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD group). Results Seventeen (39.5%) patients in CBP group survived and 26(60.5%) patients died, while 27 (35.1%) patients in IHD group survived and 50 (64.9%) patients died, 11 (39.3%) patients in PD group survived and 17 (60.7%) patients died, no significant difference in survival rate was found among three groups (P=0.45). Patients in CBP group were more severe as manifested by a lower mean arterial pressure, higher APACHEⅡ score,more dysfunctioned organs and more frequent requirement of mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support as compared with patients in other groups(P<0.05). The average APACHEⅡ score of survival in CBP group is similar to the died in other groups. Conclusion Our data suggest that CBP therapy is an effective treatment for acute renal failure after cardiac surgery and can improve the prognosis.