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Chhattisgarh doctor to present portable dialysis jacket at Nephrology ... - Times of India |
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RAIPUR: A portable 'jacket bag', which could possibly replace the bulky stationary dialysis machines in hospitals, designed by Chhattisgarh's Dr Puneet Gupta is going to be a part of the presentation at the forthcoming 2015 Nephrology Conference in the US.
Dr Gupta, who heads the Nephorology Department at Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hospital here, has been invited to the conference, slated in September, to present his research work to over 250 top nephrologists from across the globe. The jacket, which operates on a battery weighing less the 10 kgs, could prove a boon for dialysis patients due to its compact size and unlimited portability.
Talking to TOI about his research work, Dr Gupta said he has been working on the project since 2012 with an aim to develop compressed dialysis equipment that is seamlessly portable. He said the design of the jacket is complete and is likely to be available in the market in a year or so.
Dr Gupta said patients have to usually visit hospitals two to three times a week for dialysis and have to be confined to the machine. However, the 'jacket' can be worn and used by the patients anywhere, avoiding their trips to the hospital.
He said he has submitted his work to ethical committee for animal trial and once it is approved it would be tested on human beings. "This jacket can significantly improve quality of life for patients", he said adding that while conventional dialysis require at least 230 litres of water per patient dialysis. The jacket merely uses one litre water and can be recycled too.
Claiming that the 'jacket' would be a cost effective alternative for kidney patients, Dr Gupta said while dialysis are free of cost in government hospitals, private hospital charges almost Rs 1600- 2300 per setting and Rs 1200 for disposable too. "Roughly a patient spends Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 on dialysis in private hospitals whereas the jacket, which is likely to cost Rs 50,000 commercially, would mean a onetime investment for a lifetime", he said.
Dr Gupta said there are about 10,000 patients in Chhattisgarh who require dialysis. However, there are only 80 machines are available in government hospitals, forcing 90% of patients to rely on private hospitals.
Dr Puneet said kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste products from the blood and regulating blood flow. They contain millions of filters called nephrons, which remove excess fluid and waste from the blood. This gets expelled from the body when we urinate. But when nephrons are damaged, the filtering system malfunctions and dangerous levels of fluid and waste products can accumulate. Dialysis is thus the only alternative available for such patients.
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More pregnant women undergoing kidney dialysis - eMaxHealth |
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In a survey of 75 kidney specialists, 43 percent reported that they had treated pregnant women on dialysis. Thirty-two percent of the women began dialysis while pregnant, and 58 percent became pregnant during the first five years of dialysis. Ten percent became pregnant after five years of dialysis.
Twenty-three percent of the pregnancies did not result in a live birth, and 50 percent were complicated by preeclampsia, a condition during pregnancy that is marked by high blood pressure.
Most nephrologists prescribed dialysis for four to four and a half hours a day six days a week.
“Before this survey, it had been more than 15 years since data had been collected on pregnancy outcomes for women on hemodialysis in the United States,” said Dr. Mala Sachdeva of Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine.
“We wanted to provide an update by evaluating the current U.S. experience including overall practice patterns and certain maternal and fetal outcomes that have occurred with this specific patient population.”
The study was presented at a National Kidney Foundation meeting in Dallas on March 26.
The NKF also presented new statistics suggesting that kidney patients on dialysis are surviving longer. Death rates decreased by 15 percent in the first year of treatment in new patients, and by about 19 percent in continuing patients.
"Declining mortality rates are the clearest evidence of improving outcomes in dialysis patients," said lead researcher Eric Weinhandl, principal investigator with the Peer Kidney Care Initiative in Minneapolis.
"The transition to dialysis is difficult, both physically and psychologically," he continued. "However, clinical outcomes on dialysis are improving and patient survival is increasing."
Dr. Kerry Willis, chief scientific officer of the NKF, said, "It is gratifying to see patients living longer on dialysis. Improved practice means that people are initiating dialysis in a generally healthier state, which leads to better long-term outcomes for kidney failure patients."
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Patients get lifeline after renal unit is established in Nyeri - The Standard Digital News (satire) (press release) (registration) (blog) |
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 Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua cuts the tape to commission a renal unit at the Nyeri General Hospital. (Photo: Mose Sammy/Standard)
Nyeri, Kenya: It was a big sigh of relief when doors opened at the Nyeri County Comprehensive Renal and Dialysis Centre at the county referral hospital.
Before its establishment, the county referral hospital, whose patients come as far as Nyeri, Laikipia, Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Embu, often referred patients to Kenyatta National Hospital for dialysis.
The facility, which was put up at a cost of Sh38 million, comprises ten dialysis machines and a water treatment facility, a renal laboratory equipped with a fully automated immunochemistry analyser and an electrolyte analyser.
The unit can offer dialysis to 14 patients daily since most of them need the services twice a week.
Patients who previously travelled to KNH to seek treatment can now access affordable analysis closer home.
When Charles Wanjama, who has been living with diabetes for five years, was diagnosed with the renal disease two years ago, his life changed dramatically.
The 65-year-old had to travel to Nairobi twice a week to consult a renal specialist and to undergo dialysis for Sh8,000 a session.
“When my wife and I travelled to Nairobi, we would spend Sh20,000 weekly on accommodation because sometimes the doctor would be unavailable, or get dialysis on the same day,” he notes.
For Wanjama, the dialysis unit is an answered prayer after two agonising years of waiting.
“I was one of the first patients to be dialysed and I only paid Sh3,000,” Wanjama said.
Jackson Kinyua, who was also diagnosed with renal failure two years ago, needs constant medical supervision.
The 46-year-old who has also lived with high blood pressure for ten years, notes that despite having insurance cover underwritten by National Hospital Insurance Fund, which provided Sh4,500 per session, his condition deteriorated that he could not raise the Sh5,500 needed for his dialysis.
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New kidney dialysis sub-centre closer to patients in suburbs - The Borneo Post |
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MIRI: A new kidney dialysis centre is expected to begin construction by the end of the year.
Kidney Dialysis Centre (KDC) chairman Datuk Lee Kim Shin revealed that a three-acre land parcel between Tudan bus terminal and Industry Training Institute (ILP) has been identified and approved for the construction of the new centre as a substation.
“Currently, the project’s progress is still in the planning stage while the identified land has to undergo earth-filling.
“Hopefully, the building construction works will commence by end of this year or early in the first quarter of next year after paperwork has been completed,” he told thesundaypost yesterday afternoon.
Moreover, Lee, who is also Assistant Minister of Communication, said plans for the new kidney dialysis substation are afoot to brace for the long run as in two to three years’ time, the existing KDC capacity is only able to cater for a total of 400 patients.
“This planning is timely due to the increasing number of patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment annually. Currently, KDC has a total of 282 patients.”
“The new location is proposed as it is strategic where currently more than 100 patients are from Tudan, Kuala Baram, Senadin and Permyjaya areas undergo their weekly treatment at KDC. So, once the substation completed in the future, patients from the nearby areas will be transferred there,” he added.
Furthermore, Lee said the existing KDC has no more space for building extension along with two operating halls with a total of 76 machines that cater up to 222 patients daily.
“About 90 per cent of patients at the centre are on subsidized rate to as low as RM5 up to RM220 per dialysis session for the hardcore poor group. We (also) have social workers who go to the ground to cross check with the subsidy applicant’s family background. Thus, the subsidized rate is given according to a family’s financial status,” he said.
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