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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 23, 2014 4:13 PM IST
Scientists have developed a miniaturised kidney dialysis machine capable of treating the smallest babies that has successfully treated a newborn baby with multiple organ failure for the first time. According to the researchers, this technology has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of infants with acute kidney injury.
The new continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) machine-named CARPEDIEM (Cardio-Renal Pediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine)-was created to overcome the problems of existing dialysis machines that are only designed for adults and have to be adapted for use in newborns and small infants. Lead author Professor Claudio Ronco from San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza, Italy, said that such modifications make adult devices inaccurate when used in infants smaller than 15kg and can result in complications with fluid management and treatment delivery. (Read : Are you likely to suffer from kidney disease? Here are 11 common risk factors)
Ronco added that a major problem is the potential for errors in ultrafiltration volumes, and adult dialysis equipment has a tendency to either withdraw too much fluid from a child, leading to dehydration and loss of blood pressure, or too little fluid, leading to high blood pressure and edema. The study was published in The Lancet. (Read : Could a nanofibre mesh soon replace kidney dialysis?)
What you should know about kidney dialysis?
Dialysis is a form of treatment that is advised for patients suffering from end-stage kidney disease. Usually when a patient has chronic kidney disease the doctor classifies it into stages based on the percentage of kidney function the patient has. This is calculated using certain formulae based on the patient's serum creatinine levels. Generally when a person's kidney function is less than 10 to 15 per cent of what it should be, dialysis is prescribed. This is the time the patient suffers from symptoms such as fatigue, lack of concentration, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, itching of the skin, restlessness of the legs, muscle aches and cramps etc, due to the build up of waste products in the blood stream (also called uraemia). (Read more on kidney dialysis)
With inputs from ANI
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