Three Ways to Build an Artificial Kidney

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37 pointsmhb3 comments

The efforts of the companies mentioned in this article look promising and I wish them all the best in the coming years. I can't imagine what it takes to get something like that into testing on patients in the ICU. My grandmother is currently, or was, enduring dialysis but is now refusing treatment in part because of it's long term impact on mobility and general quality of life. I don't imagine that is a complete unique circumstance and if efforts in the near future help to improve that, even a just a little, it could mean a great deal with regard to sustaining human life in an all too common life-threatening health condition.

Did you grandmother consider peritoneal dialysis? It allows one to do it on a daily basis from them home with no needles. Either by machine while they sleep or manually while awake. These are supposed to have less side effects because the treatment is done on a daily basis vs alternate days for hemo-dialysis. The technology is much simpler than hemo-dialysis... literally a bag of water that is pumped into the body.

Sadly I had to learn about all this because I found my kidneys were failing a year ago. Everyone needs to be careful because there are very few warning signs of a failing kidney.

I'm not on dialysis yet but right on the border. I really wish I had the financial resources to invest into these companies to help them reach success.

In countries that provide universal health care, the hospitals are eager to provide peritoneal dialysis because it is much cheaper than hemodialysis. You don't take up hospital space, use up a specially trained nurse's time, and tie up expensive machinery. The problem is that peritoneal dialysis is less effective (worse for your longevity) and requires more hours. Just be aware that hospitals have their own agenda for pushing peritoneal dialysis.

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