1,721,004 research outputs found
The Kidney Health Initiative innovation roadmap for renal replacement therapies: Building the yellow brick road, while updating the map
No full textFather of Artificial Organs ‐ The story of medical pioneer Willem J. Kolff (1911‐2009)
Full text linkCoordinating efforts to optimize next-generation kidney replacement therapies: the European Kidney Health Alliance Work Group 'Breakthrough Innovation'
Full text link
Smart sensors for real-time monitoring of patients on dialysis
No full textPeritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis are lifesaving but intrusive treatments that are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite the considerable time patients with kidney failure spend tied to their life-saving therapies, relatively few vital signs are monitored. Smart, unobtrusive approaches to track clinical parameters could help to individualize treatments and improve patient outcomes
Portable, wearable and implantable artificial kidney systems:needs, opportunities and challenges
Full text linkHaemodialysis is life sustaining but expensive, provides limited removal of uraemic solutes, is associated with poor patient quality of life and has a large carbon footprint. Innovative dialysis technologies such as portable, wearable and implantable artificial kidney systems are being developed with the aim of addressing these issues and improving patient care. An important challenge for these technologies is the need for continuous regeneration of a small volume of dialysate. Dialysate recycling systems based on sorbents have great potential for such regeneration. Novel dialysis membranes composed of polymeric or inorganic materials are being developed to improve the removal of a broad range of uraemic toxins, with low levels of membrane fouling compared with currently available synthetic membranes. To achieve more complete therapy and provide important biological functions, these novel membranes could be combined with bioartificial kidneys, which consist of artificial membranes combined with kidney cells. Implementation of these systems will require robust cell sourcing; cell culture facilities annexed to dialysis centres; large-scale, low-cost production; and quality control measures. These challenges are not trivial, and global initiatives involving all relevant stakeholders, including academics, industrialists, medical professionals and patients with kidney disease, are required to achieve important technological breakthroughs.</p
The European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) and the Decade of the Kidney (TM)
Full text linkThe European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) is an advocacy organization that defends the case of the kidney patients and the nephrological community at the level of the European Union (EU), and from there, top to bottom, also at the national level of the EU member states and the EU-associated countries. The Decade of the Kidney (TM) is a global initiative launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) to create greater awareness and organize patient demands for long overdue innovation in kidney care. This article describes the medical and patient burden of kidney disease, the history of EKHA, its major activities and tools for policy action, and the need for innovation of kidney care. We then describe the Decade of the Kidney (TM) initiative, the rationale behind why EKHA joined this activity to emanate parallel action at the European side, the novel professionalized structure of EKHA, and its immediate targets. The final aim is to align all major stakeholders for an action plan on kidney disease comparable to Europe's successful Beating Cancer Plan, with the additional intent that the EKHA model is applied also by the respective national kidney-related societies to create a broad mobilization at all levels. The ultimate aims are that the EU considers chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a major health and health-economic problem, to consequently have CKD included as a key health research target by the European Commission, and to improve quality of life and outcomes for all kidney patients
- …
