Home care patients who require dialysis to supplement kidney function may not need to remain tethered to a stationary device thanks to a new development from researchers at UCLA.
Scientists there have developed a portable blood cleaning device that allows them to receive constant, yet gentler dialysis thr
oughout the day with a 10-pound pack that can be worn outside the home.
"We believe that the Wearable Artificial Kidney will not only reduce the mortality and misery of dialysis patients, but will also result in significant reduction in the cost of providing viable health care," said lead researcher Dr Victor Gura.
He and the rest of the research team are hopeful that the device will prove effective in scheduled clinical trials, having already shown benefits in two preliminary trials on dialysis patients.
For the 400,000 aging Americans who may require home care due to restrictions caused by dialysis, it could be welcome news, allowing them to work or engage in other activities during treatment.
The scientists also hope that by making treatment a constant, it will lessen the number of hospitalizations that dialysis patients undergo.
© Copyright
