Machine Eases Fatigue, Long Waits

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Machine Eases Fatigue, Long Waits

Reported by: Meghan Backus

Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 @06:37pm EDT

Every week, hundreds of people in the Rochester area rely on dialysis to stay alive. A new home machine at Rochester General Hospital could ease their pain as well as troubles in crowded dialysis centers.

”It's difficult to carry on quote unquote normal life doing it like this,” said Lisa Branca.

For more than three hours, three times a week, Branca goes through dialysis. This machine does what her kidneys cannot. But she has to visit Rochester General Hospital's dialysis center to use it.

“You sit around a lot of people and you just experience when people have problems or whatever can be really hard sometimes,” Branca.

This dialysis machine could change Branca’s life. At home, she would be able to hook up to the machine, which would then filter her blood. It is smaller and less complicated than the machines at the dialysis unit. And Branca would be able to use it when she wants and more often.

"Then I won't have to come in, you don't have to worry about driving, you're in the privacy of your own home and you're more comfortable at home,” Branca said.

Doctors expect two to three dozen patients will use the new home dialysis machine. In turn, more machines will be free at the dialysis center.

“Currently there is a very tight number of spots available in the community,” said Dr. Marvin Grieff, the director of dialysis at Rochester General Hospital.

The center is often full from 5:30 in the morning to midnight. But this machine does more than just take the pressure off the volumes at dialysis centers.

Grieff says patients will feel better because they can use it six days a week.

“By dialyzing everyday, you decrease that after dialysis fatigue many patients have by not having that much fluid,” he said. “You can remove fluid more frequently and more consistently.”

The State Department of Health is expected to approve the machine this week.

Branca is looking forward to it.

“Hopefully with a routine going at home it will allow me to have more flexibility with my life,” she said.

RGH already offers one type of home dialysis machine. However, some patients are uncomfortable using it because the machine connects to people through their abdomens. The new machine uses two needles to hook up to patients' arms.

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