Marshall County Man Tries Nighttime Kidney Dialysis

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Marshall County Man Tries Nighttime Kidney Dialysis

Researchers Need More Participants

KCCI.com January 22, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Dialysis is a must for one Marshall County man, but it's no longer such an inconvenience now that he can undergo the procedure at night.

A birth defect as a child eventually left Denny Burgess without either of his kidneys. That's why he has had to depend on dialysis for more than 20 years.

Burgess said he no longer has to worry about scheduling around his dialysis schedule.

Instead of spending four to five hours a day, three days a week hooked up to a dialysis machine, he can now spend a full day out on the road.

"This is the dialyzer, which basically functions as his kidney," said wife Marcia Burgess.

The nocturnal dialysis machine is part of study through University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

It takes Burgess' wife about 40 minutes to connect all the tubes and equipment so that Burgess can use it every night before going to bed.

" Healthwise, he has dramatically changed -- colorwise, energywise," Marcia Burgess said.

"I mean, I feel so much better. Just all the time, you don't have the ups and downs," he said.

Instead of four hours on regular dialysis, Burgess uses the machine for eight hours a night. He said it is less stressful on his body and heart and has improved his overall quality of life.

"You do it at night while you're sleeping so you don't lose that four and a half to five hours you were taking out of your week before," he said. "It's just been a total improvement on his health," his wife said.

The Burgesses said the benefits are definitely worth the extra work.

It takes time to set up the machine. They had to make some electrical and plumbing upgrades to make sure their home could support the machine.

Researchers are looking for new patients. They said that preliminary results show nocturnal dialysis is better for a patient's body and heart.

To be eligible, patients need to be 18 years of age or older, have a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease requiring chronic renal replacement therapy, and must be willing to do their dialysis at home. Those interested can contact the University of Iowa's Allison Hilkin 319-356-4768 or 800-777-8442 ext 6-4768 or at allison-hilkin@uiowa.edu.

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