artificial implantable kidney

[natnnnat]

From KidneyKorner:  http://kidneykorner.com/smfbb/index.php?topic=3714.0
New Delhi: A US based Indian-origin researcher has created the world's first artificial implantable kidney. If this passes human trials, it could eliminate the need for kidney dialysis and even a transplant.
The world's first artificial kidney that can mimic almost all vital kindey functions has been created. Indian origin researcher who is making the headlines - Shuvo Roy and his team at the University of California in the US have made what could be the first bio-implantable device, to replace dialysis and even kidney transplantation.
The new kidney device protoype is made up two parts. First is made up of silicon chips that can filter toxins out of the bloodstream. The filtered material is pumped into the second half of the system which is also made up of silicon chips but coated with human kidney cells. These human kidney cells help reabsorb some of the useful substances like sugars and salts back into the body. It also produces vitamin D and helps regulate blood pressure.

"Better over dialysis, even transplants as well. Patients may not require anti-rejection drugs - as is required after transplants because there would be no exposed natural tissues for the immune system to attack," said Dr Alka Bhasin, Nephrologist, Max.

Animal trails have shown good results so far, while human trials are awaited over the next five years.

For the sake of more than a lakh new kidney disease patients every year in India alone and a far larger number on lifelong dialysis - both patients and the medical fraternity the world over, are no doubt, hoping that Dr Roy's invention is successful and to be made available.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/worlds-1st-artificial-kidney-device-by-an-indian/136510-17.html



And from
http://kidneykorner.com/smfbb/index.php?topic=3729.new#new

Interesting Video on a artificial kidney.
« on: December 14, 2010, 02:56:00 PM »
   Reply with quoteQuote
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/implantable-artificial-kidney-a-cure-chronic-kidney-disease/42534?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zdnet%2FBTL+%28ZDNet+Between+the+Lines%29

[okarol]

A bit more of the story is here http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=21141.0

[flipperfun]

An amazing piece of news.  There IS hope for us yet!

I hope you all had a great Christmas.

[natnnnat]

A bit more of the story is here http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=21141.0

I thought I'd seen it here somewhere!  [slaps forehead]

[MooseMom]

Oh my God, wouldn't it be wonderful?  No more agonizing over donation, etc.  We could all live healthier lives without needing someone to make a sacrifice on our behalf.

Does anyone think that evil powers might conspire to scuttle this new invention?  If there were implantable artificial kidneys, wouldn't that hurt the dialysis industry?  Would they, could they persuade the FDA to withhold approval?

[greg10]

We wish Dr. Roy all the best and we all hope that he can deliver something in the near future that lives up to the description as promised.  However, this sounds like "vaporware" in software development.  That is, a lot of promises and new technology but when it comes time to deliver, there is nothing to show for it.

This is a better description from the UCSF site:
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/news/2010/09/ucsf_unveils_artificial_kidney_to_replace_dialysis.html

The implantable device aims to eradicate that problem. The two-stage system uses a hemofilter to remove toxins from the blood, while applying recent advances in tissue engineering to grow renal tubule cells to provide other biological functions of a healthy kidney. The process relies on the bodys blood pressure to perform filtration without needing pumps or an electrical power supply.

The problems is that this device depends on living tissue cultured kidney cells and miniaturization of the container device to the point that they can be implanted and function at body blood pressure without a pump - two very difficult to overcome limitations given the present technology.  Whatever you might have read, Dr. Roy does not have an implantable device that is kidney replaceable right now that can function for any practical length of time.

[MooseMom]

Boy, that was a buzzkill.  Thanks for that!

[RightSide]

I don't consider it "vaporware," because Dr. Roy has definite plans to try the device in laboratory animals in the next phase of his project.  And if that succeeds, then to try it in human volunteers.

http://bts.ucsf.edu/roy/research.html