Helping Dialysis Patients Maintain Independence
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By: Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
For individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) — a type of dialysis that patients perform at home — holds a wealth of advantages compared to hemodialysis, which requires time-consuming visits to a treatment center. Independent Nephrology Services (INS) of Huntersville, NC, provides PD services and support to individuals at five locations in the Tar Heel State.
PD works through a process of osmosis and diffusion with the peritoneal membrane, using dialysate to remove waste products from the bloodstream. This form of dialysis preserves the patient’s residual renal function longer than other prescription options. Due to continued renal function, it also decreases complications with transplantation, as the patient’s other urinary organs are still functioning while the individual awaits a renal transplant.
“PD should be the modality of choice for eligible ESRD patients,” says Susan Johnson, R.N., Area Nurse Manager for INS. “Most patients are good candidates to receive PD. However, certain patients who have had multiple surgeries or are unable to care for themselves at home may not qualify. For those who are candidates for PD, the difference it can make in quality of life versus hemodialysis is significant. Whereas hemodialysis patients must travel to a treatment center a minimum of three times per week for an average of four hours at a time, PD patients face fewer interruptions to their daily routine and enhanced quality of life by being able to administer dialysis at home.”
Choosing the Best Option
For patients, the process of receiving PD begins at one of INS’s five locations, where they attend an education class conducted by Kathleen Doman, M.D., board-certified nephrologist and Medical Director of INS’s Charlotte and Huntersville locations, or Wolfgang Lohrmann, M.D., board-certified nephrologist and Medical Director of INS’s Statesville, Iredell County and Franklin County locations. INS also works with three other board-certified nephrologists in the area.
After undergoing surgical evaluation and placement of a dialysis catheter, patients return to INS for two weeks of training explaining PD. One of INS’s five full-time nurses visits each patient’s home on the first day he or she performs PD to ensure the process goes smoothly, and INS staff members — including a Master’s-prepared social worker and a registered dietitian — are available around the clock to provide assistance.
PD can be performed in two ways: continuous ambulatory (CAPD) and continuous cycling (CCPD). CAPD involves making four to five manual exchanges of dialysate per day. CCPD is performed at night during sleep by a preprogrammed bedside machine. Each patient chooses the best method for him or her based on lifestyle and daily routine.
“What sets INS apart is that we do the right things for the right reasons: the patients,” Johnson says. “Everyone at INS practices with patients’ best interests in mind.”
For more information about Independent Nephrology Services, please call
(704) 947-2341 or visit
http://www.libertydialysis.com/state_search.html and click on “North Carolina.”
Serving A Wide Area
Based in Huntersville, NC, Independent Nephrology Services (INS) provides dialysis services to North Carolinians at five locations.
INS Charlotte —
Dr. Kathleen Doman, Medical Director
University Executive Park Drive, Suite 690
Charlotte, NC 28262
(704) 717-2825
INS Franklin County —
Dr. Wolfgang Lohrmann, Medical Director
60 Wheaton Drive, Suite 78
Youngsville, NC 27596
(919) 554-8534
INS Huntersville —
Dr. Kathleen Doman, Medical Director
9920 Kincey Avenue, Suite 140
Huntersville, NC 28078
(704) 947-2341
INS Iredell County —
Dr. Wolfgang Lohrmann, Medical Director
124 Professional Park Drive, Suite B
Mooresville, NC 28117
(704) 663-3534
INS Statesville —
Dr. Wolfgang Lohrmann, Medical Director
2603 Davie Avenue
Statesville, NC 28625
(704) 878-6590
http://www.mdnews.com/news/2011_03/05731_marapr2011_helping-dialysis-patients
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