The Growing Menace of Acute Renal Failure

Acute renal failure (ARF), which is also variously known as acute kidney injury or acute kidney failure, afflicts a significant and growing number of patients nowadays. Statistics reveal that up to 5 percent of patients being admitted to hospitals and about 20 percent of those in intensive care units are afflicted with acute renal failure.

In plain terms, acute renal failure indicates a condition where the kidneys have abruptly stopped functioning. And since the kidneys act as the removal system for waste products as well as help in the balancing of water, salt and minerals or electrolytes in the blood, when they stop working, these toxic waste products and excess fluids begin to accumulate in the body.

Medical experts have categorized the causes of acute renal failure along three major areas, namely: pre-renal, which are causes identified in the blood supply and indicated by a serious decrease in the flow of blood to the kidneys; renal or intrinsic, which indicates damage in the kidneys themselves and which may, among others, be caused by the side effects of medication for other ailments; and post-renal, which involves a sudden, obstructive block that prevents the flow of urine from the kidneys.

The Surgical Remedy for Renal Disabilities

Dialysis cannot always solve renal disorders. If the situation calls, a kidney transplant might be the better option. It is a good thing that various techniques are developed to make this surgery happen. Traditionally, a large incision opens the patient’s side to perform the surgery. On the other hand, modern procedures and advanced surgical tools now allow surgeons to make the smallest possible incision during surgery. However, the surgeon always has the decision of what approach is the more appropriate depending on the patient’s situation.

After an incision is made, a new kidney will be fixed to the renal artery. There are, however, cases when it is embedded above or below the old kidneys. The removal of the damaged kidney/s will depend on the patient’s situation. The patient will be then confined in a hospital for several days for there is a high risk for complications such as organ rejection, infections, and excessive bleeding.

If Renal Dialysis Isn’t Good Enough

Kidney failure and other disabilities are lethal if not treated with the right medical approach. There is the presence of renal dialysis but it has limits. It can compensate for a kidney’s disability but of course it cannot cover the body’s entire need for a vital organ. If the situation reached the worst, there is always the option for a kidney transplant.

If a patient is interested in the idea of having a new organ in his body, he must consult nephrologists. The next step will be the evaluation of the patient’s condition. This step will determine if he really need an organ transplant. A series of thorough medical examinations and interviews will be performed to do so. Several health conditions disqualify a patient for an organ transplant. Hepatitis C, HIV infection, and cancer are among those. In addition, a full dental evaluation is also required. The results of the full medical and dental examinations will then indicate if you can undergo kidney transplant.

Renal Dialyses in the Comfort of One’s Own Home

Basically, renal dialyses that can be conducted at home have two types. The first is hemodialysis and the second is called peritoneal dialysis. In home dialysis, patients have the luxury of not being required to go to dialysis centers each time they go under it. They are only obliged to visit the centers twice a month to talk and settle things with their physicians and other health care professionals involved.

For the first type, hemodialysis, the choices are traditional, nocturnal, and short daily. To make a process possible, the patient should have a hemodialysis machine and supplies installed in his home. Patients undergoing this kind of medical process are also usually assisted by health care assistants during treatment. An extra room in the house is also a requisite in peritoneal dialysis. That room should cater for his dialysis supplies and cycler especially if an automated peritoneal dialysis is what is performed.