US-based Indian creates first artificial kidney

Times of India Dec 4 2010 ^ | Dec 4, 2010 | Times of India

[Brian_Baldwin]

NEW DELHI: US-based Indian origin researcher Shuvo Roy has created the world's first implantable artificial kidney. What's sensational about Roy's creation is that the organ, no larger than a coffee cup, will be able to mimic the kidney's most vital functions like filtering toxins out of the bloodstream, regulate blood pressure and produce the all- important vitamin D.

The artificial kidney has been tested successfully on a small number of animals. Large-scale trials on animals and humans are expected over the next five years. Once available, and if affordable, this creation by the Roy-led team at University of California will do away with the need for kidney dialysis.

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[JRandomFreeper]

I'm ok with a pacemaker. I can understand every bit of that. That's all steel and electronics that apply a shock when/if appropriate. I would ask to review the software, but I'd take that in a heartbeat (no pun intended).

But a blood filter? Meh... not so much.

And I did express my disappointment at living through the accident when they brought me out of the coma almost a year ago. I was through the hard part. Personally, the year after hasn't been so great, so I'm still not thrilled, but maybe I've still got work here, you'd have to check with someone above my pay grade.

/johnny

[tbw2]

I find it ironic the inventor is described as a US-based Indian. Our research infrastructure is what allowed him to invent this. Unfortunately, he will likely return to India and test and then manufacture it there because of our legal system. And India will welcome him as a hero and our patients, whose taxes helped fund the research infrastructure, as medical tourists.

[Grizzled Bear]

This might put the illegal organ people out of business.

You mean I'll stop waking up in a bath tub filled with ice?

[central_va]

You mean I'll stop waking up in a bath tub filled with ice?

I saw that!

[okie01]

I wouldn't consider this as an option unless the right side kidney were to fail or also be damaged in an accident. But then, I would consider it. Better than dialysis. And that I won't do. Even if it means dying.

With one functioning kidney, you're still in good shape. After all, even at 10% kidney function, you're not in any immediate danger.

However, I was down to 6 1/2% kidney function and, thus, slowly dying until I found out I was in End State Renal Failure as I was on the operating table for a pacemaker implant.

As a consequence, I've been doing dialysis for 4 1/2 years. If you should ever need it, don't resist it. The experience is relatively benign -- especially if you're not diabetic.

Three days a week for 3 1/2 hours isn't so bad -- particularly if you can get the 5:30 AM session. You can sleep through the procedure and still get in a full day's work.

Nor does dialysis make you immobile -- you just need some advance warning of travel plans so you can schedule dialysis in another city. Over the 4 1/2 years, I've dialyzed in 34 different centers. All (save one) have been quite satisfactory. It seems that dialysis nurses and technicians universally enjoy what they do -- which makes the experience a pleasant one, even if they're sticking needles in you.

In other words, there's no reason to consider the alternative...

[central_va]

Don’t take this the wrong way but I’ve always wanted to know if being on dialysis means that you never take a number 1? If so, you probably make up the 3 1/2 hours back.

[okie01]

So long as you still have some kidney function, you still have to take a pee occasionally. Not often and not much, though.

Interestingly, I had to go about a week without dialysis a few months ago. And, oddly, after a few days, my kidneys started making more fluid than usual. They weren't removing the toxins like they should've, but they were removing the fluid and doing a passable job of keeping my blood pressure under control.

The body is a very resilient machine.

[1lawlady]

Me too. I just got out of dialysis an hour ago. It’s not so bad; travel is possible, and I’ve been doing it for 7 years with a hiatus to have a kidney transplant that failed. I didn’t think that I could bear it, but here I am. Take G-D with you and you can do anything, but you know that.

[JRandomFreeper]

Yeah, but I was already mostly dead. Alone on a mountain during a blizzard, internal bleeding (and I knew that) and hypothermia. I was ready to go, if somewhat surprised at the timing.

And then, they woke me up, told me that I'd get the tubes out later, I had a void of missing stuff on the left side, oh, and stuff is broken, so don't try to move.

Moon finally comes out of the blizzard as I lay there on the ground bleeding out, all right with everything, except it really, really hurts, waiting for the next round of blackness to take it all away vs waking up to CNN on a TV I had no control over? With tubes down my throat?

As I said, I was disappointed to remain.

/johnny