Kidney dialysis
Many intensive care patients need treatment with a kidney machine or ‘renal replacement therapy’ during their stay. This may either be because their kidneys have failed as part of their acute illness, or occasionally because they are a dialysis patient who is temporarily too unwell to receive their normal kidney dialysis. The kidney machine used in most intensive care units is similar to standard outpatient kidney dialysis but provides a slower, gentler therapy which runs continuously at the patient’s bedside. It clears toxins and waste products from the blood whilst the patient’s own kidneys are not functioning normally. Some systems require the patient to be given blood thinning medication to prevent blood clotting in the machine tubing.
To be connected to a kidney machine, patients require a wide bore central line so that blood may be removed, cleaned and returned to the circulation. These lines are usually placed in a large vein in the neck, near the collar bone or in the groin.
Comments are closed