Showing posts with label hemodialysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hemodialysis. Show all posts
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Gambro
Very recently I have made a change in my practice of Dialysis. The organization I am working with now uses predominately Gambro Dailysis equipment. I have in my history used the Gambro CVVH machine. I will now be using The Phoenix Machine by Gambro in my daily practice and I am excited as it seems to be an excellent machine!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Innovative HeRO® Device
Innovative HeRO® Device Improves
Outcomes, Quality of Life for Kidney Disease Patients
1,000 patients nationwide have now received the device
from Minnesota-based Hemosphere, Inc.
February 24, 2010 – Eden Prairie, Minn. – One thousand end stage renal disease patients have now benefited from a novel device that provides vital access to their blood for filtering and replacement kidney function and reduces the risk of potentially fatal bacteremia infection.
The HeRO® Vascular Access Device, produced by Hemosphere, Inc., in Eden Prairie, Minn., provides access for hemodialysis similar to a conventional graft. The device is surgically implanted completely under the skin and its innovative design bypasses central venous damage caused by catheters. More than 1,000 patients in over 220 hospitals across the United States have received the device since its commercialization in May 2008.
“Reaching this significant medical milestone demonstrates increasing physician acceptance of the HeRO Vascular Access Device and its positive contribution toward improved quality of life for kidney disease patients,” said Doris Engibous, President and CEO of Hemosphere, Inc. “The strong clinical results, and the subsequent increasing adoption of the device, reinforce that HeRO can provide improved vascular access performance and reduce healthcare costs compared to catheters.”
Before the introduction of HeRO, hemodialysis patients received a tunneled dialysis catheter when the damage to their central venous systems prevented them from supporting a fistula or graft. Catheters have a number of disadvantages, including high rates of life-threatening infection, inadequate dialysis compared to fistulas and grafts, and are widely known to cause damage to the central veins over time.
HeRO has the potential to establish a new standard of vascular access care to reduce long-term catheter use. The device provides a new option that improves a patient’s quality of life by increasing the effectiveness of hemodialysis treatment and reducing a patient’s risk of developing an often-fatal systemic infection.
“The HeRO device allows for better and more efficient dialysis, so many of my patients who have been implanted with HeRO say they feel better and have more energy,” said Dr. Brad Grimsley, vascular access surgeon at Texas Vascular Associates in Dallas, who performed the 1,000th implant. “Because HeRO is implanted under the skin, it has a significantly lower risk of potentially life-threatening infections than a catheter and allows my patients to enjoy daily activities, like showering or swimming, without worrying about exposing their access to germs and bacteria.”
How HeRO Works
The HeRO Vascular Access Device is made up of two pieces that are surgically implanted under the skin. During surgery, a reinforced tube (called the outflow component) is inserted directly into a large vein in the neck. X-ray is used to direct the tube past any blockages that have caused trouble for other access sites. A regular dialysis graft is sewn to an artery, just like a conventional graft. The graft is then joined to the outflow component with a special proprietary connector. Once the system is in place, blood will flow from the artery through the graft and
Internal Use Only: 15-0002, Press Release 1,000th Implant
outflow component into the heart. Unlike a catheter, there is continuous blood flow even when a patient is not receiving dialysis treatment.
“Our customers, including our earliest supporters in the clinical trial, as well as the dialysis care centers and our most recent certified surgical implanters, are the key to our success. Without their belief and support, HeRO would not be the solution for access challenged patients,” said Engibous. “We are committed to collaborating with clinicians and other members of the dialysis care continuum to improve clinical outcomes for patients for years to come.”
About Hemosphere, Inc. Hemosphere, Inc., is leading innovation and collaboration in the global development and commercialization of technologies that revolutionize care and restore quality of life for end-stage renal disease patients with compromised vasculature.
For more information on Hemosphere, Inc and the HeRO® Vascular Access Device, visit the company’s Web site at www.heroaccess.com.
1,000 patients nationwide have now received the device
from Minnesota-based Hemosphere, Inc.
February 24, 2010 – Eden Prairie, Minn. – One thousand end stage renal disease patients have now benefited from a novel device that provides vital access to their blood for filtering and replacement kidney function and reduces the risk of potentially fatal bacteremia infection.
The HeRO® Vascular Access Device, produced by Hemosphere, Inc., in Eden Prairie, Minn., provides access for hemodialysis similar to a conventional graft. The device is surgically implanted completely under the skin and its innovative design bypasses central venous damage caused by catheters. More than 1,000 patients in over 220 hospitals across the United States have received the device since its commercialization in May 2008.
“Reaching this significant medical milestone demonstrates increasing physician acceptance of the HeRO Vascular Access Device and its positive contribution toward improved quality of life for kidney disease patients,” said Doris Engibous, President and CEO of Hemosphere, Inc. “The strong clinical results, and the subsequent increasing adoption of the device, reinforce that HeRO can provide improved vascular access performance and reduce healthcare costs compared to catheters.”
Before the introduction of HeRO, hemodialysis patients received a tunneled dialysis catheter when the damage to their central venous systems prevented them from supporting a fistula or graft. Catheters have a number of disadvantages, including high rates of life-threatening infection, inadequate dialysis compared to fistulas and grafts, and are widely known to cause damage to the central veins over time.
HeRO has the potential to establish a new standard of vascular access care to reduce long-term catheter use. The device provides a new option that improves a patient’s quality of life by increasing the effectiveness of hemodialysis treatment and reducing a patient’s risk of developing an often-fatal systemic infection.
“The HeRO device allows for better and more efficient dialysis, so many of my patients who have been implanted with HeRO say they feel better and have more energy,” said Dr. Brad Grimsley, vascular access surgeon at Texas Vascular Associates in Dallas, who performed the 1,000th implant. “Because HeRO is implanted under the skin, it has a significantly lower risk of potentially life-threatening infections than a catheter and allows my patients to enjoy daily activities, like showering or swimming, without worrying about exposing their access to germs and bacteria.”
How HeRO Works
The HeRO Vascular Access Device is made up of two pieces that are surgically implanted under the skin. During surgery, a reinforced tube (called the outflow component) is inserted directly into a large vein in the neck. X-ray is used to direct the tube past any blockages that have caused trouble for other access sites. A regular dialysis graft is sewn to an artery, just like a conventional graft. The graft is then joined to the outflow component with a special proprietary connector. Once the system is in place, blood will flow from the artery through the graft and
Internal Use Only: 15-0002, Press Release 1,000th Implant
outflow component into the heart. Unlike a catheter, there is continuous blood flow even when a patient is not receiving dialysis treatment.
“Our customers, including our earliest supporters in the clinical trial, as well as the dialysis care centers and our most recent certified surgical implanters, are the key to our success. Without their belief and support, HeRO would not be the solution for access challenged patients,” said Engibous. “We are committed to collaborating with clinicians and other members of the dialysis care continuum to improve clinical outcomes for patients for years to come.”
About Hemosphere, Inc. Hemosphere, Inc., is leading innovation and collaboration in the global development and commercialization of technologies that revolutionize care and restore quality of life for end-stage renal disease patients with compromised vasculature.
For more information on Hemosphere, Inc and the HeRO® Vascular Access Device, visit the company’s Web site at www.heroaccess.com.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Home Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis treatments preformed at home is not a new concept at all, in fact I have known some patients that were doing hemodialysis(HD) at home as early as the late 1970's. The home HD option has become more widely used. I am very encouraged about this because it is a perfect transition mode of treatment for people on Peritoneal Dialysis(PD that for a number of reasons can no longer continue PD.
I am very excited of late as I have on good information from Doctors and staff that a home HD program will be starting in my area (Rochester NY) using the Next Stage equipment! Enabling the former PD patient to continue dialyzing at home is great because these folks have been running their own show, for the most part doing their dialysis treatments around their own schedule and not that of an outpatient hemodialysis center. With the next stage machine patients can travel just as easily as they could when on PD as this system does not need a special water treatment for dialysis. Another great benefit of home HD is that the patient can do more frequent shorter treatments at home instead of long treatments three days a week. These shorter more frequent treatments are a much better dialysis process for the body because there are less fluid management problems (osmosis) and better control over the removal of toxins (diffusion). Again not as good but similar to PD where in most cases you are dialyzing 24/7.
In most home HD programs you must have a partner that is trained and will be with you for all treatments. Some home programs offer the option of doing the treatments at night and they are monitored by health care staff remotely. As a Dialysis Nurse it is a great thing that the option of Home Hemodialysis is increasing in availablity.
I am very excited of late as I have on good information from Doctors and staff that a home HD program will be starting in my area (Rochester NY) using the Next Stage equipment! Enabling the former PD patient to continue dialyzing at home is great because these folks have been running their own show, for the most part doing their dialysis treatments around their own schedule and not that of an outpatient hemodialysis center. With the next stage machine patients can travel just as easily as they could when on PD as this system does not need a special water treatment for dialysis. Another great benefit of home HD is that the patient can do more frequent shorter treatments at home instead of long treatments three days a week. These shorter more frequent treatments are a much better dialysis process for the body because there are less fluid management problems (osmosis) and better control over the removal of toxins (diffusion). Again not as good but similar to PD where in most cases you are dialyzing 24/7.
In most home HD programs you must have a partner that is trained and will be with you for all treatments. Some home programs offer the option of doing the treatments at night and they are monitored by health care staff remotely. As a Dialysis Nurse it is a great thing that the option of Home Hemodialysis is increasing in availablity.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Peritoneal Dialysis Option
When a person reaches the point where they have been categorized as ESRD(End Stage Renal Disease) and it has been determined that they must start Dialysis treatment to stay alive there are two treatment options. One is Hemodialysis(HD) usually where the Patient has a scheduled treatment time at an outpatient treatment center three times a week for most commonly 3 to 4 hours each treatment.
The other option is Peritoneal Dialysis(PD). In this treatment the blood stream is not accessed directly. A special tube(PD Catheter) is surgically placed in the Abdomen and via this tube Dialysate solutions are exchanged in and out of the Peritoneal Cavity. The Peritoneum is a membrane that encompasses our internal organs and this membrane is the natural filter that makes PD possible.
These treatments are done at home. The person does the treatment by themselves or with the assistance of a partner. Treatments can be preformed in two ways, Manual exchanges of Dialysis solution 4 to 5 times a day or automated with a PD Cycler mechanically doing the exchanges for you usually while you sleep.
With the Hemodialysis Option you have to comply to the outpatient treatment center schedule, there are more dietary restrictions and there can be more drastic physical reactions to the treatment such as extremes in blood pressures,nausea,electrolyte imbalances.
With Peritoneal Dialysis your treatment can be worked around your own schedule,you can travel more easily with PD. I think the single most important advantage to the PD option is that you are always being dialyzed like your kidneys it is a natural process occurring inside you.
One disadvantage is that in most cases patients are usually on PD for only a few to several years and then if not transplanted they have to move to Hemodialysis. This is usually because after some time the Peritoneum lessens in its ability to adequately preform the dialysis commonly because of infection(Peritonitis.
As a Nurse working in both PD & HD for 5 years, personally if I had to made the choice I would opt for the more natural treatment PD at first if I could. There are many more specifics to these options but I feel like I have covered the basics for now. Thanks, Joe Macomber RN
The other option is Peritoneal Dialysis(PD). In this treatment the blood stream is not accessed directly. A special tube(PD Catheter) is surgically placed in the Abdomen and via this tube Dialysate solutions are exchanged in and out of the Peritoneal Cavity. The Peritoneum is a membrane that encompasses our internal organs and this membrane is the natural filter that makes PD possible.
These treatments are done at home. The person does the treatment by themselves or with the assistance of a partner. Treatments can be preformed in two ways, Manual exchanges of Dialysis solution 4 to 5 times a day or automated with a PD Cycler mechanically doing the exchanges for you usually while you sleep.
With the Hemodialysis Option you have to comply to the outpatient treatment center schedule, there are more dietary restrictions and there can be more drastic physical reactions to the treatment such as extremes in blood pressures,nausea,electrolyte imbalances.
With Peritoneal Dialysis your treatment can be worked around your own schedule,you can travel more easily with PD. I think the single most important advantage to the PD option is that you are always being dialyzed like your kidneys it is a natural process occurring inside you.
One disadvantage is that in most cases patients are usually on PD for only a few to several years and then if not transplanted they have to move to Hemodialysis. This is usually because after some time the Peritoneum lessens in its ability to adequately preform the dialysis commonly because of infection(Peritonitis.
As a Nurse working in both PD & HD for 5 years, personally if I had to made the choice I would opt for the more natural treatment PD at first if I could. There are many more specifics to these options but I feel like I have covered the basics for now. Thanks, Joe Macomber RN
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