The Robert-Debré AP-HP hospital now gives young people suffering from chronic kidney failure (CKD) the opportunity to do their hemodialysis from home.
- Chronic kidney failure is a serious illness that causes irreversible deterioration in the kidneys’ ability to filter blood.
- Currently, young patients suffering from chronic insufficiency are offered several replacement treatments to replace failing kidney function, including hemodialysis.
- The Robert-Debré AP-HP hospital has just launched a home pediatric hemodialysis program, a first in France.
The Robert-Debré AP-HP hospital has just launched a home pediatric hemodialysis program, a first in France.
“The result of collaborative work with the association of artificial kidney users (AURA) and a dialyzer manufacturing company, this innovation promises a considerable improvement in the quality of life of children and adolescents suffering from chronic kidney failure (CKD), a serious illness that causes irreversible deterioration in the capacity of the kidneys. to filter the blood”, can we read in a press release sent by the establishment.
Chronic kidney failure: what is hemodialysis?
Currently, young patients suffering from chronic insufficiency are offered several replacement treatments to replace failing kidney function, including hemodialysis. This is a technique that involves purifying the blood of toxins and excess retained water using an artificial kidney. The blood is first collected by puncture from a vascular access, then passes through a dialysis filter and is finally reinjected into the patient’s body.
Three sessions lasting four hours are necessary each week to replace the work that the kidneys do 24 hours a day. These appointments therefore punctuate the schedule of the young people concerned and greatly impact their ability to lead a life child or adolescent “classic” : outings with friends, schooling, sporting activities, etc.
“The launch of a home hemodialysis program therefore appears to be a small revolution for living with the disease on a daily basis,” indicates the Robert-Debré hospital. Indeed, with this new device, “two hours of hemodialysis per day carried out using a “reduced dialyzer” makes it possible to replace the three weekly sessions in the hospital”, he continues.
Chronic renal failure: lThe expected benefits of home hemodialysis are multiple
The expected benefits of home hemodialysis are multiple: improvement in health, greater autonomy and flexibility, reduction in medication needs, lifting of certain dietary restrictions, saving on travel time, etc.
In November 2023, the very first patient to have benefited from home hemodialysis was able to return home after six weeks of training in the nephrology-dialysis and kidney transplantation department of Professor Julien Hogan. If everything goes as planned, four to five new patients will follow the same course in 2024.
