Other Alternatives such as Nano Fiber Mesh for Treatment
Kidney
transplant in another option that patients with kidney disease hope will be in
their future. A donated kidney may come from an anonymous donor who has
recently died or from a living person, usually a relative. The kidney must be a
good match for the patient's body. The immune system protects a person from
disease by attacking anything that is not recognized as a normal part of the
body, the immune system will attack a kidney that appears too
"foreign." Unless they are causing infection or high blood pressure,
the diseased kidneys are left in place. "Transplants from deceased donors
have an 85 to 90% success rate for the first year. That means that after one
year, 85 to 90 out of every 100 transplanted kidneys are still functioning.
Live donor transplants have a 90 to 95% success rate. Long-term success is good
for people of all ages." (Kidney Foundation of Canada) Kidneys from
living, related donors appear to be the best match for success, but kidneys
from unrelated people also have a long survival rate. Being on dialysis or having a kidney transplant can place an undue
financial burden on patients and families.
-Researchers say the new Nanofiber mesh could be
a cheaper alternative to dialysis, and patients may even be able to wear it on
their arms.
-Hemodialysis is an effective tool for treating people with kidney failure, but the devices that filter uremic toxins out of blood tend to be large, expensive, and require quite a bit of maintenance. This means that many people around the world suffer needlessly from a treatable condition. Researchers at National Institute for Materials Science in Japan have now developed a nanofiber mesh capable of removing uremic toxins that allows for significant miniaturization of dialysis devices. -The mesh is made by electrospinning polyethylene-co-vinyl alchohol (EVOH) polymer and zeolites, aluminosilicates that absorb toxins. The ratio of silicon to aluminum within the zeolites controls the amount of toxins adsorbed, and the team experimented with various amounts to find the best results. Though the technology is not ready for prime-time, the team believes that small, wrist-worn hemodialysis devices will be available based on their technology in the not too distant future. |