Bioartificial+Kidney

> The kidney functions as the body's filtration system for the blood, kidney failure happens when the kidneys stop filtering the blood and particles accumulate in the kidney. Without transplantation or dialysis, patients with chronic kidney disease would die. As the number of patients needing a kidney transplant exceeds 86,000 in the USA alone [[|2]] the solution for the shortage of kidneys is dire. > A dialysis machine is almost synonymous with the term "artificial kidney" - this is a misnomer, as the dialysis device is external from the body. However, when using a Dialysis machine patients receive treatment for chronic kidney failure. Dialysis features an external filtration system which functions as an artificial kidney. With assistance, a home dialysis machine can perform these functions for patients who cannot travel to a hospital. > While a dialysis machine is one solution to chronic kidney failure, these treatments are costly. In terms of both time and money, the treatments require the patient to receive dialysis in four to five hour sessions up to four times per week [[|1]], require a restricted patient diet, painful and limit the patient to the area where they receive dialysis treatments. > While still under development, the proposed Bioatrificial kidney would function as a normal kidney does and would not require maintenance. Some of the problems faced by artificial kidney creation are membrane type[[|3]], power source, and immune system rejection. Despite the problems faced, working prototypes have been designed and tested in animal subjects and human trials can be expected in the next five to seven years [[|4]].
 * 1) **Kidney Failure**
 * 1) **Hemodialysis**
 * 1) **Problems with Dialysis**
 * 1) **Bioartificial Kidney**

Sources: 1 - [] 2 - [] 3 - [|http://my.clevelandclinic.org/] 4 - []