Gentle machine for renal failure patients

Gentle machine for renal failure patients

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Armadale health service ICU director Jacqueline Donnelly and ICU clinical nurse manager Denver Prince with the new continuous renal replacement therapy machine. Photograph — Matt Devlin.

Armadale health service has introduced a continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) service in its intensive care unit to treat critically ill patients with acute kidney failure.

The new CRRT machines provide a slower and gentler form of dialysis for patients with low or unstable blood pressure due to conditions such as pneumonia, cardiac failure or septic shock.

ICU clinical nurse manager Denver Prince said critical patients could tolerate CRRT a lot better than conventional dialysis.

“We can now safely treat patients with acute renal failure closer to home while reducing the need for transfers to another hospital,” he said.

“This makes it more convenient for patients and families.”

The new service adds to the comprehensive renal service the hospital already provided to the local community.