Technological advances in renal care

The first systems for treating kidney failure were developed in the 1940's, when it was found that blood could be successfully cleared of toxins and returned to the body using a relatively simple device based on artificial sausage skin wrapped around a wooden frame. This process was used to replace the function of the kidney, allowing patients to recover from conditions such as poisoning or crush injuries that temporarily stop the kidneys working. In the 1960's, advances in technology made long-term replacement of renal function using haemodialysis machines possible and allowed surgeons to carry out kidney transplants between people who were not identical twins. Long-term peritoneal dialysis became a viable treatment option two decades later. There are now over 1.1 million people world-wide receiving regular dialysis treatment and around 340,000 people living with a donated kidney. This paper reviews the pioneering work in the treatment of kidney failure and looks at some of the recent advances in equipment design, materials science, immunosuppression and information technology that aim to improve the quality of life and the life expectancy for patients living on renal replacement therapy.