Remote monitoring for the wearable artificial kidney

Recent technological advances have led to the construction of a truly wearable artificial kidney (WAK). This device offers the promise of regulation of volume status and provision of adequate solute clearances, while at the same time allowing its user to receive continuous therapy while going on with the normal activities of daily life. An important component of such a therapy is the ability to remotely monitor the treatment. This remote monitoring allows assurance of patient safety through surveillance of critical portions of the treatment as well as the ability to monitor compliance with prescribed therapy and automated collection of treatment data. Recent advances in telemedicine, telemonitoring, remote network access and sensor technologies have made such remote monitoring of the WAK feasible. Furthermore, experience with remote monitoring for nocturnal hemodialysis, which shares some similarities with the needs of the WAK for monitoring, can guide implementation of such a system.