New Home Haemodialysis treatment

People with end stage renal failure (ESKD) can now avail of a new Home-haemodialysis treatment in Ireland. This pilot treatment programme has recently been rolled out by Beaumont Hospital.

This new programme provides the same optimum quality treatment as hospital haemodialysis but offers more freedom of choice and flexibility for patients! Instead of being tied into three weekly visits to hospital for four hours of haemodialysis treatment, some patients, after training, can choose to avail of this innovative treatment option.
 
Professor Peter Conlon, Consultant Nephrologist at Beaumont Hospital said that, “Beaumont Hospital now has a dedicated home haemodialysis training facility which offers vital training and support to patients who choose to avail of home haemodialysis.  I hope that by the end of this year that 15 – 20 patients will have availed of it and that in the next five years up to 80 patients throughout the country will choose to have their haemodialysis treatment at home”.

Every year in Ireland about 450 patients reach End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) and need treatment for their non-functioning kidneys. Up until recently, the main forms of treatment available were hospital or clinic Haemodialysis or home Peritoneal Dialysis. There are at present, about 1680 patients receiving either form of dialysis therapy. This is expected to increase by 5-6% per annum.

202 people have chosen Peritoneal Dialysis as their treatment choice. Peritoneal dialysis involves filtering of toxins from the body on a continuous basis using the peritoneal cavity in the stomach. Haemodialysis involves filtering the patient’s blood via external filters on a haemodialysis machine.

Speaking during Organ Donor Awareness Week 2010, Mr. Mark Murphy, Chief Executive of the Irish Kidney Association congratulated Prof. Peter Conlon and his team at Beaumont Hospital for being the first in Ireland to pilot this innovative programme. "We are delighted", he said "that some patients have already started to choose this treatment. The first patient commenced this home treatment in September 2009 and since then another four have started haemodialysis at home. With no travel time for hospital visits the treatment offers a better quality of life and hope to some haemodialysis patients, especially those patients receiving long term haemodialysis. Home haemodialysis reduces pressure on hospital dialysis facilities many of which are already close to capacity.”