From Dialysis to Artificial Kidneys: A Patient’s Guide to Renal Options

As someone who has experienced pre-eclampsia and renal failure firsthand, I know how overwhelming it can be to navigate kidney disease. Whether you’ve just been diagnosed or are supporting a loved one through this journey, understanding your options is crucial. Today, I want to share some insights about kidney disease treatment that might bring clarity and hope.

Understanding Kidney Function

Our kidneys are remarkable organs. Most people live full, healthy lives with just one functioning kidney. In fact, a solitary kidney typically causes no medical problems or restrictions. This is why kidney donation is possible and why transplants can be so successful.

Source: Punny Lemon

When Kidneys Fail: Treatment Options

When chronic kidney disease progresses to end-stage renal failure, there are currently two main treatment paths:

1. Dialysis

Dialysis removes waste and excess fluid from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do the job. During a typical 4-hour session, the machine can remove ~3 kg of excess water from a patient of weighing 50–60kgs. The amount of water that can extracted depends on the BMI of the patient; the maximum that can be extracted during one sessions can be up to 5.5–6kgs. Once you start dialysis, urination often becomes minimal or stops completely.

Pros:

• You can return to a more normal diet
• It’s life-sustaining while waiting for a transplant

Cons:

• Time-consuming (multiple sessions per week)
• Costly (₹1,600–5,000 per session in Delhi, India depending on the type of hospital)
• Long-term patients often invest in home dialysis machines (₹800,000–1,800,000) to save time and increase frequency

In my experience, dialysis is best viewed as a bridge to transplant.

2. Kidney Transplant

A kidney transplant surgically replaces a diseased kidney with a healthy one from a donor. The success rates are impressive — living-donor kidney transplants have a 90–95% success rate after one year.

A transplanted kidney typically functions well for 15–20 years, and I’ve personally met recipients whose donated kidneys have lasted over 20 years. If a transplanted kidney eventually fails, a second (or even third) transplant is possible. Recently, a 47-year-old DRDO scientist at Amrita Hospital in Faridabad made headlines after receiving his third kidney transplant — he now lives with five kidneys in his body!

Finding a Donor

Donor options include:

• Living donors (usually family members)
• Deceased donors (also called cadaver donors)

Donor regulations vary by country. In India, the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (1994) allows international patients to receive transplants only from their own donors — typically first-degree relatives (immediate family).

Other countries have different regulations:

• Korea allows donations from second and third-degree relatives
• Turkey permits fourth-degree living relatives to donate

Future Hope: Emerging Options

Medical science continues to advance, with promising developments on the horizon:

1. Xenotransplantation: The transplantation of organs from animals to humans. There have been successful xenotransplantation’s of pig hearts and kidneys into humans, though these procedures are still considered experimental.
2. Artificial Kidneys: Bioengineered solutions that may one day replace both dialysis and transplantation. The clinical trials are estimated in 4–5 years from a technical perspective, However, there can be a delay as there is inefficient funding for preclinical development.

My Personal Perspective

As someone walking this path, I’ve learned that conventional medicine offers the most reliable options for end-stage renal disease. While alternative treatments might help in early stages of kidney disease, they typically aren’t sufficient for advanced kidney failure. CKD can’t be reversed. Alternative medication can help keep one’s creatinine levels at a level or even reduce it, but they can’t get it below 1, which is the normal range.

If you’re facing kidney failure, speak with your nephrologist about creating a treatment plan. The sooner you prepare for transplant (if you’re eligible), the better your outcomes may be. With proper treatment, many people with kidney disease live long, fulfilling lives.

[This blog reflects my personal experience and information I’ve gathered. Always consult with medical professionals for advice specific to your situation.]