New kidney dialysis machine for babies

A new kidney dialysis machine has been designed to suit babies, which scientists have said could improve treatment. This is a significant step for young children that have kidney failure as complications can often occur when dialysis machines designed for adults are used for them.

The study, published in the Lancet, found the 'miniaturised' machine restored kidney function after a 30-day period on a newborn with multiple organ failure. It found that organ function was restored, allowing the baby to be discharged from hospital after 50 days, although she still had significant kidney dysfunction.

Dr Claudio Ronco, from the International Renal Research Institute at San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza, Italy, designed and developed the machine to specifically treat babies and small infants weighing between 2kg and 10kg.

He said that adult machines are often inaccurate and potentially unsafe when used for infants, with a "major problem" being the potential for errors in ultra-filtration volumes.

"Adult dialysis equipment has a tendency to either withdraw too much fluid from a child, leading to dehydration and loss of blood pressure, or too little fluid, leading to high blood pressure and oedema," added Dr Ronco.

The new Carpe Diem (cardio-renal paediatric dialysis emergency) machine is able to replace the kidney's function by removing excess fluid and urine from the body through blood vessels. It supports much smaller-sized catheters than normal, which decreases the risk of damage to blood vessels in babies, according to the study.

In the study, a premature baby weighing 2.9kg was the first person to use the Carpe Diem machine after she was born with multiple organ failure. After more than 20 days of treatment with the new machine, doctors were able to stop kidney dialysis.

Dr Ronco added that he hopes this new machine will inspire others to develop other devices that are specifically tailored towards infants.

He said: "We hope that our success will encourage the development of other medical technologies (eg catheters, fluids, and monitors) specifically designed for infants and small children."