Is it fair to work for a new federal program, if it will personally benefit you? Even if it will truly benefit thousands of others? That is something with which I am struggling right now.
Category Archives: Dialysis
Kidney Clone Ahead!!!!!!
Ah, yes, you knew this would happen. At least if you truly thought about it.
Japanese scientists have cloned stem cells to produce viable kidneys. Ok, in rats. But still! This is the sort of research that our country feels is in contravention to some religious morality. (Why not just let those folks NOT perform the research themselves. We have many others who want to help our sick citizens!)
From the minds of babes?
It’s amazing what some kids can do. If you ever meandered the Westinghouse Science Fair floor (now the Intel Science Fair), with the best of 50 states’ high school ideas, you know what I mean. Sometimes, those things really make a difference in our world.
Oxygen
Way back when I became interested in dialysis, the buffer of choice was sodium bicarbonate. Now this compound is not exactly easily dissolved in water. But, since we were making batches of dialysate that were used for a single treatment, it didn’t matter that a concentrate couldn’t be produced.
Dimensionless Nirvanna?
I apologize for some of the complexity that will be present in today’s blog. But, I have been using these terms for decades, and they are critical to understand the principles. I will try to explain them so you can see the issues.
If my magic wand had batteries…
It always amazes me that U.S. dialysis patients are not more healthy than the rest of the world’s. Even though our program costs more than everyone else’s. Of course, many of our dialysis patients end up as dialysis patients because they have diabetes- which is the proximate cause of their kidney failure. And, keeps our dialysis population at the top of the charts (as in “way too many patients”). And, this also often leads to cardiovascular complications, which reduces the ability of these patients to undergo kidney transplants.
Concentrate
Way back when I was a kid (come on… I’m old- but not THAT old!) , there were companies that sold chemicals in a packet or box that we mixed up when we needed them. Two that come to mind were FR and Edlaw.
III is the charm
My company was 5 years old. We were still involved in health care, but this was the heyday for water and water treatment. So, that portion of our business skyrocketed.
Maybe, now?
Y’all must know that nephrology has a special place in my heart and psyche. For some reason, I decided that an artificial kidney should be something I would develop (beginning at the age of 8). And, for more than 1/3 of my years on this earth, at least 1/3 of my time (as measured in 24 hour cycles) was devoted to dialysis, renal treatment, and the various associated maladies and physiological ramifications to kidney functions.
Blood Vessels for Dialysis
A new Japanese medical firm, Cyfuse Biomedical (Tokyo, Japan), is embarking on a most unique application of 3D printing. The goal of their research effort is to create new blood vessels. Koji Kuchiishi is the CEO of the firm; his previous endeavors include mobile phone design (at Panasonic), a patent associate, and a stint as a McKinsey consultant. His firm has significant venture backing (JAFCO, the largest Japanese Venture Capital firm and the University of Tokyo Edge Capital Fund, among others). Cyfuse’s developments are “protected” by patents in the US, China, Singapore, and Japan.