Dialysis Glimpses from the 60’s and 70’s

No Gravatar

Imagine this scenario.  Dialysis as a therapy is just starting to ‘click’.  Treatments are available in one of two modalities- coil or flat plate.  The coil system (shown below) reminds one of a  giant washing machine, with a bathing solution of warm salt water, bubbled carbon dioxide, and a plastic device (looking like a car “air filter”) inserted inside this mess, through which passes your blood.  The “air filter” is a membrane that separates the solution from your blood; the impurities from your blood are whisked away by the solution.

Artificial Kidney, Coil version

The flat plate (depicted below) involves two sets of membranes placed inside of gaskets and blocks of polypropylene (a plastic) .  Your blood flows through the membranes and on the other side (of the membrane) is a salt water solution, that “catches” the impurities in your blood.  The coil is a manufactured device; the flat plate requires  a technician to prepare the membranes, insert them between the gaskets and the blocks, and then tighten some very big bolts.  The salt water solution (called dialysate) is produced (typically) from a salt packet provided by a small company in New York, which is then mixed into water.  Lots of preparation time for each treatment.

Artificial Kidney, flat plate version

Treatment times are 12 hours.  They happen every other day.  Your blood gets purified over the 12 hours.  In between, your diseased kidneys afford a buildup of impurities and toxins in your body.  Not very efficient.  (Your blood concentrations have a seesaw effect- no (or little) toxins or impurities, followed by a slow buildup over the next two or three days. [Note:  this is a simulated graph below.])

Seesaw or Sawtooth effect on DialysisYour blood concentrations have a seesaw effect- no (or little) toxins or impurities, followed by a slow buildup over the next two or three days. [Note:  this link is to a simulated graph.]

Many researchers are looking to cut the 12 hour treatment period.  It’s way too long. About the same time, one of the prime innovators determines that with the current equipment, one can substitute the buffer in dialysate (which was bicarbonate, the same as your blood’s buffer) for another (acetate).  Why?  Because acetate is soluble in water and bicarbonate is not.  (That’s why carbon dioxide was being bubbled into the solution; to maintain the bicarbonate level in the dialysate.)  He approaches the small company that makes the salt packets to have it produce his new invention- a one gallon concentrate that will cut preparation time (and errors) dramatically. The president of the small firm is convinced no one in their right mind will want to pay to ship a gallon of water/salt mixture to save time.  He believes his product is the best solution.

Too bad.  The inventor goes to a different company- it jumps at the opportunity.  Lo and behold, the small company stays small; the new one becomes one of the kings of the business.

The moral of this part of the story- always examine your basis.  Always speak with your customers to find out what they want- not what you think they want.  (And, this little change (acetate v. bicarbonate) will create new problems down the road; more on this problem later.)

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter
Share

19 thoughts on “Dialysis Glimpses from the 60’s and 70’s”

  1. Hey quite nice weblog!! Guy .. Attractive .. Astounding .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds
    also…

  2. Total Manage Marketing Review- Fantastic piece of details that you simply?ve received on this web page write-up. Hope I could probably get some a great deal far more of your things on your personal Internet site. I will arrive once more.

  3. When i visit a blog, chances are that I notice that most blogs are amateurish.On the other hand,I have to say that you have done a good job here.

  4. Good for U. I think its one of the most informative post in this theme. Lookin’ forward.

  5. Im glad to see this informative article. Thanks for such helpful and useful post.

    1. Nice to meet you, Karen. I am so glad you found the blog and liked the discussion. Dialysis has been one of my first research loves (having decided at the ripe old age of 8 that I would develop a new hemodialyzer…) Interesting choice of work that you have there!

      Roy

  6. Pingback: Biglietti gasket | Ltdcare

Comments are closed.