World's first ever kidney dialysis machine treats multiple organ failure in babies

Scientists have developed a miniaturised kidney dialysis machine capable of treating the smallest babies that has successfully treated a newborn baby with multiple organ failure for the first time.

According to the researchers, this technology has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of infants with acute kidney injury.

The new continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) machine-named CARPEDIEM (Cardio-Renal Pediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine)-was created to overcome the problems of existing dialysis machines that are only designed for adults and have to be adapted for use in newborns and small infants.

Lead author Professor Claudio Ronco from San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza, Italy, said that such modifications make adult devices inaccurate when used in infants smaller than 15kg and can result in complications with fluid management and treatment delivery.

Ronco added that a major problem is the potential for errors in ultrafiltration volumes, and 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 edema.

The study was published in The Lancet.