A wearable artificial kidney for patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background: Stationary hemodialysis machines hinder mobility and limit activities of daily life during dialysis treatments. New hemodialysis technologies are needed to improve patient autonomy and enhance quality of life.

Methods: We conducted a FDA-approved human trial of a wearable artificial kidney, a miniaturized, wearable hemodialysis machine, based on dialysate-regenerating sorbent technology.

Technical breakthroughs in the wearable artificial kidney (WAK).

Background: The wearable artificial kidney (WAK) has been a holy grail in kidney failure for decades. Described herein are the breakthroughs that made possible the creation of the WAK V1.0 and its advanced versions V 1.

Beta2-microglobulin and phosphate clearances using a wearable artificial kidney: a pilot study.

Background: Additional small-solute clearances during standard thrice-weekly hemodialysis treatments have not improved patient survival. However, these treatments have limited middle-molecule clearances. Thus, newer therapies designed to increase middle-molecule clearances need to be developed and evaluated.

A wearable haemodialysis device for patients with end-stage renal failure: a pilot study.

Background: More frequent haemodialysis can improve both survival and quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease. However, there is little capacity in the UK to allow patients to have more frequent haemodialysis treatments in hospital and satellite haemodialysis units. New means of delivering haemodialysis are therefore required.

A wearable hemofilter for continuous ambulatory ultrafiltration.

Ultrafiltration is effective for treating fluid overload, but there are no suitable machines for ambulatory treatment. This study summarizes the use of a light-weight wearable continuous ambulatory ultrafiltration device consisting of a hollow fiber hemofilter, a battery operated pulsatile pump, and two micropumps to control heparin administration and ultrafiltration. Six volume-overloaded patients underwent ultrafiltration for 6 h with treatment discontinued in one patient due to a clotted catheter.