Nephrology concerns itself with the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases including electrolyte disturbances and hypertension, and the care of those requiring renal replacement therapy, including dialysis and renal transplant patients. Many diseases affecting the kidney are not limited to the organ itself, but are systemic disorders, and may require not only a whole patient approach, but also special treatment, such as systemic vasculitides or other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus.

Welcare Hospital’s Nephrology Department provides a wide range of medical services such as:


The nephrologist is involved in taking care of kidney diseases. Patient might have symptoms of blood in urine, loin pain, burning sensation while passing urine and, swelling in the legs or difficulty in passing urine for which they consult the nephrologist. Sometimes patients are referred to nephrologist by primary care physicians for abnormalities detected in urine, medical check ups and laboratory investigations.


In this speciality clinic, patients with high blood pressure are investigated and treated. The emphasis is on compliance with medications and work-up of patients so that treatable causes are detected early. A state-of-the-art blood pressure monitoring equipment compliments the unit.


The nephrologist works in tandem with the urologist so that each episode of renal stone is worked up and treated accordingly. The thrust of this sub-speciality clinic is on the prevention and medical management of kidney stones


The modalities available at Welcare Hospital are:

Peritoneal Dialysis

Dialysis is done using the peritoneal membrane of the patient. The modalities available are:
    

	Automated Peritoneal Dialysis
	Manual Peritoneal Dialysis
	Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis

Hemodialysis

Here blood is purified through the dialysis machine and a special external filtering unit. Usually patients with end stage kidney disease require maintenance dialysis three times a week.

Plasmapheresis

This is useful in conditions such as

	GBS (Guillain - Barre syndrome)
	HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
	Polymyositis
	Myaesthenia gravis

Slow Continuous Therapies

  Continuous veno-venous Hemofiltration - dialysis available for sick patients in the intensive care unit which require dialysis.

This is done as an out patient procedure with a 23-hour observation period.


Patients who have transplants are followed up as an out patient. The department also does pre-transplant workup and donor investigations. In the near future we aim to have an independent transplant programme.