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Emory, GA Tech, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta win $1 million grant for kidney device
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Children-specific kidney replacement device reveals a new hope for children undergoing dialysis.
It was announced on November 10, 2009 that a team from Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will work together to develop a device geared specifically toward children with kidney problems.
This team of innovative researchers from the three institutions has been awarded $1 million from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the form of a Challenge grant, which exists to fund potential advances in the treatments of specific diseases.
As it stands now, no FDA-approved kidney replacement devices exist for children, and doctors working with children who need dialysis have been forced for years to use adult-sized equipment.
"The adaptations doctors are forced to perform make adult kidney replacement devices inaccurate and potentially dangerous when used with kids," Matthew Paden, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics (critical care) at Emory University says. "We have invented a new continuous renal replacement therapy device that is designed specifically with kids in mind. It can be used accurately on a six-pound child, all the way up to a football linebacker."
This comes as good news for younger patients. Adult-geared dialysis treatment, when used on children, can lead to dehydration or a decrease in blood pressure as the machines can withdraw too much fluid from children.
The technology is now in the process of being patented, and could soon be seen in healthcare offices across the country.
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