Wearable Artificial Kidney - Renal Replacement Therapy
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The Wearable Artificial Kidney (WAK) is designed to provide continuous renal replacement therapy for patients with kidney failure. It aims to mimic the functions of a healthy kidney by filtering waste products and excess fluids from the blood and maintaining the body's electrolyte balance.
☑ Blood Filtration:
The device uses a combination of filtration and osmosis to remove waste products, toxins, and excess fluid from the patient's blood. Blood is drawn from the patient's vascular access, similar to how traditional hemodialysis is performed, and then passed through a series of specialized filters within the WAK.
☑ Filtration Mechanism:
The filters in the WAK are designed to selectively allow small molecules like waste products, urea, creatinine, and electrolytes to pass through while retaining larger blood cells and proteins. This process ensures that only the harmful substances are removed, while essential components of the blood are preserved.
☑ Osmosis:
In addition to filtration, the WAK utilizes osmosis, a process where water moves across a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. By applying an osmotic gradient, the device helps draw excess fluid from the patient's bloodstream, aiding in the removal of fluid overload.
☑ Dialysate Fluid:
To facilitate filtration and osmosis, the WAK uses a specialized dialysate fluid, which helps maintain the necessary concentration gradient to encourage the movement of waste products and fluid across the filter membrane.
☑ Hemofiltration-Based WAK:
This type of WAK primarily relies on continuous hemofiltration, which is a process that involves the removal of waste products and excess fluid from the blood using filtration. Hemofiltration-based WAK systems are designed to use specialized filters to remove waste substances and maintain fluid balance.
☑ Hemodialysis-Based WAK:
Another approach involves adapting the principles of traditional hemodialysis into a compact and wearable device. In this type of WAK, blood is pumped through a dialyzer, where it comes into contact with a semipermeable membrane, allowing waste products and excess fluids to be filtered out.
☑ Bioartificial Kidney:
Some research has focused on developing bioartificial kidneys, which combine cellular and mechanical components to mimic the functions of the human kidney. These bioartificial devices can be implanted or designed for extracorporeal use and aim to provide continuous dialysis.
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