Do obese children have larger kidneys? Yes, it’s unfortunate, but .. yes. Over recent decades, the percentage of children who are obese, has rapidly increased. Weight has been shown to correlate strongly with the size of various organs. The kidneys are no different and obese children have larger kidneys than their normal-weight counterparts. In the […]
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Is CKD of unknown cause (CKDu) or Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) due to climate change? CKD of unknown cause (CKDu) or Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN; also known as Mesoamerican endemic nephropathy), is a chronic kidney disease (CKD) that especially affects Central America and parts of Asia. It has also been reported in Africa, the Middle East and
Is CKD of unknown cause (CKDu) or Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) due to climate change? Read More »
Are the kidneys the same size? No. The left kidney is (probably) slightly bigger than the right one. One study showed the left side had an average renal length of around 11.2 cm, whereas the right-side measured 10.9 cm (Emamian, 1993). Another study did not confirm a difference in length but did show the kidney
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Cryptosporidium outbreak in Devon: could it cause AKI? In this article we will describe the recent cryptosporidium outbreak in Devon:, and answer the question ‘could it cause AKI?’ Cryptosporidium Cryptosporidium parvum protozoa positive (red sphere shape) in human poo smear. What is Cryptosporidium? It is a microscopic parasite Cryptosporidium, sometimes called ‘crypto’, is a group
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Pele: kidney stones, single kidney, UTI and dialysis As well as being perhaps the best footballer of all time, Pele had a significant kidney story. If you liked him as a player (I think we all did, even when beating England!), read on. Pelé (1940- 2022) was a Brazilian football player who represented the Brazil
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PD dialysis catheter survival: a single centre study Key Point. In a recent Spanish study of 146 patients (Rodrigues, 2023), PD catheter survival rates over 12, 24 and 36 months were 80%, 72% and 62%, respectively. Why is this important? Timely insertion and management of peritoneal dialysis catheter complications are crucial for the success of
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What is a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter? In this article, we will describe what is a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter. A PD catheter is a soft, thin tube (catheter) which is placed through your tummy and into the peritoneum – to enable peritoneal dialysis to happen. It is about 30 cm (12 in) long and
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What is an arteriovenous graft (AVG)? An AV graft is an access option for haemodialysis patients with veins that are not strong enough for an arteriovenous fistula (AV fistula). Unlike an AV fistula, which directly connects an artery to a vein, an AV graft uses a small synthetic tube. One end of the graft attaches
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What is a haemodialysis line? In this article we will describe what is a haemodialysis line. A haemodialysis line (or catheter) is a soft plastic tube (twice the length and half the width of a pen) placed through the skin into one of the large veins in the neck (usually) or the groin at the
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What is an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for dialysis? In this article we will describe what is a fistula (or arteriovenous fistula, AVF) for dialysis. Key points An arteriovenous fistula is formed during an operation The surgeon joins a vein and an artery together in your arm, in preparation for dialysis A fistula enables haemodialysis to take
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