Robotic Surgery is the Best Option for Kidney Treatment

Posted on May 1, 2017 by admin

21st century has seen a boom in the medical industry with several new technologies being invented to treat complicated diseases. Da Vinci robot assisted surgery being one of them. This type of surgery has proved advantageous for both surgeons and patients for the treatment of numerous complicated diseases, including kidney related surgeries.

Kidneys play an important role in the functioning of human body system. We all know that they are two small bean-shaped organs located behind the abdomen and above the waist. Its main role is in processing blood, regulating blood pressure, maintaining calcium levels, and removing wastes, toxic substances, and excess fluids from the body. Kidney related disorders include:

• Bladder Problems
• Ureter Blockage
• Kidney Cancer and
• Kidney stones

In case when both the kidneys get damaged, “kidney transplantation” takes place.

With the help of robotic surgery the doctors are able to conduct operation with much precision that was never before possible earlier. The Da Vinci Surgical System is the state-of-the-art technology helping doctors to provide several benefits concerning kidney surgery, including less complication during operation, controlling of kidney cancer, less pain & scarring, relatively low blood loss, low risk of infection, faster recovery, and comparatively less expense because stay in hospital is much shorter.

The pencil-thin four arms of robot holing camera in one hand and surgical instruments in other three are able to operate through a patient’s body in such a precise manner compared to traditional open surgery that it is helping surgeons to gain expertise in kidney or kind of urological surgeries like never before. Though the robot is performing the operation but actually it’s the surgeon who is in total control of the machine. Sitting behind the console, the surgeon provides instruction to the robot to move its arms for conducting the operation and its every move is monitored thoroughly. A well trained person is required to provide instructions to the robot but overall the Da Vinci assisted Robotic Surgery has made the operation of complicated diseases much easier.

So it’s advisable that if a patient is suffering from a complex kidney ailment then he/she should opt for Robotic Surgery, as this will help them to return back to the day-to-day activities of their life in a faster manner.

Overview of Diabetic Nephropathy

Posted on May 1, 2017 by admin

The disease or damage in kidney occurs due to diabetes is known as Diabetic Nephropathy or Diabetic Kidney Disease in some cases; it could lead to kidney failure as well. At the “Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital (MPUH)” – Centre For Robotic Surgery (CRS), best urology hospital , we give world class treatments for various Urological Diseases. In terms of Diabetic Kidney Disease, treatment aims to prevent or delay the progression of the disease. It also helps in reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack. All types of diabetes cause kidney disease and diabetes is also noted as the number one cause of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), where it causes damage to the tiny blood vessels in the kidney. So, it is important to manage diabetes and maintain healthy blood sugar levels within your body.

Causes of Diabetic Nephropathy

Each kidney is made thousands of small units called Nephrons. These tiny structures refine the blood and help to remove waste from the body. There are very high chances Diabetic Nephropathy, if you have diabetes with high blood pressure. It is recommended to regularly check about the blood sugar to check the level of diabetes. In some cases, a person’s family history may also play an important role for the onset of Diabetes. For reasons doctors don’t yet understand; only some people who have diabetes get kidney damage. For example, it is estimated that out of every 100 people with diabetes, as many as 40 will get kidney damage.

In this problem the nephron thickens and becomes scarred so kidney begins to leak and the protein passes through the urine. In many cases this problem is not observed in the early stages, thus damages already occur before getting to know about this disease. Generally smoking increases the level of blood pressure. So those who have diabetes and who smoke have higher chances to develop diabetic kidney disease.

In people with diabetes, Nephrons get thicken and slowly get scarred over time. Then the kidneys begin to leak and protein (albumin) passes into the urine. This damage can happen years before any symptoms are noticed. Though the exact cause is unknown, kidney damage is more likely if diabetes and high blood pressure remain untreated. Certain things make people more likely to get Diabetic Nephropathy. If you also have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or if you smoke, your risk is higher.

Symptoms of Diabetic Nephropathy
If you are in later stage of diabetic nephropathy, then probably either one of both of your kidneys have stopped functioning. Then you either have to rely on dialysis or do kidney transplant.

As stated in our earlier articles, kidneys act as a water purifier. If the candles of water purifier don’t work properly, we do not come to know unless we taste the water. Similarly if the kidneys are damaged, but you cannot come to know about this disease unless you get the test in laboratory. Sometimes it takes around 5-7 years before starting of any symptoms.

Symptoms are not visible in the early stages in person suffering from Diabetes. The first sign of kidney damage is a small amount of protein in the urine, which is found by a simple urine test. So it is quite important to take regular urine tests to find out kidney damage at an early stage. Occasionally, early kidney damage can be treated and overturned.

If you are suffering from Diabetes, you should watch out symptoms such as, feeling fatigued most of the time, unusual headaches, nausea and vomiting, poor appetite, and swelling of the legs.

What does diabetes do to the kidneys?
Diabetes is also called slow death. It is one of the most dangerous diseases. It actually weakens your immunity power. With diabetes, the small blood vessels in the body get injured. When the blood vessels in the kidneys get injured, kidneys cannot refine your blood properly. Then the body will recall more water and salt than it usually should, which can result in weight gain and ankle swelling. This will lead to more protein in your urine and certain waste materials will build up in your blood, harm the nerves in the body, can create trouble in evacuating the bladder and the pressure ensuing from the full bladder can back up and damage the kidneys. Similarly, if urine remains in the bladder for a long time, it can develop into an infection from the speedy growth of bacteria in urine that has a high sugar level.

Treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy
Check your blood sugar level regularly. Especially if your family have the history of diabetes, after reaching a mature age – say around 45-50 you should be more aware and do regular checkups.

Once kidney damage is fixed in its early stages, it can be reduced with proper treatment. When higher amounts of protein seem in the urine, kidney damage will get worse. Keeping the blood pressure under control (under 130/80) is one of the best ways to reduce kidney damage.

A doctor may recommend medicines to reduce the blood pressure and protect the kidneys from more damage. The key treatment is through medicines to lessen blood pressure and prevent or slow the harm to the kidneys. It may require taking more than one medicine, especially when the patient has high blood pressure. Intake of low-fat diet, taking drugs to control blood cholesterol, and doing regular exercise can also help stop or slow kidney damage.

As it is said – prevention is better than cure – keeping blood sugar and blood pressure under control is the best way to avoid such disease.

Symptoms of Kidney Failure

Posted on May 1, 2017 by admin

People suffering from Chronic Kidney Diseases suffer from a very subtle symptoms which often go unnoticed. The time period between Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Kidney failure is undetermined. It may take years and also may happen soon, depending on case-to-case basis. Kidney failures can be determined with early stage symptoms which are necessary to be identified. Let us discuss the symptoms of kidney failures:

• The beginning is often asymptomatic which means there would be a very less amount of visible symptoms but as the disease advances the kidneys would be unable to regulate water, balance the electrolytes, remove the waste from the body, and produce red blood cells. Such a person would often undergo Lethargic behavior, uneasiness, weakness, short of breath, and general swelling.

• The body would be unable to manufacture bicarbonate due to which the body acidity increases. It is known as metabolic acidosis. Such body dysfunction would alter the enzyme and oxygen metabolism which would end with an organ failure.

• Kidney would not be able to excrete the potassium from the body thereby increasing its level in the serum and it causes fatal heart rhythm disturbance.

• Urea level rises in the blood and it affects various body organs like brain, heart, muscles and would also be responsible for low calcium levels in the body.

• Weakness may be due to anemia but in certain cases the red blood cell counts starts decreasing due to the lower level of erythropoietin which is caused due to the kidney failure. It reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and hence the body gets tired very soon.

• Loss of appetite and fatigue becomes regular and if it continues, it may affect the mental balance which may end up in comma.
• Rising blood pressure due to excess of fluid present in the body is another symptom for kidney failure and the fluid may start to deposit on lungs which ends with heart failure.

The symptoms of kidney failure would vary a lot depending on patient to patient and also it depends on what kind of treatment you undergo.

Test required to diagnose the Kidney Failure

• Kidney failures can be diagnosed with blood test. The buildup of waste product would determine the kidney failures. BUN, GFR, and Creatinine are essential factors to determine the condition of kidneys. When the BUN and Creatinine level rises up in the blood and the GFR level decreases, the kidney failure is confirmed. The above mentioned three factors determines the rate with which the blood is filtered through the kidneys. The rate would always differ depending on the age, gender, and race of the person.

• Urine can be used to determine the Kidney failure. With a urine test, the doctor would measure the amount of protein and the presence of abnormal cells in it. If protein is found in the urine, it points towards something abnormal in the body. Abnormally aggregated red and white blood cells in the kidney denotes the presence of Kidney Disease.

• Abdominal Ultrasound test can determine the size of the kidney. If any obstruction is seen in he reports, it denotes presence of Kidney Disease.

Chronic Kidney Disease: Facts, Symptoms & Treatments

Posted on May 1, 2017 by admin

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a term used to describe the slow loss of kidney function in a person. Normal kidneys are able to filter wastes and extra fluids from the blood, which then get excreted in the urine. But due to chronic kidney disease this normal functionality is impaired, and when the disease progresses further, it can lead to the building up of dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes in the body. When the level of kidney function falls below a certain level, it is called kidney failure.

Chronic Kidney Disease: Quick Facts

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of kidney disease.
Kidney disease is likely to cause kidney failure in men more than in women.
African Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians are at increased risk.
Kidney disease can develop at any age, but affects the elderly more. Around 50% of people aged 75 and above are estimated to have CKD.
In the developing countries, around 1 million people die annually due to untreated kidney disease.
Generally, kidney transplant success rates are very good, with around 85-90% success rate for deceased donor transplant and 90-95% rate for live donor transplant.
Almost 8-10% of the adult population suffers from some type of kidney damage.
There are five stages of kidney disease, stage 5 being the End-Stage-Renal-Disease (ESRD), also known as kidney failure.

Causes of Kidney Disease

There are a number of conditions and diseases that can lead to CKD, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, polycystic kidney disease, interstitial nephritis, family history, etc. Out of these, diabetes and high blood pressure are two main causes contributing to around 2/3rd of all CKD cases. Kidney disease can make a person develop various health complications including weak bones, anemia, nerve damage, and heart diseases and stroke. Most often these problems manifest very gradually and therefore, aren’t easily noticed. As a result, chronic kidney disease can get significantly worse before it can be diagnosed and treated. In many situations, this can lead to kidney failure in the patient which can prove to be fatal without dialysis or kidney transplant.

Some of the other, less prevalent causes of CKD are glomerulonephritis (inflammations) or pyelonephritis (infections). CKD can also be caused due to inherited conditions (such as polycystic disease), enlarged prostate, kidney stones, malformations in a baby when in the mother’s womb, tumors, frequent urinary infections, lupus and other diseases that affect body’s immune system.

Certain drugs like analgesics (pain-killers), if taken over a prolonged period of time, can also lead to kidney disease.

Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease usually doesn’t present any symptoms until it has advanced to a much later stage. In the advanced stages, kidney disease can cause:

Fatigue, weakness, lethargy
Pain during urination
Foamy/Pink/Dark urine (blood in urine)
Need to urinate more often
Fluid retention leading to swelling of ankles, face, hands, abdomen, ankles, feet, eyes
Increase in thirst
Loss of appetite
Difficulty in concentrating
Difficulty in sleeping
Muscle cramps
Dry, itchy skin

Diagnosis and Treatment

Chronic kidney disease can be diagnosed by means of certain tests and procedures such as:

Blood tests: These can include a blood creatinine test to determine the Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test, a fasting blood glucose test and some other tests that check for the amount of waste products and electrolytes in the blood.

Click here to learn more about GFR and its correlation to Chronic Kidney Diease.

Urine tests: These are used to measure the amount of protein in urine (ideally none), by means of Urinalysis (UA) and a urine test for microalbumin.

Imaging tests: A renal ultrasound and/or angiogram may also be conducted by the doctor to check any obstructions to the kidney or reasons for restricted blood flow.

Kidney biopsy: This procedure may also be used by the doctor to find out the reason for kidney disease, particularly after a kidney transplant if there is the possibility of organ rejection. The biopsy process involves removing a sample of kidney tissue by inserting a thin, long needle through your skin and into the kidney.

Early screening of kidney disease is recommended to those who are suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes. Unless the disease has reached the advanced stages, it can be managed by means of medications and leading a healthy lifestyle.

In patients suffering from either diabetes or high blood pressure, it is crucial to control the sugar levels and blood pressure respectively, in order to prevent further damage to the kidneys. By properly assessing the extent of damage to the kidneys as well as the contributory factors, the doctor will create a comprehensive treatment plan.

With inputs from:

1. Webmd.com

2. Worldkidneyday.org

Robotic Nephrectomy – Advancement in Laparoscopic Surgery

Posted on May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 by admin

Kidneys are the essential part of human body which helps to purify the blood. It extracts the wastes from the blood and acts as a natural filter, the wastes are diverted to the urinary bladder and the purified blood is diverted towards heart. Bean shaped kidneys are located on each side of lower back of human body. The left kidney is slightly larger than the right one.

Kidney cancer is somewhat more common in men and is usually diagnosed between the ages of 50 and 70 years. The reason of kidney cancer is unidentified, although it may be connected to numerous risk factors such as smoking, obesity, workplace exposure to chemicals, high blood pressure. Every year, kidney cancer is analyzed about 190,000 people worldwide.

It is important to realize that with early diagnosis and treatment, kidney cancer can be cured. In fact, the survival rate ranges from 79 to 100 percent. Treatment of maximum kidney cancers starts with exclusion of the primary tumor in an operation called a nephrectomy. The main reason of surgery is to remove the primary tumor and complex tissue in the kidney. Even if cancer has already circulate, a nephrectomy might still be helpful because the body then have fewer cancerous cells to fight through treatments that doctors prescribed after surgery.

Kidney Cancer does not have an early symptom but now before consulting the doctor one can observe the symptoms of cancer by his own.

Followings are possible symptoms:
• Blood in urine
• Lump in your abdomen or side
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pain in your side that doesn’t go away
• Loss of appetite
• Extreme fatigue
• Anemia

Kidney cancer that propagates to other parts of our body may create other symptoms, like:
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing up blood
• Bone pain

Some of the Causes & Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer are as follows.

Investigators have found numerous risk factors that make you more likely to grow kidney cancer. The following are some of the risk factors for developing kidney cancer:
• Smoking
• Hypertension
• Having certain hereditary conditions, such as von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease or inherited papillary renal cell carcinoma.
• Obesity
• Family history of kidney cancer
• Chronic kidney dialysis and/or failure
• Tuberous sclerosis (common genetic condition that produces growths in the body from birth throughout adulthood)
• Using certain pain medications for a long time.

Some of the basic Treatments for the Kidney Cancer are as follows:
• The primary treatment option for kidney cancer is to remove all or part of the kidney and the tumor.
• In many cases, there is a possibility that only some part of the kidney is affected, hence removal of cancerous part serves the purpose. Such type of surgery is called Partial Nephrectomy.
• Kidney cancer that persists and propagate to other parts of the body might not be treatable, but may be controlled with treatment
• Kidney cancer does not respond well to radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

It is advisable for patients to consult a doctor first and then decide the treatment, since treatment is dependent upon patient’s characteristics. Information provided over here is for the reference purpose only.

Why to choose Robotic Surgery:
Kidney treatment is possible by Open Surgery or Laparoscopic surgery. In open surgery, the doctors make a big scar and then perform the operation. This result in heavy blood loss and more complications.

The preferable way to open surgery is laparoscopic surgery, where tiny cuts are made by the surgeons. This surgery provides faster recovery and comparatively less complications.

The advancement to laparoscopic surgery is Robotic Kidney Surgery, where similar number of cuts is made. But in this surgery, the surgeon sits at one end and operates the robots. The robotic hands can move 360 degree and the High Definition camera provides 3D view. This helps surgeon to analyze the depth and helps him to make surgery easier.

The benefits of Robotic Kidney Surgery are:
• Excellent clinical outcomes and cancer control
• Quicker return to normal activity
• Shorter hospitalization – most go home the next day
• Less scarring than traditional open surgery
• Less blood loss
• Reduced pain – most patients don’t even need narcotics after surgery
• Fewer complications and less risk of infection
• Excellent chance of preserving the kidney, in certain operations

For more information you can visit: About Robotic Kidney Surgery

Kidney Diseases Awareness Walkathon being organized at Nadiad by MPUH – CRS

Posted on May 1, 2017 by admin

Kidney disease is a vital Pandemic; worldwide. World Kidney Day’s (WKD) goal is to raise awareness of the importance of the kidneys to the global health of the population and to diminish the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its linked health problems worldwide. World Kidney Day celebration started in 2006 jointly by International Society of Nephrology and International Federation of Kidney foundations. WKD is celebrated on 2nd Thursday of March every year all over the world. This year’s slogan is Kidneys for life; Stop Acute Kidney Injury, which attentions on the empathetic the causes, prevention and treatment of Acute Kidney Injury.

As a part of this programme Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital – Centre For Robotic Surgery has organised a “Walkathon” in Nadiad on Sunday 10th March 2013. On the occasion of World Kidney Day 2013, within a short period of 48 hours, more than 400 people had registered their names with MPUH -CRS Nadiad, expressing their desire to be ‘Cadaver Kidney Donors’ in case of accidental brain death.

Objectives of World Kidney Day:

Raise awareness about our “amazing kidneys”: Their main role is to uphold the balance of bodily liquids by filtering and concealing metabolites and minerals from the blood and defecating them, along with water, as urine. The kidneys control blood brook levels of many minerals and molecules including sodium and potassium, and help to control blood acidity. Helps to control the Blood pressure. They strengthen the bone and increase the Haemoglobin content in the blood.
Highlight that diabetes and high blood pressure are key risk factors for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Inspire systematic screening of all patients with diabetes and hypertension for CKD: India is the capital of Diabetes. Type 2 (adult onset) is most common and10 to 40 percent of those finally will suffer from kidney failure: the most solemn trouble of the disease. The initial sign of diabetic kidney disease is an increased elimination of albumin in the urine. This is present extended before the usual tests done in the doctor’s office show a loss of kidney function. So it is essential to have this test on a yearly basis. Preserving control of the diabetes can lower the risk of developing both kidney failure and cardiovascular events (heart attack, strokes).
High blood pressure can autonomously cause CKD, and CKD can cause high blood pressure. The treatment of high blood pressure has become the most important involvement in the management of all forms of CKD. Lowering blood pressure will reduce the risk of heart disease, which for most patients with CKD, is a more immediate risk than end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It will also decrease the chance of developing ESRD requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation.
Encourage defensive behaviors: Reduce salt intake; plenty of fluids, Stop smoking, Regular exercise.
Educate all medical professionals about their important role in identifying and reducing the risk of CKD, particularly in high risk populations
Severe Kidney Injury: Severe Kidney Injury is a condition in which there is an unexpected drop in the function of the kidneys over hours or days with the retaining of nitrogenous waste products- it can affect anyone. In the growing world where children and young adults are at special risk for AKI because it occurs frequently as the result of gastroenteritis, poisonings, malaria or other infectious diseases. Victims of crush wounds in natural disasters such as earthquakes often die of AKI. Many cases of AKI can be prohibited simply by humanizing the community, and local and regional health care physicians about prevention and early warning signs requiring immediate intervention. It can be difficult to identify and is dangerous
AKI can develop in the hospital settings: approximately estimated 5% to 20% of critically ill patients (patients in the intensive care unit) experience an episode of AKI during the course of their illness. Development of AKI in the ICU has a negative impact on outcomes of any illness and also increases the death rate. To this end, greater awareness of AKI amongst the general physician and health care profession is needed. There are also important opportunities for prevention, especially by careful attention to prescription medicines management in elderly people.
It is estimated that AKI could be reversible in approximately 50% of the cases with early diagnosis. Awareness is low and World Kidney Day is our opportunity to change this.

Kidneys play a vital role in keeping us alive and well. World Kidney Day spreads the word that kidney disease is common, harmful & treatable: Early diagnosis and treatment improves the outcome. Kidney diseases are silent killers, which will largely affect your quality of life. There are however several easy ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.

Keep regular control of your blood sugar level
Monitor your blood pressure
Maintain a healthy fluid intake
Eat healthy and keep your weight in check
Keeping fit and active
Do not smoke
Do not take over-the-counter pills on a regular basis
Check your kidney function if you have one or more of the ‘high risk’ factors.

Kidneys for Life; Stop Acute Kidney Surgery – World Kidney Day

Posted on May 1, 2017 by admin

We summarize the tips here:

Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
Take steps to control your blood pressure. The easiest way to maintain a normal blood pressure is by lowering the amount of salt (sometimes called sodium) by not eating high-salt foods or adding salt to foods and by not becoming overweight. Check with a dietitian to create a diet that lets you eat foods you love without hurting your health.
Keep your weight within the desirable range. Reduce the weight if you are overweight or obese.
Tell your doctor if your family has a history of high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease
Stay alert for changes in your urine. If you have cloudy, smelly, foamy, cola colored or bloody urine or if it hurts when you urinate, see a doctor.
Watch for symptoms of anemia. If you are constantly tired, too pale, become short of breath easily or suffer from dizziness you might be anaemic.
Have a yearly urine and blood test along with a physical examination if you are in a high risk group for CKD (Diabetic, hypertensive, family history).
Stay active. Regular exercise will help keep your body functioning normally.
Drink enough water.

How Kidneys Work – The Vital Role of the Kidney in Human Beings

Posted on April 30, 2017May 1, 2017 by admin

We celebrate World Kidney Day on every 2nd Thursday of March each year. This year we celebrated on 14th March 2013. Now it is obvious that why do we focus much more in saving our kidneys. What type of work the kidneys really do for us, why they are so important and why it is essential to take care of the kidneys. This article is all about the workings of our kidney. They are the waste disposal system of our body, which keeps on working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days of a year – that is without taking a single leave. When it takes a leave, our life comes to danger. Let’s explore why:

What do Kidneys do?
Have you ever thought that what will happen if the garbage collector does not appear for a week or the output of your toilet is chocked? Just imagine, how your home will look like? Similarly we can consider kidneys as garbage disposal unit of our body, without which our life comes to an end.

Kidneys are the bean shaped organ located just under the ribs and in the middle of our back. There are total two kidneys located on either side of our spinal cord. Their weight is about 0.5% of the total body weight and approx. size is about of our feast. Their main task is to purify the blood by removing the wastes.

Every day, a person’s kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The wastes and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The bladder stores urine until releasing it through urination. They requires large amount of blood to perform following tasks:

They clean the blood by removing the wastes such as urea, ammonia, toxic substance etc. and keep the essential elements as it is, thus they act as filter of our body.
Regulate the composition of blood; they keep constant concentration of various ions and other important substance such as salts and acids in body by purifying and filtering blood.
Maintain body’s calcium level.
Make red blood cells and help maintain blood composition and pH levels
Keep the proper balance of salts and acids in the body, and produce hormones and enzymes which help to control blood pressure, keep internal water level and maintain strong and healthy bones

Inside of Kidney:
Half cut of kidney includes following:

Parts:
A. Renal Vein: It transmits the processed blood, which is repaid to the body through Renal Vein.
B. Renal Artery: Kidneys obtain the blood from the renal artery; it is processed inside of kidneys.
C. Ureters: It gathers the urine from the kidney and passes to the bladder.
D. Medulla: a darker, reddish-brown, inner region
E. Renal Pelvis – It is a flat, funnel-shaped cavity that collects the urine into the ureters
F. Cortex: A light colored outer region

Nephrons (the enlarged area in this image): They are located between Cortex and Medulla. They are tiny tubular structures stretched perpendicular to the surface of kidney. There are approx. one million of such nephrons.

Each Nephron Contains:
1 & 2. Loop of Henle – A long, hairpin loop after the proximal tubule, it spreads from the cortex down into the medulla and back.
3. Peritubular capillaries – They are nearby the proximal tubule, loop of Henle, and distal tubule.
4. Proximal convoluted tubule or proximal tubule – The first warped region after the Bowman’s capsule; it’s in the cortex.
5. Bowman’s capsule – This closed end at the start of the nephron is placed in the cortex.
6. Distal convoluted tubule or distal tubule – This second warped portion of the nephron after the loop of Henle is located in the cortex.

Overall, the process of waste removal from the body is as follows:

We eat the food and it enters into stomach. It is wrecked in to smaller particles and turned into nutrients.
This nutrient consists of solid and liquid.
The solid part enters into long intestine, where solid waste products are removed and nutrients are absorbed in the blood stream.
Such nutrients are used by the body in terms of energy utilization, to fight from the antibodies, and repairing and maintenance of any body part.
The wastes are transferred by blood and it then enters into kidneys.
Kidney filters blood from the smallest micro part called as Nephrons.
The waste is sent to bladder via ureter and it is stored in the bladder. Which we call as urine.
When sufficient urine is collected in bladder, the muscles contracts, which gives urge to urinate and we release urine via urethra.

The filtration process is carried out under pressure inside the Bowman’s capsule. The waste is consists of small molecules, small proteins, urea, glucose etc. The capacity of the filtration process is approx. 180 liters a day. This means if we have 7 to 8 liters of blood in our body, then kidney filters blood about 20-25 times each day.

The filtrate only covers small particles and water, and no Red Blood Cells. If we get blood in urine, then it is owing to hematuria. This is a conceivable sign of Kidney failure. If we get such difficulties then it is counseled to consult urologist directly.

Why do kidneys fail?
Maximum kidney diseases attack the nephrons, initiating them to lose their filtering capacity. Damage to the nephrons can happen rapidly, often as the result of injury or poisoning. But most kidney diseases abolish the nephrons leisurely and silently. Only after years or even decades will the damage become apparent. Most kidney diseases attack both kidneys concurrently.

The two most communal reasons of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. People with a family history of any kind of kidney problem are also at risk for kidney disease.

We will learn about Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) in next article.

To summarize, kidney separates blood and the waste. They flush the wastes and keep you healthy. Love your kidneys.

Tips for healthy Kidney

Posted on April 30, 2017May 1, 2017 by admin

Kidney performs the central role in a human body. It is as important as Heart or Lungs. Many organs of the body are dependent on Kidney to function healthily. Kidney removes toxic waste and excessive fluid from blood. It also helps control the Blood Pressure and produce Hormones which are responsible for Strong and healthy bones.

According to a survey conducted for Kidney Disease, Approximately 26 million Americas were suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease till 2012. Since then the number has multiplied. In order to bring down this ever increasing number, people needs to be serious about preventing such fatal disease.

Primary risk for Kidney disease includes factors like High Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Family History, Heart Disease etc. Obesity; Autoimmune Diseases; Urinary Tract Infections and Systemic Infections are the secondary risks.

Kidney damage occurs in stages and in most of the cases, body does not show any kind of symptom till Kidney is damaged up to 90%.

Stages of Kidney Damage

Stage 1: Slight Kidney damage

Stage 2: Mild decrease in Kidney function

Stage 3: Moderate decrease in Kidney function

Stage 4: Severe decrease in Kidney function

Stage 5: End-stage Renal Disease

Steps for maintaining a Healthy Kidney

Keep a control on the Blood Pressure and take every preventive measures against its increased level
For people suffering from Diabetes, have a control on your Glucose Level
Keep the cholesterol level in the appropriate range
If on medications, take the prescriptions on time
If you have a high salt intake, cut-off the intake and aim for less than 1,500 milligram sodium per day
Eat healthy food like fruits, frozen vegetables etc.
Have a limit on your alcohol intake
Exercise should be a compulsory part of daily routine
For those who are overweight need to work on reducing the weight

Smokers need to quit it slowly and gradually as smoking would led to serious Kidney damages

Expert tips for reducing your risk of kidney disease.

Posted on April 30, 2017 by admin

WHY ARE KIDNEYS IMPORTANT ?

Your Kidneys are responsible for five critical body functions

Keeps the blood clean through filtration of the waste products and elimination of excessive fluids from the body in the form of urine
Maintains proper balance of fluid in the body
Secretes a hormone called Erythropoietin, responsible for stimulating the production of RBC (Red Blood Cells) in the Bone Marrow
Produces an Enzyme called Renin, which helps maintain the body Blood Pressure
Converts Vitamin D to its most active form

EFFECTS OF MODERN LIFESTYLE ON KIDNEYS
There is a general notion that all Kidney Diseases are rare and untreatable. This is far from the truth and with the progress in Science and Technology, most of the noted diseases can now be treated but modern lifestyle of a majority of people still negatively impacts people’s health which includes damage to the Kidneys. It is therefore important for everyone to be responsible and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
For Kidneys especially, bigger the load, faster they deteriorate. In this article, we focus on some simple but effective ways that can help a person minimize the stress on their Kidneys.
First of all let us look at some factors that puts considerable stress on Kidneys,

PRIMARY RISK FOR KIDNEY DISEASES

High Diabetes,
High Blood Pressure,
Genetic,

SECONDARY RISK FOR KIDNEY DISEASES

Heart Disease
Obesity;
Autoimmune Diseases;
Urinary Tract Infections
and Systemic Infections

STAGES OF KIDNEY DAMAGE

Stage 1: Slight Kidney damage
Stage 2: Mild decrease in Kidney function
Stage 3: Moderate decrease in Kidney function
Stage 4: Severe decrease in Kidney function
Stage 5: End-stage Renal Disease

TIPS FOR HEALTHY KIDNEY

Be active and eat healthy: Weight control is an important factor to control the Kidney Disease. A healthy routine and active lifestyle helps control the weight. Several studies indicate that Kidney malfunctions and Obesity are inter-related and an overweight person has double the chances of developing Kidney problems. Regular exercising with proper diet not only keeps a person fit, but also act as a preventive measure against Kidney disease.

Control BP and Diabetes: Cases of Kidney diseases as a secondary illness are getting more and more evident, especially with the people suffering from Diabetes and Hypertension. Such people should be extra careful regarding their health and take steps to control their blood sugar level to keep the Kidney disease at bay.

Reduce the salt intake: Excessive salt in the diet effects the body blood pressure. An increased blood pressure would put excessive amount of strain on Kidneys resulting in various Kidney disease. Hence once should control the excessive amount of salt intake in the body.

Smoking and Tobacco: Chewing Tobacco deteriorates the Kidneys. People who smoke a lot have higher chances of Heart Diseases. Both the factors combined to contribute towards harming the Kidneys. A Tobacco users and smokers should cut down the intake and slowly quite the practice.

Regular Screenings: There is a need to encourage patients suffering from Diabetes and Hypertension to undergo a systematic CKD screenings at regular intervals. People with Diabetes and high Blood Pressure have high risk of developing a CKD. Get your Kidneys screened regularly and know the disease in early stages.