Kidney Function

Conclusions: Targeted local therapy with perivascular, allogeneic endothelial cells is a safe and novel therapeutic approach that may be ideally suited to control the response to injury at surgical anastomoses. Larger randomized trials are needed to determine if Vascugel can prolong AVG or AVF patency. (Source: Journal of Vascular Surgery)

Authors: Yoshioka K, Amino M, Matsuzaki A, Shima M, Fujii T, Kanda S, Deguchi Y, Kodama I, Tanabe T Intravenous amiodarone (AMD) induces multiple antiarrhythmic effects via blocking of Na(+), Ca(2+), and IKr channels, and beta receptors. A patient on chronic dialysis was administered AMD for nonsustained ventricular tachycardia after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. QT prolongation occurred 5h after AMD administration. AMD was withdrawn at 24h because of prolonged QTc interval (716ms), which persisted for a further 48h (661ms). Ventricular premature contraction (VPC) was significantly decreased at 7h; however, VPC increased again after discontinuing AMD. Depolarization changes induced by the Na(+)-channel blocking action of AMD were analyzed. There was increasing filtered QRS-...

Water suitable for drinking is unsuited for use in the preparation of haemodialysis fluid and undergoes additional treatment. The primary component of the additional treatment is reverse osmosis, which does not remove low molecular weight contaminants and the water treatment system must contain carbon beds or filters to ensure effective removal of such contaminants.The article by Bek and colleagues highlights an unrecognised issue with respect to chemicals that may be added to the water within hospitals to ensure that the distribution network is free of pathogens (eg, Legionella, pseudomonas, mycobacteria) and underlines the need for personnel responsible for dialysis in a renal or intensive care setting to be aware of any potential effects that disinfection of the hospital water treatment...