Contact:
Susan Spiegel
Director, Development and Public Affairs
Rogosin Institute
(212) 746-1552
New York, NY – September 2, 2010 – For people affected by end-stage kidney disease, hemodialysis is a life-saving procedure that provides a surrogate for kidney function. Patients who receive conventional hemodialysis treatments spend time traveling to and from the center, three times per week, in addition to the hours receiving their treatments. In-center dialysis is often associated with a good quality of life, but presents many logistical challenges to achieving a normal lifestyle.
Today, patients have options that include conducting hemodialysis at home, including at night, while they sleep. The Rogosin Institute is the only kidney center in the metropolitan area to offer its patients a choice of a variety of home-hemodialysis options, including the use of two very different in-home dialysis machines (Fresenius and NxStage), depending on the patients’ needs. Rogosin is the only center in the metropolitan area to provide real-time remote, treatment monitoring for either machine, so patients can be free to perform their treatments by themselves without a partner.
Nocturnal home hemodialysis is a slow, gentle treatment done for six to eight hours, six nights per week. Days are free for work or other activities. Patients feel confident that the nocturnal treatments are safe, effective and being conducted properly since a staff member at Rogosin monitors every treatment via the Internet. The longer treatments and shorter time between treatments are less stressful on the body, allow for a more normal diet, liberal fluid allowance and fewer medications. We have found that all of our home dialysis patients experience an improved general sense of well-being and improved clinical outcomes. In contrast to conventional dialysis, preliminary outcomes for patients receiving nocturnal treatments are comparable to receiving a deceased donor kidney transplant.
Training for this program is done one-on-one with our dedicated home dialysis training nurses. Comprehensive instruction includes principles and concepts of hemodialysis as well as the technical aspects of home dialysis. The training is conducted until both the patient and the training nurse determine that the patient is confident and ready to go home for care and self-treatment. The average duration of training is six to eight weeks. Rogosin has trained almost 70 patients since the program started in 2001.
Nocturnal dialysis brings patients freedom and general improvement in their quality of life. For more detailed information or to refer a patient for nocturnal home hemodialysis, please contact:
Nel Jimenez, RN
212-746-1425
Frank Liu, MD
212-746-1556
Jonathan Lorch, MD
212-746-1559
