Scientists develop a bionic kidney after 15 years of research

After many years of research and testing, scientists are finally on the verge of solving one of the biggest health problems involving those who suffer from kidney disease. They managed to create a bionic kidney that should become one of Science’s greatest achievements. While human trials have yet to begin, there is already a large list of people willing to be a part of this artificial kidney experiment.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, approximately 10% of the world’s population suffers from chronic kidney disease and about 2 million people receive treatment for kidney failure, requiring regular dialysis to stay alive.

Our kidneys serve as blood filters, responsible for eliminating excess fluid and harmful waste from our body. During the dialysis process, a special device works in place of the kidneys, purifying the blood, due to the inability of the weakened organ to do its job properly.

The hemodialysis currently available, which uses external equipment, is performed in hospitals or specialized clinics, usually four times a week and in some cases, daily. The treatment, in general, is done for the rest of life, as reported on the website of the Brazilian Society of Nephrology — SBN.

The bionic kidney, developed by a group of North American scientists (and in the test phase), should be implanted in the patient’s body; therefore, it will work purifying the blood continuously, without having to go to the hospital as often.

The project was developed at Vanderbilt University, in the United States, by Professor William H. Fissell, in 2003, and is about to begin the human testing phase.

The most important element of this device is the type of microchip installed in it, which is responsible for the filtering process. These chips contain live kidney cells that make the bionic kidney work in a similar way to the human kidney.

Dr Fissell is confident that the body will not reject the device, as it is a bio-hybrid innovation that contains live kidney cells grown in the laboratory and is beyond the reach of the body’s immune response. The scientist says: “Here, immunological acceptance of compatibility is not an issue, as it is in the case of organ transplantation.”

Scientists are still improving the bionic kidney by testing it with a different number of microchips. They expect the project to show its first results operating on human bodies by 2020.

The main symptoms of kidney disease are:

constant fatigue nausea swollen feet unexplained itching swollen eyes and face and a reduced amount of urine.

Do you know someone who has kidney problems?

What other diseases do you hope medicine will cure in the next few years? Tell us!