A Med Tech Dialysis Competition has been run by Kidney Research UK to find ways in which to make Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) and Haemodialysis (HD) more tolerable.

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SEKPA very much supports these aims and has agreed to support one of the 3 winners of the competition. The selected project is to develop a wearable ultrasound sensor that provides continuous monitoring of blood flow in a fistula.

 

At present, the function of a fistula is only checked at routine visits to the hospital, typically every 6 months. The result is that any narrowing of a blood vessel (stenosis) is sometimes detected too late for a simple solution to be found. The development of a wearable ultrasound sensor will enable the fistula to be monitored while at home as well as when in the renal unit. This will be a benefit to both patients and staff.

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The total cost of the project is £30,000. SEKPA is funding £15,000 of this, sharing the cost with Kidney Research UK.

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