Kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are damaged and start to lose some of their functions permanently. As the damaged kidneys slowly stop working, there is an accumulation of fluids and a build-up of harmful waste products within the bloodstream.
Dr. Ekachai Danpanich, Specialist in Renal Medicine, Raffles Uro-Renal Centre and Raffles Dialysis Centre, explains, “If left untreated this can lead to kidney failure, also known as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), whereby the kidneys stop working altogether. Once the kidneys fail, patients must immediately begin dialysis or get a kidney transplant to remain alive.”
Haemodialysis is a therapy that filters waste, removes extra fluid, and balances electrolytes in the body. It also helps to control blood pressure, and is presently the most common therapy for patients with ESRD.
At Raffles Hospital, the Raffles Dialysis Centre offers safe and holistic haemodialysis treatment for patients with kidney disease in a private setting. Run by a dialysis team comprising nephrologists, dialysis nurses and a dietician, patients can expect the most sophisticated dialysis equipment and a very high standard of personalised care.
As a hospital-based dialysis centre, it is also able to provide services and facilities to support high dependency and complicated cases. Since nutrition is an important part of the dialysis treatment plan, renal nutritional counselling is also offered to the Centre’s patients, underlining its comprehensive and holistic approach to treatment.