Nephrology, Urology & Renal Transplantation
The Department of Nephrology & Renal Transplantation is one of the premier Nephrology centers in the country in terms of skill and experience, and caters to a large number of patients. The department runs a successful renal transplantation programme, attracting patients from the entire state of Kerala, neighboring states, as well as from abroad. Our centre performs around 125-150 transplants every year and till now more than 2,100 transplants have been performed. Our team of doctors is known for their expertise in performing transplants in patients who are highly sensitized (those who have high titres of antibodies against the donor) as well as across the blood group (recipient and donor having different/incompatible blood groups), with excellent results. Elderly patients (>75 yrs), children and those with multiple medical comorbidities are regularly accepted for transplant. The success rate is more than 95% and there are hundreds of patients who have completed more than 15 years after transplant on regular follow up.
Our centre is also well known for its expertise in handling complex renal problems like thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), different types vasculitides, autoimmune diseases, and complex electrolyte disorders.
There are a large number of patients with Chronic Kidney Disease on follow up with the centre and on comprehensive management strategies to delay the progression of CKD. Renal biopsy service with immunofluorescence (with in-house Nephropathologist) and electron microscopy is also available.
Supporting our renal transplant programme , we have a state of the art hemodialysis unit which provides not only conventional hemodialysis to a large volume of patients (1,600 to 1,700 sessions per month) , but also online hemodiafiltration (HDF) , high flux HD and high cutoff HD. The unit has five dedicated machines for performing Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CVVH, CVVHD and CVVHDF) in critically ill patients and two apheresis machines for performing plasmapheresis. The unit also supports a CAPD programme. The department has extensive experience in extracorporeal therapies (OXIRIS, Hemofeel) , having used them in a large number of patients. Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) has been performed by our unit for patients with liver failure. Large numbers of poisoning cases have been managed , often with the help of Hemoperfusion, and numerous cases of snake envenomation. Interventions for multiple vascular access failure are regularly undertaken.
The department runs a training programme for the diplomate of national board (DrNB) in Nephrology. Regular academic sessions, teaching grand rounds and Nephropathology sessions are major highlights. Consultants of our department are regular faculty for national, state and regional conferences and have published numerous papers in peer reviewed journals. They also have contributions in textbooks of Nephrology , renal transplant and Critical care.
The department hosts an annual renal transplant update (DELITE) involving leading national and international experts in the field of renal transplant to incorporate the latest practices into our transplant programme.
Facilities offered
- High volume renal transplant programme – including ABO incompatible transplant, highly sensitized recipients, re-transplantation , transplant in Pediatric and elderly age groups.
- State-of-the-art-hemodialysis unit with online haemodiafiltration (HDF) , High flux HD, high cutoff HD
- ICU with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT , including CVVH, CVVHD and CVVHDF
- Extracorporeal therapies (OXIRIS, Hemofeel)
- Plasmapheresis
- Hemoperfusion
- Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD)
- Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS)
- Kidney biopsy - native kidney and transplant kidney biopsies under ultrasound guidance with in-house Nephropathologist and electron microscopy
- Interventions for multiple vascular access failure
- Management of poisoning and snake envenomation
- Teaching programme for Nephrology trainees (DrNB in Nephrology)