THE HAGUE, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A portable artificial kidney is being tested in patients for the first time at University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), Karin Gerritsen, internist-nephrologist and clinical scientist at UMC Utrecht, confirmed to Xinhua on Monday, calling it a major step toward more flexible dialysis treatment.
The device, known as NeoKidney, is a lightweight, portable hemodialysis machine designed primarily for home use. Unlike conventional dialysis systems, it is significantly more compact and uses far less water.
According to Karin Gerritsen, the device is roughly the size of a suitcase and weighs about 13 kilograms, a substantial reduction compared with hospital dialysis machines, which can weigh close to 100 kilograms. The device uses only 5 liters of water per 2 hour-treatment, compared with approximately 120 liters for standard four-hour treatment with hospital dialysis machines and 30 to 40 liters for two to three-hour treatments with the smallest existing home dialysis systems.
"Dialysis is life-saving, but also very burdensome," Gerritsen said. "With a portable artificial kidney, we want to give patients more freedom and make the treatment fit better into their daily lives."
Gerritsen added that the compact design allows patients not only to use the device at home, but also to travel with it. "It can be taken on a plane, for example. That provides patients with much more freedom," she said. "It uses a standard power outlet and does not require earthing, allowing use outside the patient's home, for example in a hotel."
"We are currently treating the second patient and hope to complete the study before the end of the year," Gerritsen said.
Approval for the European market will depend on the results of the trial and the device obtaining CE (European Conformity) certification, which Nextkidney plans to apply for midway through the study. If all goes as planned, Gerritsen said the NeoKidney could potentially become available from 2027, pending regulatory approval. ■