Mwai Kibaki Hospital, an annexe of Kenyatta National Hospital in Othaya Nyeri county, has started a safe and convenient dialysis treatment for patients suffering from kidney failure through a procedure called Arteriovenous fistula.
The procedure is the first of its kind in the Mt Kenya region and according to the medics is convenient and cost-effective for both patients and the hospital.
Shadrack Kimathi, a nephrology nurse and the head of the renal unit at the hospital, said the procedure involves the abnormal connection of arteries and a vein to treat the patients as opposed to the use of catheters which in some instances results in infections.
"This procedure is both convenient to patients as well as the hospital. What we do is conduct a minor operation on the left hand and then use the artery and vein to perform dialysis for a maximum of four hours. " Kimathi said.
The hospital is currently serving 300 patients in a month and at most 18 patients per day.
Kimathi said that abnormal use of arteries and veins increases blood flow and limits chances of infection, hence the success of the procedure is capped at 75 per cent.
He says that normally the procedure has been to insert a catheter which in some cases can be infected thus exposing patients to other ailments.
He, however, said that the procedure has its own shortcomings patients must at all times be made aware that they are not supposed to lift heavy objects since they can bleed to death.
"The only problem with this procedure is that if the patient lifts heavy loads he or she can rapture the vein or artery and can bleed to death. However, they perform other duties well," Kimathi revealed.
Peter Njaramba, a kidney patient at the facility, said that he has used the method for two years and is able to perform light duties on his farm.
He says that the procedure was carried out at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi and is happy that the same will now be readily available to locals who will not need to travel to the city for treatment.
"When I was diagnosed with kidney failure at stage four, I opted to have the AV fistula procedure instead of using the catheters. It is effective as I perform all light duties like pruning coffee with ease and I only avoid carrying out heavy tasks. On the contrary, the patients who undergo the common dialysis process are always complaining," the patient said.
Julius Muriuki who hails from Mathira was diagnosed with kidney disease in September 2021 and started the normal treatment. He says that he was not aware of the alternative treatment and he is scheduled to be among the first beneficiaries of the arteriovenous fistula treatment as it kicks off on Tuesday.
"When I was diagnosed with kidney disease in September last year, I had not heard of this procedure and so I started the normal treatment. I'm however looking forward to embracing the new procedure. With the catheters in your body, even bathing is a hard task," he said.
