News

National Renal Care Sunward Park extends lifeline to dialysis patients

Nocturnal service now offered at Boksburg dialysis unit

Tuesday, February 7 2017

National Renal Care (NRC) Sunward Park in Boksburg has extended its range of services to include nocturnal renal dialysis, which many busy patients find more convenient than regular daytime dialysis.

Thabo Gcayiya, who heads up the NRC Sunward Park unit, says that there is a demand for nocturnal dialysis as a treatment option, as it allows patients to undergo dialysis in the centre while sleeping or resting at night. “Many working professionals find nocturnal dialysis highly convenient, as it does not impact their working day,” notes Gcayiya.

“Until now, patients in the area with kidney failure have had to undergo three four-hour dialysis treatment sessions per week, generally during working hours. Being away from work for several hours every week, especially if travelling time is also taken into consideration, can be most disruptive, particularly when one has to earn a living. This is one of the reasons why NRC Sunward Park has introduced its new nocturnal dialysis programme,” he observes.

Attending nephrologist, Dr Thomas Chacko, says that while haemodialysis is usually undertaken over a four-hour period, overnight dialysis is performed over a period of eight hours with a slower blood and dialysate flow rate. According to Dr Chacko, this also has certain medical benefits for the patient.

“The slower flow rate tends to be less demanding on the vascular system and patients report feeling stronger and less tired after undergoing nocturnal dialysis than they do after traditional dialysis,” points out Dr Chacko.

“Another important advantage of the nocturnal procedure is that it usually removes more toxins and fluids from the blood than the traditional form of therapy. This has benefits for the overall health of the patient and many experience an improved sense of well-being after switching to nocturnal dialysis. Indeed, some medical studies have suggested that nocturnal dialysis improves the survival rate of kidney failure patients.”

Gcayiya says that patients arrive at the nocturnal dialysis centres at 19h00, three evenings a week. NRC staff members are on hand to weigh them, take their blood pressure and temperature and conduct observations to check their clinical status before the dialysis therapy is started.

“Patients are closely monitored by staff throughout the treatment process. We encourage them to make themselves at home and watch television, read a book, and listen to music or bond with other patients. Lights out is around 23:00 and they usually rest throughout the night until morning,” he adds.
 
NRC chief executive officer, Robert Souter, says that while nocturnal dialysis is not necessarily suitable for everyone, many patients in the greater Boksburg area will be pleased to learn that there is now an alternative to spending their days undergoing dialysis.

“At National Renal Care we believe kidney disease need not dominate the lives of those individuals who suffer from it, and we continue to find innovative ways to serve our patients so that they can live their lives to the fullest,” concludes Souter.

For further information, contact the Sunward Park National Renal Care unit on tel. 011 913 0432 or email [email protected].

 

Ends

Issued by:    Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA) on behalf of NRC
Contact:    Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney or Meggan Saville
Telephone:         (011) 469 3016
Email:     [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]