Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, recently conducted a workshop on Nephrology, the special study of the kidneys and the diseases which afflict them. Dr Varsha Phadke – Head of Department, K J Somaiya Medical College, spoke about the nephrotic syndrome and why it is difficult to treat. Nephrotic syndrome is a disease in which there is leaky filters which lead to loss of proteins which in turn leads to generalised swelling, high blood pressure and increased chances of infections. As nephrotic syndrome relapses frequently it is difficult to treat.
Dr Alpana Ohri – Paediatric Nephrologist, B J Wadia Hospital, explained about CKD – Conservative Management, a chronic kidney disease in which decreased function lasts for more than three months. This in turn leads to multiple complications like anaemia, high blood pressure, bone abnormalities, electrolyte imbalance, acid base disorders requiring medical treatment. Conservative treatment ( only medications, no kidney dialysis or kidney transplant) is given upto stage 4 of CKD.
Dr Kamini Mehta – Consulting Paediatric Nephrologist, Lilavati Hospital, spoke on renal replacement therapy – HD, CAPD, TKT. Kidney transplant is done when functions are reduced to less than 10 per cent of normal, stage 5 of CKD.
Dr Pankaj Deshpande – Paediatric Nephrologist, Hinduja Hospital, talked about renal tubular acidosis diagnosis and management. Renal tubular acidosis is a disorder in which patient is unable to throw out acids from body which are normally formed during various metabolism in body. Accumulation of acids leads to decreased appetite, growth failure, and soft bones.
Dr Vaishali More – Paediatric Nephrologist, Lilavati Hospital, spoke about urinary tract infection, a disease where many patients have underlying renal anomalies and vesicouretric reflux (VUR), a disease in which there is reversal of urinary flow from bladder into ureters which leads to repeated urinary tract infection, kidney infection and kidney damage
Dr Uma S Ali – Paediatric Nephrologist, Lilavati Hospital, spoke on voiding dysfunction and neurogenic bladder, a disorder where many children fail to achieve proper control of bladder function after five years of age.
Also discussed at this workshop were diseases of the kidney which are specific to children and are fairly common but don’t get diagnosed on time since the signs get recognised only when kidney function is lost by 80 per cent.
EH News Bureau