The BBC on 15th March 2010 at 10:35pm has a documentary entitled "Diet or My Husband Dies".
It sounds like one of those strange "human interest" stories you read in those real-life story magazines.
But...
Andy Lamb was dying of kidney failure, he'd had a transplant before. He now has dialysis three times a week. His wife Samantha could save him by donating one of her kidneys. But she was overweight and had to loose 22kg (almost 50lbs) before the doctors would consider operating on her. She gave herself four months to loose the weight - 2kg a week. For the ladies, that's from a UK size 24 to a size 16.
As well as following her trying to shed so much weight, it includes part of Andy's treatment being filmed.
We also get treated to watching her kidney being removed, and then part of the transplant. Andy now has FOUR kidneys - his original two, still in the usual place, plus the first one transplanted and then his wife's, both in the front of his pelvic region. Most interesting part I found was just how quickly the new kidney sprung into action - as the surgeon completed the last stitches to join the blood supply to the new kidney, he said watch this, squeezed it and some blood-stained urine was expelled before he moved on to connecting it to the bladder.
If you have access to the BBC iPlayer and missed this, do have a look. (Yes, the transplant was a success.)
PS Samantha didn't use any magic diet pills, or special herbs, or special tea, or secret formula drink, she reduced her food intake and increased the amount of exercise she took.
Monday, 15 March 2010
Friday, 5 March 2010
Baxter recall faulty dialysis machines
We have read on several news sites today, including the FDA site that Baxter are urgently recalling a number of peritoneal dialysis machines manufactured by them. A full list of models affected is given on the FDA site, and on Baxter's press release section of their web site.
Obviously it is important that users of these machines check immediately the status of their machine, so we are reproducing the machine details here.
Affected model numbers are:
Home Choice - 5C4471, 5C4471R, 5C4474, 5C4474R, T5C4441, T5C4441R, 5C4474D, 5C4474DR
Home Choice Pro - 5C8310, 5C8310R, R5C8320, R5C8320R, T5C8300, T5C8300R
All systems with these model numbers are affected.
This is because of reports of serious injuries and at least one death associated with Increased Intraperitoneal Volume (IIPV), also known as overfill of the abdominal cavity. IIPV can cause serious breathing and heart problems that can result in serious injury or death.
Children and non-verbal patients may be at increased risk because of their smaller size or inability to communicate. Increased monitoring of these patients is recommended.
Other vulnerable populations include critically ill patients and patients with pulmonary and hemodynamic instability.
Public Contact: If you need assistance with your HomeChoice or HomeChoice PRO, call the Baxter Customer Service line, available 24 hours and day, 7 days a week at 1-800-553-6898.
We suggest you have a read of both the web pages linked to above, in case we have missed out anything vital in our summary of the press release.
Obviously it is important that users of these machines check immediately the status of their machine, so we are reproducing the machine details here.
Affected model numbers are:
Home Choice - 5C4471, 5C4471R, 5C4474, 5C4474R, T5C4441, T5C4441R, 5C4474D, 5C4474DR
Home Choice Pro - 5C8310, 5C8310R, R5C8320, R5C8320R, T5C8300, T5C8300R
All systems with these model numbers are affected.
This is because of reports of serious injuries and at least one death associated with Increased Intraperitoneal Volume (IIPV), also known as overfill of the abdominal cavity. IIPV can cause serious breathing and heart problems that can result in serious injury or death.
Children and non-verbal patients may be at increased risk because of their smaller size or inability to communicate. Increased monitoring of these patients is recommended.
Other vulnerable populations include critically ill patients and patients with pulmonary and hemodynamic instability.
Public Contact: If you need assistance with your HomeChoice or HomeChoice PRO, call the Baxter Customer Service line, available 24 hours and day, 7 days a week at 1-800-553-6898.
We suggest you have a read of both the web pages linked to above, in case we have missed out anything vital in our summary of the press release.
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