Dialysis is the process of purifying the blood of an individual whose kidneys are no longer functioning adequately. Haemodialysis, which will be the focus of his research, involves the removal of excess or waste substances from the blood. Haemodialysis can be used to treat an acutely ill patient until their kidney function has recovered. It can also be used to support and sustain patients with irreversible end stage kidney disease.
We intend to perform an audit of the acute dialysis unit in Galway University Hospital in order to determine the characteristics of patients who undergo haemodialysis as a consequence of Acute kidney injury. We will investigate whether earlier interventions could reduce the number of patients requiring haemodialysis. In this context we are attempting to maximise use of scarce resources and more importantly minimize risk and maximize good outcomes for patients.
