London: Scientists have come up with a bag for "dialysis on the go", a breakthrough which they claim may transform the lives of patients awaiting kidney transplants.
An international team, led by Singapore-based firm AWAK Technologies, which has developed the device, says the shoulder bag contains a mini version of the bulky equipment normally used to carry out the job of diseased kidneys.
The new kit could mean patients can go shopping, take a walk or even go abroad instead of spending hours hooked up in a hospital ward, say the scientists.
A trial is already under way at the University Children`s Hospital in Tubingen, Germany, the `Sunday Express` reported.
Team leader Professor Rupert Handgretinger hailed it as "a major breakthrough". "The children can continue a normal life with their families," he said.
In fact, the scientists made the revolutionary advance by squeezing its dialysis kit into a laptop-sized bag. A sterile sugar and mineral solution is pumped through a tube from the
bag to the abdomen and, crucially, the kit needs just a litre of fluid which can be recycled for six months.
Timothy Statham, chief executive of the National Kidney Federation, said the news was "exciting" for patients needing dialysis. He added: "This could improve the quality of life
for many."
PTI
