Home dialysis remains in the U.S. spotlight, as seen in the December 2019 Nephrology News & Issues cover story “Home Dialysis Options Can Assist in Clinical Decision-Making.” Written by Stephen E. Hohmann, MD, FACS, one of Merit’s Think Dialysis Access™ proctors, the article discusses the advantages of home dialysis options, such as peritoneal dialysis (PD). Home dialysis became a topic of interest earlier in 2019 when the White House announced working on a new payment approach for treating kidney disease that favors home-based dialysis options.1
In the article, Dr. Hohmann suggests that advances in PD catheters and implantation systems have made the procedure and treatment more efficient. “Advances in PD catheters have facilitated more streamlined implantation while also potentially giving patients better dialysis fluidic dynamics,” he writes. “Catheters with a larger internal diameter (3.5 mm) compared to other on-market devices can be used, which allows for use of higher flow rates.”2
The catheters Dr. Hohmann refers to are Merit’s Flex-Neck® PD Catheters, the only PD catheters on the market with an inner diameter of 3.5 mm (except for infant-sized catheters). With a 3.5 mm inner diameter, the Flex-Neck is 35% larger than competitive catheters (at 2.6 mm ID), resulting in up to 30% higher flow rates.3 Higher flow rates can translate into reduced treatment times, allowing patients more freedom to do the things they love.
Dr. Hohmann mentions other home dialysis patient advantages that include “more profound improvements in blood pressure control, better kidney disease-related quality of life and shorter recovery time from dialysis treatments . . . compared to similar patients on in-center dialysis.”2 Such benefits are also associated with PD compared to in-center hemodialysis.2 The broader implementation of home dialysis PD care in particular has economic advantages. Dr. Hohmann explains that “a 5% increase in utilization of PD instead of in-center hemodialysis could save as much as $295 million annually.”2
With the increased emphasis on home dialysis, physicians and surgeons across the country are seeking training to support their transition to PD implantation. Merit has been proud to support this initiative with training as part of our Think Dialysis Access™ program, and we will continue rolling out opportunities throughout the upcoming year.
Explore Merit’s support for PD and home dialysis at Merit.com/PD.
Read the full December 2019 Nephrology News & Issues article here.
REFERENCES
- Copley, C., & Humer, C. (2019, March 3). U.S. seeks to cut dialysis costs with more home care versus clinics. Retrieved fromhttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-dialysis/us-seeks-to-cut-dialysis-costs-with-more-home-care-versus-clinics-idUSKCN1QL0G6
- Hohmann, S.E. (2019 Dec.). Home dialysis options can assist in clinical decision-making. Nephrol News Issues. Retrieved from https://www.healio.com/nephrology/kidney-care-community/news/print/nephrology-news-and-issues/%7Bdfac0f88-1d95-48bc-bc56-87070b4e611e%7D/home-dialysis-options-can-assist-in-clinical-decision-making
- Data on file.