City engg student invents artificial kidney

BANGALORE: Good news for those suffering from renal failure.

Budhaditya Chattopadhyay, a medical electronic engineering student from Dr Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Bangalore, has come up with transplantable artificial kidney (TAK), likely to be launched in the country by 2012.

The research carried out under the guidance of Dr Abhijat Taraphder, HoD, Nephrology department of SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, Dr A K Mukhopadhyay, AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr A G Ramakrishnan, IISc and Dr H P Khincha, Vice Chancellor of VTU, proved successful. The product was tested by a multinational company on animal models recently and results showed 98.6 per cent efficiency compared to the natural kidney’s metabolic waste clearance.

Once people reach the end stage of renal failure, frequent dialysis and kidney transplantation is the only way out.

But, the non-availability of matching donors and the complexity involved with regular dialysis have left patients with less chances of survival chances. The quality of life of patients has also been affected.

The pains of his cousin, who succumbed to renal failure, inspired Chattopadhyay to come up with an idea for TAK.

The number of kidney requirements itself bears testimony. As per the records of Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka (ZCKK), as many as 263 patients with life support of dialysis are waiting for kidney transplants. There are several others cases which have gone unrecorded across the state.

Budhaditya said about the product, “The product is devised using biocompatible polymer material, dialysing membrane and biocompatible tubing.

Irrespective of the blood group and all other corresponding parameters, TAK can efficiently perform all the functions like original kidneys in respect to its excretory and homeostatic functions with lasting effect for about 18 years. A battery to support the TAK has to be worn around the waist supported by a kind of belt.” The product will be launched in several phases like basic cost effective haemodialysis, home dialysis, pocket dialysis and implantable transplantable artificial kidney.

“TAK is slightly larger than natural human kidney and patients with either both or single mal-functioning kidneys can undergo the transplantation,” he added.

“Many commercial medical equipment producing companies, both from India and abroad, have been approaching me for producing TAK commercially.

I have applied for patent. After receiving it and getting ethical permission from the Central government, we can go ahead with production” Budhaditya adds.

WONDER DEVICE

● A multinational company has tested the device

on animal models

● Achieves 98.6 per cent efficiency compared to

metabolic waste clearance of natural kidney

● 263 patients on dialysis, waiting for kidney

transplants in Karnataka

● A battery support has to be worn around the

waist, with the help of a belt for the device to

work

● Production to start after patent and government

permission is granted