Pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)
A common complication among pediatric ICU patients is acute renal failure, a condition in which the kidneys suddenly stop working. When the kidneys aren’t working correctly, the body becomes unable to filter harmful waste products and excess fluids and electrolytes from the blood.
What is pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)?
Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a procedure that does the job that the kidneys normally do, which allows the kidneys time to rest. It’s a lot like dialysis, but it’s done over a longer period of time. CRRT is used for patients who are critically ill because critically ill patients may not be able to easily tolerate traditional dialysis, due to significant drops in blood pressure.
What are the benefits of pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)?
The purpose of CRRT is to:
Remove waste, salt and extra water from the body
Regulate the levels of certain electrolytes in the blood (such as potassium and sodium)
Help to control blood pressure
What to expect with pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT)
Prior to CRRT, your child’s doctor will insert a catheter, which is much like an IV line except larger, into a large vein. The catheter is used to pump blood out of the body and into a machine (essentially an artificial kidney) that filters the blood. The filtered blood is then pumped back into the body.
Child Life services
Pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) doctors and providers
Jyothsna Gattineni, MDPediatric Nephrologist
Mouin Seikaly, MDPediatric Nephrologist
Elizabeth Brown, MDPediatric Nephrologist
Halima Janjua, MDPediatric Nephrologist
Raymond Quigley, MDPediatric Nephrologist
Smitha Vidi, MDPediatric Nephrologist