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Invention of Artificail Kidney Machine by Kolff
Dr William Kolff is considered the father of dialysis. His research and invention started in the 1930's and the first drum dialysis machine was completed in 1943 (Davita) in the Netherlands. He had little to no success until 1945 when his first patient shoes signs of improvement, and lived on another seven years after his treatment (Davita) -
Kolff's move to the U.S. and ongoing improvement of acute Renal dialysis treatment
in the late 1940's Kolff has moved to the United state and continued to work on improving his dialysis treatment and machine. it was the treatment of choice for acute renal failure patients, however it was not convenient for chronic patients or portable.
Used as an instrumental treatment of injured soldiers in Korean War (Davita) -
"God Committee"
after the invention and implementation of implanted AV shunts, the demand for outpatient treatment of chronic kidney disease patients overwhelmed the supply and resources this hospital had at the time. A committee was formed which would decide who should be allowed the new treatment. This committee was made of 7 members who came up with their own rules, moral, and ethical values on who should be allowed the treatment. Roughly 11000 patients were treated between 1960's- 1970's. -
Invention of AV Shunt (Arterio-Venous Shunt) by Dr. Belding Scribner
The first form of AV (Arterio- venous fistula) was invented and implemented by Dr. Scribner by using plastic tubes to access and implant into one into the vein and one into the artery (Davita). This invention made it possible to have world's first outpatient dialysis center. -
Medicare Amendment extention
Congress passes an Amendment to include Medicare/ Medicaid coverage for chronic renal patients, dialysis (Retting). This amendment and Medicare inclusion allowed for the treatment to covered and expended to a a larger population. "Origins of the Medicare Kidney Disease Entitlement: The Societal Security Amendments of 1972." Institute of Medicine. 1991. Biomedical Politics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1793. -
Dialysis today
As of 2007 the number of patients treated with dialysis treatment was 527 000 (Levine), the cost 23 billion.
In 1960's and seventies the cost was 220 million (Levine).
Once the congress passed a bill covering the full cost of this life-sustaining treatment, there was no need for "God Committee" any longer nor any reason to face the difficult ethical decisions on who should sand why receive this treatment. Today we just treat everyone regardless of social contribution of the patient.
