Nephrology Department - Artificial Kidney
Overview
The Nephrology – Artificial Kidney Department is one of the very young departments of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, established on 03/05/2019, but has grown rapidly and sustainably. Each year, the Nephrology – Artificial Kidney Department conducts examinations and treatments for more than 42,000 patients across three clinics equipped with modern facilities.
Hospital experts continuously strive to identify disease causes using modern diagnostic methods such as immunological tests, renal biopsies with pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining to pinpoint exact causes; they also apply the most advanced treatments such as new‑generation immunosuppressive drugs, hemodialysis, HDF‑online, adsorption filtration, kidney transplantation… to restore renal function for patients.
We always work with the principle: “Consider severe renal failure as acute kidney injury and try every possible way to restore kidney function. If the patient has reached end‑stage renal failure, we provide counseling and discuss with the patient and family to achieve the highest possible quality of life.”
Strength
Nephrology treats acute kidney injuries, chronic kidney disease, diabetic kidney disease, autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, membranous nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis… In the department, we apply modern accurate diagnostic methods such as immunological tests, urine sediment microscopy, kidney biopsy with immunohistochemical pathology.
From there, we choose the most appropriate treatment for patients: new immunosuppressive drugs with good efficacy and minimal side effects, plasma exchange, adsorption filtration to remove antibodies in immune diseases. We cooperate with many specialties in the hospital such as cardiology, interventional cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, oncology chemotherapy and surgical departments in cases of chronic kidney disease combined with other comorbidities.
Especially, in collaboration with the Obstetrics Department, we manage pregnancy and successfully deliver cases of mothers with immune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, nephrotic syndrome, mothers with chronic kidney disease or acute kidney injury. Kidney replacement therapy At our department we can perform all three methods: artificial dialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplantation.
We advise on kidney replacement treatment options, together with patients and families, selecting the method suitable for the patient's health and socio‑economic circumstances so that the patient can maintain good health and integrate into the community, being able to work to support themselves and their families. We perform thousands of artificial dialysis sessions each month, and bedside emergency dialysis for severely ill patients requiring intensive resuscitation.
For each patient undergoing regular dialysis, we personalize to obtain the most suitable parameters, selecting the appropriate filter membrane, electrolyte concentration, dry weight, different machine settings, and possibly combining HDF‑online or adsorption filtration which standard artificial dialysis machines usually cannot provide, under absolutely sterile conditions with ultra‑pure RO water. Patients who cannot attend the hospital three times a week for artificial dialysis, or who have cardiovascular diseases unsuitable for artificial dialysis, can opt for peritoneal dialysis.
Especially, the Department of Nephrology – Artificial Kidney at University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital is proud to manage the largest number of patients undergoing automated peritoneal dialysis in Vietnam; this advanced kidney replacement method is extremely convenient for patients and families, reduces the rate of peritonitis, and enables patients to integrate into everyday life.
In addition, the department also manages manual peritoneal dialysis exchanges, helping patients save costs. The department has a nursing team that provides thorough guidance to patients, and doctors are reachable 24/7, ready to answer questions for patients and families. Regarding kidney transplantation, the department began participating in transplants in June 2020; to date, we have successfully performed 26 transplants and are monitoring over 70 transplant patients from other centers. Doctors are involved in selection, pre‑transplant counseling, immediate postoperative monitoring, and long‑term post‑transplant care.
Training & Research
The Department of Nephrology – Artificial Kidney at University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City always focuses on parallel development of training, scientific research, and international cooperation, viewing this as an important foundation to improve diagnostic quality and patient care.
Accept and train undergraduate and postgraduate trainees: medical students Year 3, Year 4, Year 6, resident physicians, CKI physicians, CKII physicians, master’s students, doctoral candidates of the Internal Medicine Department, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City.
Accept trainees and transfer technical technology to hospitals in the region.
Regularly share experience, professional activities, and provide continuous training for staff.
Periodically organize advanced skill workshops.
Every year there is a plan to raise the professional level of doctoral candidates, master’s students, and Level II specialists for department staff.
Organize training and continuous education on diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases and kidney replacement methods in collaboration with the Internal Medicine Department, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City Nephrology Association, Ho Chi Minh City Urology–Nephrology Society, Ho Chi Minh City Hemodialysis Association, Ho Chi Minh City Autoimmune Musculoskeletal Association, Vietnam Hemodialysis Society, Vietnam Transplantation Society.
Organize training and issue certificates for the “Basic Artificial Kidney” and “Basic Peritoneal Dialysis” courses, lasting 3 months.
Support and transfer technology to partner hospitals, affiliated hospitals within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital system, and provide professional assistance when assigned.
Participate in writing the Ministry of Health guidelines on kidney replacement therapy and transplantation. Research, collaboration
Conduct scientific research and apply research results to diagnosis, treatment, training, and technology transfer to satellite hospitals.
Participate in multi‑center, multinational clinical trials on new treatment regimens with FDA‑approved drugs such as Dapagliflozin in the DAPA‑CKD study, Voclosporin for lupus nephritis in the AURORA 1 and AURORA 2 trials…
Cooperate and exchange experiences with medical institutions both domestically and abroad. Strengthen friendly and long‑term cooperation with universities and hospitals in countries with advanced medical fields such as France, Taiwan, the United States, Germany…
Participate in writing articles, communication materials, training documents, teaching materials.
Equipments
16 modern Fresenius 4008 dialysis machines.
The RO water purification system with thermal sterilization, the most modern in the southern region, from Fresenius Medical Care, Germany, provides ultra‑pure water. This system is regularly inspected, maintained, and its water quality is periodically tested.
Using an internal toxin filter as recommended by the manufacturer is considered a second barrier that ensures excellent water quality, allowing patients to have the best artificial dialysis water quality.
Three bedside mini‑RO systems for critically ill patients requiring intensive resuscitation – 2 online HDF dialysis machines.
Accurate electronic scales are calibrated to determine the amount of water to be removed each dialysis session.
A monitoring system tracks vital signs throughout the dialysis session to ensure patient safety.
Staff
The team of the Department of Nephrology – Artificial Kidney consists of 36 staff, including 7 doctors, 24 nurses, 4 aides, 1 medical secretary. The doctors hold PhD, Master's degrees, are lecturers of the Internal Medicine Department at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, specialist doctors, resident physicians. Many doctors have trained abroad in advanced countries such as France, the United States, Taiwan. 100% of nurses have a university degree or higher, most graduated from University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, some have trained abroad in countries like Sweden, Taiwan.
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