In honor of National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day on March 14th, Merit Medical shows its ongoing commitment to renal health through its diverse portfolio of high-quality therapeutic products, various clinician training opportunities, and dialysis patient education.
The latest U.S. Renal Data System Annual Data Report confirmed that more than 660,000 Americans are being treated for end-stage renal disease; of these, 468,000 are dialysis patients.[1] Around the world, the number of individuals diagnosed with end-stage renal disease continues to increase by 5%–7% per year.2
To help physicians care for this growing patient population, Merit provides a broad array of innovative products that provide reliable access for both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatments.
The HeRO® Graft is a hemodialysis access graft for patients who are failing fistulas, or grafts, or are approaching catheter dependency due to the blockage of veins, causing an outflow insufficiency. It’s the only fully subcutaneous AV access solution clinically proven to maintain long-term access for hemodialysis patients with central venous stenosis. The HeRO’s proprietary design has translated into fewer infections and superior dialysis adequacy compared to tunneled dialysis catheters.3
Physicians can also choose from an assortment of other hemodialysis products, such as the Centros® Hemodialysis Catheters or the ProGuide™ Chronic Dialysis Catheters and ancillary products like micro-introducers, wires, and sheaths.
Merit PD care includes the state-of-the-art Flex-Neck® Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters. With a larger internal diameter over competitive catheters, Flex-Neck catheters allow for higher flow rates than other catheters on the U.S. market.4 Catheter Implantation Kits are also available, designed to streamline the implantation procedure and promote efficiency.
Dialysis support continues with ThinkDialysisAccess™ hands-on physician training courses intended for surgeons and interventionalists. These immersive experiences use cadavers, case reviews, and problem-solving techniques in preparation for implantation of the HeRO Graft and/or the Merit PD catheter system. Learn more about upcoming course dates.
To better aid physicians in dialysis access cases, Merit has a dedicated team of dialysis access clinical specialists who understand the intricacies of hemodialysis and PD and are ready to support. From explaining correct Merit product use to on-site troubleshooting, Merit clinical specialists are available to assist.
Educational events across the nation are also offered for physicians who are interested in providing optimal care for dialysis patients. By hosting dinner lectures with clinical educators and experts in the dialysis field, Merit gives physicians a space to ask questions, discuss challenges, learn about Merit therapeutic devices and education courses, and share ways to improve dialysis care. The website lists upcoming ThinkDialysisAccess™ courses throughout the year. The course on April 8 is designed specifically for Fellows (Peritoneal Dialysis and HeRO Graft implantation techniques) and on April 10-12 the focused will be on Peritoneal Dialysis Access techniques.
A significant part of improving dialysis care is ensuring patients understand their treatment options. Ask4PD.com is a patient education site powered by Merit Medical that’s dedicated to helping patients understand dialysis care, especially PD. Individuals have access to helpful resources, including patient and healthcare professional testimonials.
Join Merit in recognizing National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day, and learn more about the many therapeutic devices, accessory products, and services provided to improve dialysis treatment.
REFERENCES
- National Kidney Foundation. (2016 Jan). End stage renal disease in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.kidney.org/news/newsroom/factsheets/End-Stage-Renal-Disease-in-the-US
- University of California San Francisco. (2014). The kidney project, statistics. Retrieved from https://pharm.ucsf.edu/kidney/need/statistics
- Katzman, H. E., McLafferty, R. B., Ross, J. R., et al. (2009). Initial experience and outcome of a new hemodialysis access device for catheter-dependent patients. J Vasc Surg, Sep;50(3):600-607.
- Internal data.