How the Kidney works?
Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located towards the back of the body on either side of the spine near the waistline
- They are about the size of a fist approx. 12 cm long and weight around 180 gms. Other organs and two of the lower ribs protect them
- Normal functioning Kidneys serve the body in several very important ways :
- Clean your blood & remove toxic waste products such as urea & creatinine, the by-products of protein metabolism
- Balance water and salt to control fluid in the body
- Produce hormones that regulate blood pressure and volume
- Make erythropoietin which stimulates bone marrow to make red blood cells which carry oxygen around
- Produce Vitamin D which is important for healthy & strong bones
- Control the amount of potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous in the blood
In case of Kidney Failure , the kidenys are no longer able to excrete the toxic waste products into the urine. There are two types of Kidney Failure :
01
Acute Kidney Failure
Occurs because of sudden trauma to the kidneys , the kidneys may stop working for a short while and then partially or fully recover.
02
Chronic Kidney Failure
Progressive condition whereby the kidneys become irreversibly damaged over a long period , often many years. This condition can develop because of an infection, diabetes , hypertension or inherited abnormalities. Advanced chronic renal failure is known as end stage Renal disease ( ESRD)
