December 13, 2006
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation > Media Room > December 13, 2006

Critically ill patients benefit from gentle dialysis

Surrey, BC - The newest piece of equipment at Surrey Memorial Hospital's Intensive Care Unit will help relieve the suffering of some of the most fragile patients.

It's called 'Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy' (CRRT). Through the financial help of the community, Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation has purchased three of the machines for the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. Surrey Memorial Hospital is one of only two hospitals in the Fraser Health Authority to be equipped with CRRT.

CRRT is used on critically ill patients with kidneys that have shut down and bodies that cannot handle regular dialysis. "This type of dialysis is continuous," says Renal Program Medical Director Doctor Mohamud Karim. "It goes on for 24 hours a day. Because of that, it's a more gentle form of treatment for patients who are in an intensive care unit."

CRRT also helps the hospital more efficiently care for these patients. "In most cases, an intensive care unit nurse can manage both the machine and the patient," says clinical nurse educator Dale Kastanis. "There's no need to have a renal unit nurse join the ICU nurse while the machine does its work. The renal nurse can remain focused on his or her own unit."

Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation helps fund the hospital's urgently-needed equipment each year. In addition, the Foundation has set a goal of $15-million for its Emergency Centre Campaign, which will be officially launched in the spring of 2007. The $15-million will ensure the hospital's new Emergency Centre is state-of-the-art.

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For more information or interviews contact:

Jason Howe
Media Relations Manager
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation
T 604-585-5666 ext 8284
C 604-613-6873
jason.howe[at]fraserhealth.ca