Renal Medicine

Public Service

What is Renal Medicine?   Renal medicine, or nephrology, is the branch of medicine that involves the diagnosis and treatment of people with diseases and conditions of the kidneys.   The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs about 12 centimetres long. They sit just at the edge of your ribs at the back. They clean out waste and excess fluid from your blood making the urine.   Renal medicine includes the urgent care of acutely ill patients as well as those with chronic illness who require long term care.   A doctor who specialises in disorders of the kidneys is called a nephrologist. Conditions seen by a nephrologist may include:  

• Acute kidney injury – the sudden loss of kidney function 
• Chronic (long term) renal failure – gradual worsening of kidney function
• Haematuria – blood loss in the urine
• Proteinuria – protein loss in the urine
• Kidney stones
• Hypertension – that has not responded to antihypertensive therapy.

  Many kidney disorders can be treated with medications but if kidney function starts to fail and the condition becomes severe, dialysis (using a machine to filter the blood) and/or kidney transplantation, may be required. In some people, these therapies are inappropriate and a specialist supportive care team will look after their kidney failure.   The Auckland District  Renal Service manages patients in the ADHB region. It also provides transplant services for the northern half of the North Island.

Contact

Auckland City Hospital

Street address

2 Park Road
Grafton
Auckland 1023

Postal address

Private Bag 92 024 Auckland Mail Centre Auckland 1142

Phone: (09) 367 0000

Greenlane Clinical Centre

Street address

214 Green Lane West
One Tree Hill
Auckland 1051

Postal address

Private Bag 92 189 Auckland Mail Centre Auckland 1142

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