Comments on: DIY kidney machine saves girl

By: Mc Raflesia

Mc Raflesia — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:06:28 +0000

this is valuable information for me. thanks.

By: bouv

bouv — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:22:51 +0000

Well, this was in the UK, not in the US, but I know that in the states (and I’m guessing it’s similar over there), a doctor can go ahead and use a device, drug, or tool for whatever purpose he wants, without having to get any kind of FDA approval. The hospital he works for will ultimately have the final say, but the FDA only monitors and regulates devices and drugs that are marketed, and only for their intended purpose. If a doctor wants to, he can prescribe a drug with the intent of treating a completely different disease than what it was designed for, but the drug company can’t say their drug can also treat that disease unless they have done all the FDA required testing.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:07:04 +0000

Brilliant, it saved a life which must make this the best hack ever.

And yes no FDA checks as its British, we have a different organisation… But I assume the hospital board gave him permission to use it as there was no other hope…

By: sly

sly — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:16:50 +0000

umm… that is a blog standard picture as it says in the blurb. there doesn’t seem to be a pic of the actual machine posted. someone ask the good doc to post pics :-p

By: The Biomed

The Biomed — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:16:11 +0000

But where is the Hack?

Like unitygain said that looks like PRISMA and a Hotlike fluid warmer... not a hack.

How about the build specs? That would be nice!

By: Quin

Quin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:28:49 +0000

@ unitygain
I doubt they did FDA required testing, as it seems that it wasn’t built in the USA.

I suspect that the machine is just a smaller version, in all ways. A 6 lbs baby may very well have less blood in their entire body then an adult dialysis machine holds externally at any time. The doctor may have built the machine on the stock one, just changing out all of the parts; pumps, tubes, filters; for smaller ones.

By: f00 f00

f00 f00 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:26:24 +0000

Amazing story. Love it. I wish there was more detail though. They make it sound like it was scratch built but I think a modified version of a standard machine is more likely.

One thing to note though, its nice to credit people if they send in tips like this one. I know I sent this one and it sounds like Tom Parker did too.

By: adam

adam — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:27:31 +0000

we like adam harris posts

By: unitygain

unitygain — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:05:16 +0000

I wanna see the actual thing they built… That pic must be of her setup now that she is big enough, because thats a bog standard Prisma…
I wonder what testing they did on this thing they built??? Companies go through hell to get medical stuff validated through the FDA etc etc, testing labs and what have you. I mean hell, I work on medical stuff and it can be prescribed down to the brand of batteries you put use.

By: denotsko

denotsko — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:51:59 +0000

My job is maintaining medical equipment and a lot of docs I know don’t even know what their equipment really does, dfinately not how it does it. Really cool to see a doc that has some skills.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:51:37 +0000

Awesome! Neat to see someone using creativity to save lives.

By: Tom Parker

Tom Parker — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:37:31 +0000

wooo my second front page news!

By: winphreak

winphreak — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:28:17 +0000

hospital hacks. I doubt that’d be a new category on here, but nonetheless I bet there are some others out there. (Best to leave it to the professionals though)

By: jweller

jweller — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:19:58 +0000

Best. Hack. Ever.

By: clark

clark — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:18:59 +0000

Now this is a truly awesome hack with a happy ending. Good job Doc.