Nephrologists perform an array of diagnostic procedures such as blood and urine tests, ultrasound, and biopsies to determine your level of kidney function and the cause of any damage. They commonly treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) and manage dialysis care for people with end stage renal disease.
Your nephrologist at Main Line Health, with locations throughout the suburbs of Philadelphia, will medically manage your kidney condition and collaborate with other medical and surgical specialists as your condition requires. You may be referred to a kidney doctor if you are experiencing:
- Kidney failure and chronic kidney disease
- End stage renal disease
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Glomerular disease
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
You may also see a nephrologist for conditions such as:
- Resistant hypertension
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Kidney stones
- Kidney cysts
- Kidney infection
We also treat patients with:
- Anemia of kidney disease
- Proteinuria – protein in the urine
- Hematuria – blood in the urine
- Gout
- Uremia – nitrogen waste products in the blood
- Edema
You may also be referred to a nephrologist for sleep disorders associated with kidney disease, metabolic acidosis and alkalosis, electrolyte and mineral metabolism disorders, and renal artery stenosis.
Advanced standards of care
At Main Line Health, our team of nephrologists offers advanced techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of difficult-to-control hypertension—both essential and secondary—that results from another cause such as a tumor or blockage of the kidney arteries. We manage:
- Kidney function evaluation and biopsies
- Medication-related treatment for kidney conditions
- Inpatient dialysis, including continuous renal replacement therapy
- Nutrition and kidney disease (managing diet in slowing the progression of disease)
Why choose Main Line Health for your kidney care?
Continuous renal replacement therapy for critically ill
Main Line Health nephrologists have been pioneers in the Delaware Valley as well as nationally in continuous renal replacement therapy, one of the primary therapies to treat those who are most sick with acute kidney injury or kidney failure and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and who cannot tolerate regular hemodialysis. Offered at all four of our acute care hospitals located just minutes from Philadelphia, CRRT is a gentle and slow therapy to filter your blood to remove waste products and water. CRRT has a higher kidney recovery rate than intermittent hemodialysis for many people since it is better tolerated, especially for people who also have liver failure.
Coordinated outpatient dialysis
Main Line Health nephrologists manage end stage kidney failure with renal replacement therapy called dialysis. There are many ways that this therapy is administered, and the choice will be made by your nephrologist’s recommendation. Options include hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, performed at clinics conveniently located near our campuses, or in your home after training.
Pioneers in clinical research
Main Line Health has had a pioneering role in developing new treatments and standards of care for people with kidney disease, with an ongoing working relationship with the National Institutes of Health. We have participated in two major NIH studies, the National Cooperative Dialysis Study and the HEMO Study, that helped set the standard for dialysis dosing (the amount given during each treatment). We have also participated in a multi-center landmark study for the treatment of anemia of chronic kidney disease using erythropoietin, a protein that normally is made in the body by the kidney. We have also participated in trials for the effectiveness of infrared therapy in treating hypertension and renal artery ablation to treat difficult-to-control hypertension.
To schedule an appointment with a specialist at Main Line Health, call 1.866.CALL.MLH (1.866.225.5654) or use our secure online appointment request form.
