The Functions of Kidneys
Kidneys perform many functions essential to the bodies functioning. The strain that is put on kidneys opens them up to many problems that can occur. Childhood sicknesses can result in failure of the kidneys to perform dialysis in later years of a person's life. Also, excessive minerals in the blood stream can cause kidney stones, which are very painful.
Kidneys perform the basic functions of removing water and waste from the bloodstream, this process is called dialysis. After removing the water and waste from the bloodstream, it excretes them through the urine. The kidney's jobs never ends, whenever you take a drink of water or take a bite of food it will pass through the kidneys and the kidneys will filter out the unneeded particles in the bloodstream ("Body's own filter material replaces kidneys," 171).
Childhood sicknesses can scar the kidneys. These scars can slowly deteriorate the kidneys until they cannot function correctly. There is no way anyone can repair the scarring of the kidneys, and it is just a matter of time before they cease to function. Lee Foster, an editor for Reader's Digest, had a childhood sickness and his kidneys eventually scarred over. He now has no use of his kidneys. He has dialysis three times a week for five hours. Before he went on dialysis he was very anemic and could not take twenty steps without resting (Lee, 99).
Excessive minerals in the bloodstream can also cause problems. One of these problems that it can cause the formation of a stone inside of one's kidney. This happens when excessive amounts of a mineral, like calcium, all concentrate inside the kidney and form a stone. Kidney stones can be removed by surgery or they can be removed by lithotripsy. Lithotripsy is a treatment in which the patient is submerged in water and shockwaves are sent through the body that breaks the stone apart into smaller pieces. This process lasts up to three hours, and the stone is then passed through the urine (Langone, 71). In some instances the stone can get caught in the urinary tract and cause pain to the patient, who may have to go in for surgery to then remove the stone (Langone, 72).
Overall, life with kidney problems is possible, but not something easy to do.
The kidneys are located in the posterior section of the retroperitoneal cavity and are small, dark red kidney-bean shaped organs in the lower part of the rib cage (Marieb, The Urinary System, 2015). They are undervalued organs considering how essential they are for the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis. The kidneys filter about 120-150 quarts of blood to produce about 1-2 quarts of urine each day (NIH, 2014). Blood initially enters the kidneys through the renal artery. It then flows into the segmental artery before moving into the interlobar artery. From the interlobar artery the filtrate enters the arcuate artery before branching into the cortical radiate artery, which feeds into the afferent arteriole, before passing into the glomerulus where it begins to filter out waste. The filtered waste is then collected by renal tubule. The tubules drain to collecting ducts and all of these components together makes up a small unit called a nephron. Each kidney has over a million nephrons (Marieb, Blood Supply/ Nephrons, 2015). They filter out wastes that run through different body systems via blood; the majority of that waste is nitrogenous wastes, toxins, excess fluids, electrolytes, and drugs. These waste products are eliminated as urine. While waste are removed vital enzymes, hormones, and water are returned
...d ciprofloxin. In cases with severe stone formation, surgery is necessary to remove the blockage.
Many people never find out that they have had stones in their kidneys. Some stones are small enough to flow through the kidney without ever causing any pain. These are called "silent stones"(Ford-Martin & Odle, 2005) Kidney stones cause problems when they get in the way of the normal flow of urine. They can block the flow through the ureter that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. “The kidney is not accustomed to experiencing any pressure. When pressure builds from backed-up urine, it causes hydronephrosis” (Ford-Martin & Odle, 2005). If the kidney is subjected to this pressure for a while, there may be damage to the fragile kidney structures. When the kidney stone is lodged further down the ureter, the backed-up urine may also cause the ureter to swell. Because the ureter is a musc...
The article has been well organized and written. Mackay clearly states her rationale for writing the article and provides a valid reason to hold up her article with sources. Within the introduction section, the authors present worrying statistics of Americans affected by kidney disorders. Moreover, the author provides the disadvantages of dialysis with only Kidney transplantation being the only option. The author relates the topic to the readers...
This case study which is taken from Robert M. Veatch’s Medical Ethics book is about a 5 year old girl, who from the last 3 years, has been suffering from “progressive renal failure” which...
Among 1,200 to 1,400 per 100,000 people will develop a urinary stone each year.6 Stones can have no set cause, but several factors that increase the risks of a stone forming. Dehydration and diets high in protein, sugar, or salt may increase a person’s likelihood of forming a stone. A patient will often have sharp, cramping pain in the back and side are of the area of the stone within the abdomen. Blood and urine tests along with imaging tests will diagnosis stones within the urinary tract. Treatment for urinary stones will depend on the size of the stone and its cause. Once a stone has formed in the urinary tract a patient has a 50% chance of another stone forming within 5 years if preventive measures are not taken.6 Prevention of Urolithiasis is accomplished with a combination of lifestyle changes and medication.
In 1954, the first organ transplant was conducted successfully in the United States. (Clemmons, 2009) Nowadays, the technology of organ transplant has greatly advanced and operations are carried out every day around the world. According to current system, organ sales are strictly prohibited in the United States. (Clemmons, 2009) However, the donor waiting list in the United States has doubled in the last decade and the average waiting time for a kidney is also increasing. (Clemmons, 2009) In the year 2007, over 70,000 patients were on the waiting list for a kidney and nearly 4500 of them died during the waiting period. In contrast to the increasing demand for kidney, organ donation has been in a decrease. (Wolfe, Merion, Roys, & Port, 2009) Even the government puts in great effot to increase donation incentives, the gap between supply and demand of organs still widens. In addition, the technology of therapeutic cloning is still not mature and many obstacles are met by scientists. (Clemmons, 2009) Hence, it is clear that a government regulated kidney market with clear legislation and quality control is the best solution to solve the kidney shortage problem since it improves the lives of both vendors and patients.
Without proper working kidneys, blood pressure can rise, body fluids accumulate and red blood cell count can decrease. Usually kidney problems occur from disease, conditions and disorders. Disease can come from damage to nephrons, which help filter the blood. Infections can travel from the bladder up to the kidneys. Kidney cancers, kidney stones, cysts and injury all can damage a kidney. Without properly working kidneys, our heart, lungs and brain, as well as other organs are put in danger. (Capicchiano 2013) Kidney dialysis is not always a permanent need; sometimes it is needed for a short time. Kidney dialysis can occur in many places, the hospital, a home or in a center. Often people return to work after dialysis, unless their job involves strenuous activity such as heavy lifting or digging. (Lewin, 2010)
The urinary system is composed of the kidneys, the ureters, the urinary bladder, and the urethra ("Urinary System", n.d.). These organs and tubes shape what is called the urinary tract, the body’s drainage system for removing urine from the kidneys, storing the urine, and then expelling it during urination ("Urinary System", n.d.). The first part of the urinary system is the kidneys. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdominal cavity against the back muscles ("Urinary System", n.d.). The kidneys are responsible for filtering the blood to remove waste and chemicals to produce urine ("Urinary System", n.d.). Blood is carried through the renal arteries to the kidneys where they are filtered by nephrons - tiny filtering units in both kidneys that remove harmful substances and waste from the blood (Durani, 2015). The toxins and waste sifted by these nephrons are blended with water to produce urine (Durani, 2015). On average, the kidneys will filter 120 to 150 quarts of blood a day to produce about 1 to 2 quarts of urine ("The Urinary Tract & How It Works", 2014). The next
Healthy kidneys clean the blood by filtering out extra water and wastes. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and blood healthy. When both of your kidneys fail, your body holds fluid. Your blood pressure rises. Harmful wastes build up in your body. Your body doesn't make enough red blood cells. When this happens, you need treatment to replace the work of your failed kidneys.
All play a role in removing waste from your body. Your kidneys filter waste from your blood and regulate the concentrations of many substances. Tubes called ureters carry urine from your kidneys to the bladder, where it’s store until it exits your body through the urethra.
Kidney Function Introduction and definition of terms: The kidneys are the main organs in the urinary system. They filter waste products out of blood from the renal artery. These are then excreted. Useful solutes are reabsorbed into the blood. They also have a major homeostatic role in the body, and help to control the water content (osmoregulation) and pH of the blood.
If the kidney stone is larger than 1/4 inch in diameter it will most likely
These wastes are derived from the liquid and food that the individual had consumed. In cases of compromised kidney function, the kidneys are no longer able to remove or filter wastes in the normal way. This means that wastes are left to accumulate in the bloodstream. When this scenario takes hold, it can negatively impact the patient 's electrolytes, therefore, positive action has to be taken to optimize the situation. When patients follow a renal diet it can help to slow down the advancement of total kidney failure, and ameliorate kidney function. Along with chloride and potassium, sodium represents one of the body 's main three electrolytes. The latter manipulate the fluids with enter and leave the body’s cells and tissues. Therefore, patients with renal disease must monitor their intake of electrolytes. Keeping a daily food dairy is essential (Nephcure), and will be of great benefit to the dietitian who can pinpoint certain details.
Furthermore, they are involved in the reabsorption of nutrients in the bloodstream and they can regulate the acidity of the blood. Besides the regulation of the fluids and ions, the kidneys are also responsible for the regulation of many different hormones that are involved in homeostasis and metabolism. Because of their importance in the regulation of substances in the body, when the kidneys stop working properly all the body is influenced by that creating disequilibrium in the maintenance of homeostasis and control of all the metabolic functions which can indirectly cause other problems to the body.... ... middle of paper ... ...