Just like any water filter, nature’s ingenious filter, the kidneys, need a checkup from time-to-time. Kidneys filter 200 liters of blood a day and are responsible for, amongst other things, removing waste products and drugs from the body. So, obviously, protecting them is vital.
Water quality for dialysis
When kidney disease has progressed and the kidneys are no longer capable of adequately filtering blood, patients will require dialysis. Dialysis is a treatment that compensates for some of things that healthy kidneys do, like:
1) removing waste, salt and excess water;
2) maintaining a safe level of chemicals like potassium, sodium and bicarbonate; and
3) helping to control blood pressure.
There are a few types of dialysis, including peritoneal dialysis, where the blood is cleaned in the body, or hemodialysis, in
which the blood is cycled out of the body and filtered mechanically before being returned. In either case, the patient is exposed to large quantities of water. Much larger quantities, in fact, than the average person consumes in a day – up to 25 times! Since the water is in more “direct contact” to the blood, it is critical that the water quality be far superior to even tap water. Substances commonly found in drinking water can be damaging to a hemodialysis patient. For this reason, there are strict chemical and microbiological specifications for water used in dialysis, for preparation of dialysate, or for cleaning equipment.
VIQUA UV for dialysis
All dialysis facilities and home dialysis equipment require a properly designed and maintained water treatment system. As in a typical home treatment solution, the last stage of water treatment is disinfection. This ensures that there is no microbial “break-through” from any filters or reverse osmosis membranes used.
Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection is a great fit for dialysis waters because it’s a physical process.
• UV adds no chemicals to the water.
• UV is effective against a broad range of microorganisms.
• UV requires no holding time.
• UV disinfection can be achieved in a very compact footprint.
VIQUA UV systems are manufactured to strict quality standards which often exceed industry and safety standards. Our UV systems are ISO 9001 certified. VIQUA has the support of a global corporate network, and it’s that staying power, in conjunction with our reputation for quality UV systems, that makes VIQUA the superior choice for OEM partners in water treatment generally, and also in home dialysis units.
KK Water Purification is a proud supplier of VIQUA UV systems and can deliver parts and units from stock to anywhere in the UK.
