Neonatal Nephrology

UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit provides care for infants with a wide range of kidney disorders and offers expert knowledge and management options including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Our nephrology faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized and together provide superior clinical care, conduct leading edge research, and train future leaders in the field of pediatric nephrology.

What is Hemodialysis/Peritoneal dialysis?

Dialysis a therapy used to support patients with kidney failure, also known as ESRD (end stage renal disease). ESRD is diagnosed when there is permanent loss of 90% of total kidney function. Dialysis works like the kidneys and allows gentle filtration of the patient's blood which gives the kidneys a chance to rest and get better. There are two types of dialysis that may be performed on your child: hemodialysis or peritoneal.

Our medical team will discuss each option in detail and help determine which is the best for the patient. Hemodialysis is filtration through the blood via IV lines using a dialysis machine which contains a special cleaning filter. Peritoneal dialysis works by using the lining of the abdomen called the peritoneum as a filter and this can be done at home which our team will make sure families are trained prior to discharge home.

Which conditions do we treat?

• Prenatally diagnosed renal abnormalities, including renal dysplasia, hypoplasia, agenesis, renal cysts.
• Genetic and metabolic kidney diseases causing hyperammonemia, including urea cycle defects, organic acid disorders, or fatty acid oxidation defects.
• Acquired kidney diseases such as ATN (acute tubular necrosis) due to hypoxia, asphyxia, hypotension, septic shock, or medications.
• Obstructive conditions, including UPJ (uretero-pelvic junction) and UVJ (uretero-vesicular junction) obstruction, VUR (vesicoureteral reflux) and PUV (posterior urethral valves).