Home Dialysis and the Death of a Friend
This last Sunday a friend of ours passed away from complications in using his home dialysis machine. We just learned today that his passing was because he had burned from a heater that was used in the process.
I don't know much about dialysis and it's components that are used in the process, so I thought I would do a little research to learn how this could have occurred.
First, I searched for "risks associated with home dialysis". What I found in that search is that it takes 3 to 8 weeks of training for a person to be able to adequately operate the equipment that is necessary for home dialysis. If it takes that long to learn how to use the equipment, then how was he able to do this? Last year he spent a couple of months in ICU because of his out of control Type I diabetes that had put him in a coma. He lost a leg in the process. His long coma caused brain damage that was obvious to anyone that knew him before he was in a coma and during his recovery. He should not have been a candidate for home dialysis imo.
Second, I searched for components necessary for home dialysis. One of the 'hits' was a list of approved equipment for use in home dialysis prepared by Aetna. Under "Other Dialysis Equipment/Supplies"
Short wave (radiofrequency) diathermy machines are not covered as they are not appropriate for home use.
Of course, that begs another question for this person that knows next to nothing about this kind of subject.
Third, I searched for "Short wave diathermy machines associated with home dialysis". This search was conducted on my phone so I don't have a good link. What I can say is that there are two cables that when they are placed close enough to each other and a combusible material, can burn a hole in the material that they are close to. They don't even have to be touching the material in order to burn.
What we were told by his mother, is that he passed out during a session of home dialysis, landed on the heating unit and burned to death.My questions about this are numerous. Why was he chosen (with brain damage) as an appropriate candidate for home dialysis? Why was this type of heating unit used for home dialysis? I have many more questions that I'm sure will come up later, but for now these are the biggies.
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I don't have any answers to your questions, but I am very sorry about the death of your friend.
Hi Leona,
First, I am very sorry for your the loss of your friend. Sounds like he had a ton of really bad luck.
Second, please forgive me if this sounds inappropriate, but I am from a family of lawyers, this sounds like a law suit on so many levels.
I know many people who have been on dialysis, but none of them do it at home. My understanding is that the process has many ways that it can go wrong, even in the hospital. That is why they have nurses watching.
Just my two cents.
Thank you.
The death itself wasn't totally unexpected. The cause of death, however, was a little startling.
Thank you.
I totally agree. I don't know if any of his family will pursue any course of action, but I would certainly support their choice to.
With the reading that I've done on the subject this week, I couldn't agree more. Heck, I'm a reasonably intelligent person, but I would be hesitant to allow even me to do home dialysis, much less someone with obvious brain damage.
Something you might want to pass on. Med-Mal has a two year limit, if there was a dr involved. Theequipmentlonger, but the sooner the better. Sadly, the way the court system is structured, if you wait to make a complaint, it looks worse, not that you wanted to give it some serious thought. It really sucks that it makes good people have to respond before they have a chance to think, much less breath.