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Department of Nephrology

The Department of Nephrology has been established by Professor Tomiya Abe since 1976. The first generation (1976~1999), Professor Tomiya Abe came from the Department of Urology Wakayama Medical University and name of the department was “Kidney Center.” The second generation (1999~2006), Professor Tadao Akizawa came from Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital and the name of department was changed to “Department of Blood purification medicine.” The third generation (2006~now), Professor Takashi Shigematsu came from The Jikei University School of Medicine and the name of department was changed to “ Department of Nephrology and Blood purification medicine.” Since 2012, the division has been “Dapartment of Nephrology. “

At the early time, main work of the department was hemodialysis. Later, the department was actively commitment with plasma exchange, immunoadsorption methods and continuous renal replacement therapy. After name of the division was changed to Dapartment of Nephrology and Blood purification medicine, clinical, research and education of Nephrology was established and enriched the content. Now, our specialties are nephrology and renal replacement therapy, which includes nephritic syndrome and rapid progressive glomerulonephritis, acute renal injury (AKI), chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Concretely, we investigate the cause of abnormal urinalysis, perform renal biopsy and induction of hemodialysis, and take care of patients with renal anemia, mineral and bone disorder (MBD) and complications related to hemodialysis therapy such as vascular access failure. Moreover, we takes care of patients treated with hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and received renal transplantation. In terms of AKI, continuous renal replacement thetapy（CRRT） was performed to treat patients with severe AKI in ICU and CCU.

Briefly, department takes care of whole diseases related to kidney. In addition to these diseases, we also take care of patients with diabetic nephropathy, hypertension, vasculitis syndrome or connective tissue disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Since 2009 April, clinic for arthritis and connective tissue diseases has been started and takes care of out side patients with these diseases.

Now, the number of members in our Department has been increased and number of out side patients, hospitalization patients and patients consulted by other division has been increased. Also we actively cope with community medicine through sending medical staffs to hospitals playing important roles in community medicine, such as Shingu municipal medical center, Kinan General hospital, Rinku General Medical Center, Saiseikai Wakayama hospital, and Naga municipanl hospital.

The Department has swum against the current that subdivision has been in field of internal medicine and the specialty has been expanded from Blood purification medicine and critical nephrology with emergency medicine. Now, we do not only deal with kidney disease but also fluid therapy, abnormality in water and electrolyte metabolism, and acid-base imbalance. In addition, we adopt new therapeutic methods, Biologics, and the division becomes an all-around section of internal medicine.

  1. The investigation of the onset and development mechanism in renal disease.
  2. The study of early examination system in chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  3. The study of mechanism of harmful effect of phosphate on cardiovascular system.
  4. The search work of phosphate in mammals.
  5. The consideration of control mechanism on synthesis and secretion of parathyroid hormone in parathyroid cell.
  6. The study of pathophysioligy and therapeutic modality in vascular calcification.
  7. The study of technology development of next generation blood purification method with completely automation system.
  8. The examination of affecting factors on red blood cell size in renal anemia.
  9. The study of the onset mechanism and treatment for renal insufficiency in metabolic syndrome.
  10. Multicenter study in START (Study Group for Assessing Initiation of Renal Replacement Therapy).
  11. Clinical study of Rapidly Progressive Glomerular Nephritis as systemic Vasculitis.