A monitored miniature dialysis apparatus with silicon nanoporous membrane

Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment for patients with end-stage kidney disease. Conventional hemodialysis done at hospitals is inaccessible to many patients, increases the load on the hospitals, and cause discomfort for older people. A portable self-monitored dialysis device can be of great relief for conventional, short-duration and nocturnal home-based dialysis. In our previous reports, functionalized silicon nanoporous membranes were shown to be efficient in uremic clearance. In the present study, pressure, temperature and bubble sensors were incorporated to develop a functional prototype with a connected system for real-time monitoring of the performance and progress of dialysis.