Dialysis saves the lives of a growing number of patients every year. Innovation in the field of dialysis is essential and the global industry providing dialysis is becoming more consolidated.
Kidney (renal) dialysis was the world’s first extracorporeal therapy, or therapy treating organ failure outside the body. Renal dialysis remains vital to a growing number of patients around the world and the only alternative today, kidney transplantation, is precluded for most patients due to a shortage of donor organs.
Dialysis technology is also being developed for new applications such as liver dialysis and the emerging field of extracorporeal therapies being developed to remove other fluids and toxins from chronically and acutely ill patients.
The number of renal dialysis patients is growing steadily. In markets such as the U.S., Europe and Japan, with larger elderly populations and rising rates of wealth, and with that increased incidence of lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, the number of patients is increasing by 3-4 percent a year. In countries with larger populations and fast-developing economies like China and India, patient growth is increasing by 8-10 percent a year.