The "renal assist device" (RAD) is a bioartificial kidney ...

The "renal assist device" (RAD) is a bioartificial kidney -- a device lined with human renal tubular cells grown from donated organs. Even with conventional dialysis, patients with acute kidney failure have a high mortality rate; the hope is that outcomes might be improved with the use of a bioengineered device which more closely replicates the functions of the human kidney. In the upcoming May issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Dr. H. David Humes demonstrates that the use of the experimental RAD in patients with acute renal failure was associated with a decrease in the mortality rate of almost half and almost twice the rate of recovery of renal function. More.