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Dr. Erika D. Critell, DO is a nephrologist in Marion, OH specializing in adult nephrology. She graduated from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Erika D. Critell, DO is affiliated with Grant Medical Center, Ohio Kidney Consultants, Dublin Methodist Hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Ohio Health, Memorial Health System and RIVERSIDE NEPHROLOGY ASSOCIATES INC.
Acute Kidney Failure
Kidney failure is when 80% to 90% of kidney function is lost. Kidney failure is also referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Kidneys are critical to human health, essentially acting as the body's built-in filtration system. When the kidneys can no longer function effectively, waste can accumulate in the blood and concentrations of nutrients can become unbalanced, impairing the body from performing critical functions. For example, if the kidneys do not regulate levels of potassium, the heart may develop arrhythmias (irregular rhythm) or even go into cardiac arrest.
Kidney failure may be caused by a number of health conditions that slowly damage and weaken the kidneys, such as:
High blood pressure and diabetes are the most frequently observed causes of kidney failure. However, these conditions typically take years to develop into kidney failure and might escape notice during that time.
Symptoms of kidney failure include:
No cure currently exists for kidney failure; however, medical treatment can permit people to live healthy and long lives. A nephrologist (kidney doctor) determines the most effective treatments for patients with kidney failure.
Dialysis is a well-known treatment for kidney failure that uses a machine to filter and clean waste from the blood. Patients attend regular dialysis sessions to replace their lost kidney function. Some patients with kidney failure are unable to survive without having dialysis every few days.
More advanced kidney failure may be treated by kidney transplant surgery. Deceased donor kidney transplant surgery provides kidney failure patients with a healthy kidney from a recently deceased person. Living donor kidney transplant surgery provides a kidney from a donor who is still alive. As most people have two kidneys, kidney failure patients' relatives or friends may offer to donate one of their kidneys. Kidney transplants can dramatically improve kidney function and lower or eliminate the need for dialysis.
People with kidney failure are advised to eat a nutritious diet, monitor and lower blood pressure, and to best manage diabetes. Exercise and a tobacco-free lifestyle may also help patients with kidney failure.
Dialysis
Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.
A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:
For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.
A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.
Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.
Dr. Erika D. Critell, DO graduated from Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed residency at OhioHealth - Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus. She is certified by the Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine and has a state license in Ohio.
Medical School: Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: OhioHealth - Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus
Board Certification: Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine
Licensed In: Ohio
Dr. Erika D. Critell, DO is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
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Dr. Erika Critell is a medical specialist in adult nephrology. She attended medical school at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her residency training at OhioHealth - Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus. These areas are among Dr. Critell's clinical interests: transplant procedures, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and acute kidney failure. She is professionally affiliated with Grant Medical Center, Dublin Methodist Hospital, and Doctors Hospital.
