Dr Samuel Lee Kountz, Jr – Kidney Disease
By
John C Abercrombie
Kidney Disease is a devastating condition that affects the lives of many people. Black people seem to be affected the most. Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz, Jr was a pioneer in the field of kidney transplant and is recognized as the first to transplant a human kidney into a person that was not an identical twin of the donor and recipient. This was accomplished in 1961 while working at the Stanford University Medical Center.
Dr Kountz was born October 30, 1930, in Lexa, Arkansas. He and a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco developed the prototype of the Belzer Kidney perfusion machine. This was a device that can preserve kidneys for up to 50 hours from the time they are taken from a donor. This equipment is now standard in hospitals and research laboratories around the world.
Chronic kidney disease “CKD” is a major health problem, and it disproportionally affects minority and low income people. Blacks in the United States have the highest rates of end stage kidney disease “ESKD” It appears to be related to multiple factors including risk factors and access to the receipt of high quality care, health beliefs and health behaviors, social determinants. These factors result in a 3-fold greater incidence of treated End Stage Kidney Disease cases for Blacks compared to Whites.
African Americans and Native Americans have the highest rates of premature morbidity and mortality in the United States. A major contributing factor are the institutionalized policies and practices that perpetuate residential segregation, low quality public school systems.
Diabetes and hypertension are common risk factors in the development of kidney disease. Obesity or being overweight is a comorbid condition. These contributing factors are much greater in Blacks and as such we should be proactive with concern to health matters. It is important to note that the signs of these conditions are often underestimated and are not signaled by obvious signs of illness, thus they are sometimes called silent killers. You should be your number 1 health advocate and be proactive about your health. This is not the time to believe that ignorance and failure to act is bliss.
It is possible to learn and benefit from knowledge about the conditions and how to prevent them by studying them. While there are complexities in the study, keep in mind that this is not a speed learning course. Take your time and research those terms that you don’t know. Study includes books, videos, discussions and other innovative techniques that work for you. Your health is worth the investment in knowledge. We include videos and books in the posts to give you a kick start to your learning.
Early identification and management of Chronic Kidney Disease benefits:
- Limit or prevent Chronic Kidney Disease progression
- Ensure appropriate drug dosing
- Limit drug related nephrotoxic injury
- Minimize the risk of drug related and other causes of acute kidney injury
- Reduce the increased rate of cardiovascular events
It is important to keep in mind that there are more Blacks receiving deficient care because of the lack of medical services, access to insurance and education on related matters. Neighborhoods are often in food deserts, away from affordable medical facilities, and situated in unhealthy locations. Unhealthy locations include proximity to industrial pollution, low quality air and water. Difficulty in reaching reasonable, affordable and accessible care.
When the kidneys are failing there is difficulty in the body being able to remain chemically balanced. Cleaning of the blood system is compromised. Dialysis is a way of ridding the body of unwanted toxins, excrement and excess fluid. The method works by cleaning the blood.
Dialysis is the process of removing excess water, solutes and toxins from the blood when the kidneys can not do it adequately. This is often referred to as renal replacement therapy, (renal refers to the kidneys), and was first performed in 1943.
Dialysis may be needed when there is a sudden loss of kidney function (acute) or gradual decline of function that reaches stage 5, reached when the glomerular filtrate is down to about 10 to 15%. Dialysis may be need in both of these cases.
Dialysis works on the use of a semi-permeable membrane, blood flowing on one side and the dialysate or special dialysis fluid flowing in the opposite way. This replicates the filtering process of the kidneys.
There are 2 main types of dialysis. One is hemodialysis (hemo) refers to blood. Hemodialysis cleanses by using an external filter.
Second is peritoneal which is done inside the body using the peritoneal membrane and a special dialysis solution in the abdominal cavity.
While hemodialysis is most often done in a clinic, it is possible to do at home. Peritoneal dialysis is easily done at home. Sterile conditions are mandatory in all cases!
It is extremely to seek qualified medical assistance in all matters relating to kidney disease. While there are options, insure you understand by doing research from approved sites. Health care is a partnership between a well informed and committed patient and a medical compliment of concerned care givers.
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For Black History Month 2020, we posted daily. These posts focus on the reality of Black life in America after the Civil War culminating in the landmark Brown v Board of Education that changed so many of the earlier practices. To see the posts, click here
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This post is part of a Black History Month tribute featuring Health and Wellness. To see other posts in this series, click here.
We also posted a 5 part mini-series on the 100th anniversary of one of the most horrific massacres in the history of America. Hundreds of Blacks were slaughtered and 10,000 left homeless in this largely unknown event. To see the posts, click here.
We also did a mini-series on the Schomburg Center for Research a most amazing collection of Black history and culture. To see this mini-series, continue scrolling
We also did a mini-series on the Schomburg Center for Research a most amazing collection of Black history and culture. To see this mini-series, click here
The Schomburg Center
A world class collection of Black History inspired by a 5th grade teacher who told Arturo Schomburg that there was NO African history. Nothing of value. Schomburg dedicated his life to proving that teacher wrong and Schomburg did an amazing job with his collection.
Schomburg – The man who built a library
Also be aware that there is a Black Kidney Support Group on Facebook.
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Black Doctor discusses how high blood pressure & kidney disease can be silent killers
In this segment of our 2-Part Series, Christopher Brown, MD, MPH, FACP, Chillicothe, OH, a Nephrologist (Kidney Doctor) and Health Commissioner/Medical Director of Ross County Public Health, speaks about chronic disease in the African-American community, specifically high blood pressure (hypertension) and kidney disease. WATCH FOR PART 2 OF THIS SERIES BY SUBSCRIBING AND ENABLE NOTIFICATIONS!
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Echo Devices
This is one way to enjoy materials such as books by having the device read to you. I love these
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Kidney Disease Cookbooks
ABH – Black Kidney Disease Cookbo
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Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks
Audible, an Amazon company, offers the world’s largest selection of digital audiobooks and spoken word content. With Audible, customers can listen anytime and anywhere to professionally-narrated audiobooks across a wide range of genres.
Try Audible Premium Plus and Get Up to Two Free Audiobooks
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What Black Kidney Patients Should Be Asking Their Doctors
Meet Shavell whose inflated EGFR number hurt her financially by increasing her cost for dialysis. She shares that she was in acute kidney failure versus total kidney failure causing her insurance to pay a different percentage. Nephrologist Dr. Amaka Eneanya joins to share what can be done to help African Americans moving forward. She also suggests black patients with kidney disease talk to their doctors about their EGFR numbers and to see if their race is being factored in.
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Fitness Tracker
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Living with Kidney Disease
ABH – Living with Kidney Disease
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Mobility Scooters
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Kidney Failure Symptoms:
10 Signs Most People Will Miss! Today we are discussing kidney failure symptoms, the signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Many of my patients whom I diagnose had no idea of the kidney failure symptoms. Many of them were also unaware that they were even at risk for kidney failure or kidney disease.
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Wheelchairs
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Dialysis Machines
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Travel Accessories
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How to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy:
10 Ways To Fight Kidney Disease! Kidney disease is a major health problem in the United States, over 30 million Americans have kidney disease, and many of them don’t even know it. In fact, 33% of Americans are at risk of developing kidney disease. Black people and people of color are disproportionately affected by kidney disease. But the good news is that many times, kidney disease is actually preventable. In this video I will give you 10 tips on how to keep your kidneys healthy and fight kidney disease!
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Kidney Friendly Snacks
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Dialysis Supplies
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Kidney Disease Diet:
How To Eat Right With CKD! Today we will be discussing the kidney disease diet, how to eat right when you have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with kidney disease? Do you want to do your best to keep that kidney disease from worsening, or progressing to dialysis? Are you a dialysis patient who is struggling with what you should and should not eat? Or are you a totally healthy person with healthy kidneys, and you intend to keep it that way? Well today, I’m going to give you five tips on the kidney diet, how to eat properly when you have kidney disease, and how to prevent it.
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Kidney disease can seriously impact your health. To minimize the effects and to maintain high quality of life it is necessary to work with your health team. As you have learned, there are also other diseases that contribute to your health. Not acknowledging your health concerns do not make them go away. Seek a medical team that you can work with.