Services
The Division of Pediatric Nephrology diagnoses, treats and manages a wide range of kidney disorders including chronic and acute conditions.
Diagnostics
- Ambulatory 24-hour blood pressure monitoring using SpaceLabs monitoring equipment. This test helps diagnose children with pre-hypertension who may be at higher risk for kidney disease.
- Kidney biopsies. A minimally invasive, same day procedure, it is performed in Stony Brook's Pediatric Special Procedure Unit (PSP) under sedation.
Hypertension
Hypertension, or higher than normal blood pressure, is a growing problem in children, largely due to an increase in obesity and metabolic disorders. Hypertension is one of the most reliable predictors of future problems with the kidneys, in addition to raising a child’s risk for other serious health issues such cardiovascular disease.
To address pediatric hypertension, Stony Brook Children’s has launched the region’s first Pediatric Hypertension Center. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the center brings pediatric specialists together to comprehensively address emerging or existing hypertension issues in children. In addition to family education, counseling and lifestyle and medical management, the center uses ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to track blood pressure changes for 24 hours. The information obtained by the monitor helps doctors develop an individualized program addressing each patient’s needs.
Transplants
Close to 70 adult and pediatric kidney transplants are performed at Stony Brook Medicine annually with excellent immediate surgical and long-term results. Most transplant recipients can expect to lead normal, healthy lives after surgery. At Stony Brook, the success rate of the new kidney function in pediatric patients is 100 percent after one year.
Treatment for Chronic and Acute Conditions
For chronic and acute kidney conditions, including nephritis, nephrosis and nephrotic syndrome, congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract, renal artery stenosis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and renal failure, Stony Brook offers a number of options.
- Outpatient hemodialysis. A process for removing waste products and water from the blood when the kidney is no longer able to perform its functions. Maintenance dialysis is typically done on an outpatient basis.
- In-house acute hemodialysis. This is dialysis performed in the hospital in cases where the child may need additional medical support.
- Peritoneal dialysis. A treatment for severe chronic kidney failure that involves the surgical implantation of a catheter into the patient's abdomen to cleanse the blood. This is used as an alternative to hemodialysis.
- Hemofiltration. A renal replacement therapy similar to hemodialysis that is performed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for patients with acute renal failure.
- Outpatient infusions of biologic agents.