Renal services

What we offer

Our goal is to provide you with the pain relief you deserve based on your individual needs and health condition so we can provide the most effective solution for you.

24/7 Consultant-led service

Our world class consultant nephrologists and renal transplant surgeons provide round-the-clock consultant cover for inpatient services. The Private Patients Unit has a dedicated team of Resident Medical Officers who are based on the 12th floor, who liaise with all consultants to provide comprehensive medical support to patients. The consultants are supported by a large multidisciplinary team of dialysis nurses, transplant nurse specialists, dieticians, clinical psychologists, renal pharmacists, and administrative staff. All the nurses in the private patients unit have been recruited with a clinical background or interest in ITU/HDU or renal medicine. The renal team liaises closely with consultants in other specialties.

Renal consultation service

The renal department provides an extensive inpatient consultation service with regular interaction with other specialist areas, including liver transplantation, intensive care, and rheumatology.

Renal transplantation

The Royal Free unit carries out 140 kidney transplants every year of which around 30% are from living donors. We offer laparoscopic (“keyhole”) surgery for kidney donors as a routine. Our results compare favourably with the best transplant units both nationally and internationally. We are supported by a highly experienced tissue typing team based at the internationally renowned Anthony Nolan Centre and use the latest Luminex technology.

• Laparoscopic (“keyhole”) kidney donor surgery
• Transplantation of the medically complex recipient
• ABO incompatible transplantation
• HLA incompatible transplantation

Robotic assisted surgery

Robotic assisted surgery is a laparoscopic surgery using da Vinci® technology surgical assistance. Keyhole renal surgery including renal cancer (partial nephrectomy) and transplant harvesting is performed safely and minimally invasively with early patient recovery.

Kidney dialysis

The Royal Free manages dialysis services for the entire North Central sector of London serving a population of 1.6 million. We currently have 800 patients on haemodialysis. We have an active dialysis research programme and employ the latest techniques including an extensive haemodiafiltration programme.

The private dialysis facility on the 12th floor has 6 stations including an isolation facility. The unit is supervised by an experienced consultant nephrologist who also runs a Royal Free NHS dialysis unit.

• Haemodialysis
• Haemodiafiltration
• Peritoneal dialysis (including laparoscopic PD catheter placement)
• Plasma exchange
• Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)
• Leading unit in the London AKI network
• HDU facilities for inpatient management of AKI
• Consultant-led private dialysis unit for provision of acute dialysis treatment

Home dialysis therapies

We have 150 patients maintained on peritoneal dialysis and an expanding self-care and home haemodialysis service.

Vascular access for dialysis

The renal department at the Royal Free Hospital is a regional centre of excellence for vascular access surgery for haemodialysis. We run weekly, dedicated vascular access clinics for creation and surveillance of haemodialysis vascular access. Our team of experienced vascular access surgeons are supported by a specialist nurse, vascular ultrasound technicians and a highly experienced interventional radiology service.

• AV fistulae
• AV grafts
• Complex upper and lower limb access formation
• Tunnelled central venous catheter placement
• Fistuloplasty
• SVC venoplasty

Acute kidney injury treatment and management

The Royal Free renal unit manages in excess of 200 episodes of acute kidney injury per annum. Nephrology outpatient clinics are held in a dedicated kidney and urology outpatient centre on the third floor adjacent to a renal ambulatory care area.

On the 12th floor private practice unit, acute kidney injury care is provided in a level 2 or HDU setting. An acute dialysis service for private inpatients is provided in the new private dialysis unit on the 12th floor run by senior dialysis nursing staff with round-the-clock consultant supervision.

General nephrology

We cover all areas of general nephrology plus specialist clinics for vasculitis, SLE, low clearance, renal transplantation, renal tubular disease, renovascular disease, difficult hypertension and stone clinics. Private clinics are held on the 12th floor in the Lyndhurst Private Consulting Rooms.

• Chronic kidney disease management
• Hypertension
• Low clearance (pre-dialysis) care