On dialysis for 50 years, the case in Prato

He has been undergoing replacement hemodialysis treatment for 50 years, in the dialysis center of the hospital in Prato. The man, now 66 years old, retired, originally from Florence and resident in Prato, "began this difficult therapeutic journey, because he suffered from a kidney disease that led him to replacement dialysis therapy in a few years", explains the ASL Toscana center, making his case known. "An example of tenacity and a model of care that we are proud of. 50 years of hemodialysis: an extraordinary milestone of care and determination", says Gesualdo Campolo, director of the nephrology and dialysis unit of the hospital in Prato: the patient has demonstrated "extraordinary strength and a great ability to adapt". In recent days, health workers and 'Friends of Dialysis' have celebrated the "remarkable milestone" reached by the 66-year-old with great affection and with a plaque with the phrase, wanted by the patient himself: 'Life has been hard on me... but I have been harder on you'. "The patient - explains Campolo -, after two unsuccessful kidney transplant attempts several years ago, chose to continue undergoing dialysis, tackling with determination three weekly sessions for four hours each. A path that highlights not only his exceptional resilience, but also the high level of assistance and multidisciplinary care guaranteed by our team of nephrologists, nurses, health workers and other professionals". A result, the ASL then highlights, which "underlines the importance of a global approach to the care of the chronic patient, with effective responses to health needs, both renal and extra-renal". The Prato Dialysis Center manages approximately 180 patients undergoing replacement hemodialysis treatment, with two daily shifts (morning and afternoon) from Monday to Saturday. To date, twenty patients are undergoing home peritoneal dialysis treatment, followed by a dedicated medical-nursing team. An 'assisted peritoneal dialysis' project is also being activated: it involves the use of nursing staff at home to manage/treat these patients at home. The project is already operational and will start in a few weeks, with training in peritoneal dialysis for family nurses at the Prato Dialysis Center. A home dialysis activity, it is further explained, that "will allow an increase in the number of patients who will undergo this replacement therapy, further strengthening our mission of 'home care'.