The Holy Grail of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is not dialysis or even a transplant, but a viable artificial kidney. There has been ongoing research, but there also seems to be little progress. I have posted about The Kidney Project (TK) a few times as they seem to be the only significant artificial kidney project.
UCSF released some news a few days ago that seems to point to some significant progress. TKP said they have successfully tested a prototype bioartificial kidney. There is a YouTube video that explains further:
Basically, TKP was able to produce a hemofilter that filters out toxins from the bloodstream using membranes made from silicon semiconductor wafers. They also made a bioreactor with “renal tubule cells” that will maintain fluid balance and other metabolic functions. Combined, the hemofilter and bioreactor is implanted like a transplanted kidney, and powered via the patient’s blood pressure. It sounds awesome if it actually works. There are currently ~93,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant due to a shortage of donated organs. A viable artificial kidney will improve quality of life for a lot of people.
My biggest fear after the kidney transplant is EOL organ rejection. If the transplanted kidney fails before I die, then I will need to go back on dialysis. Likely I will be ~70 years old by then so the chances for another kidney transplant will be very low. If an artificial kidney is readily available, that could be another option.
Life with chronic diseases 