Paediatric Nephrology
Specialized paediatric renal services were first started in LRHC in 2009. Now it provides a wide range of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services for infants and children with disorders involving the kidneys, ureters and bladder.
Annually there are over 2000 admissions to the renal ward and over 10,000 outpatient visits. Dialysis Unit in LRH was started in the year 2013 and this is the first dedicated paediatric dialysis unit in Sri Lanka and we also pioneered in commencing the first paediatric bladder training programme in the country since 2009. Kidney Transplant programme was initiated in LRH in 2016, with the support of transplant surgeons from National Hospital Sri Lanka led by Prof. Mandika Wijerathne.
We strive to provide holistic and family-focused medical care for all our patients. Our main aim is to prevent kidney failure in all possible cases and to improve the quality of life of our kids maximally to enable them to function without discretion. However, if kidney failure is unavoidable we will provide life support with dialysis and then renal transplantation.
Dr. Vindya Gunasekera
Paediatric Nephrologist
Dr. Randula Ranawaka
Paediatric Nephrologist
Renal unit comprises the 16 bedded nephrology and transplant ward which is a second home for many children with acute and chronic kidney issues, a dialysis unit, out-patient and day service centre and Uro-therapy unit closely located.
Name of Consultant | Speciality | Ward | Clinic Room | Day of the week | |
Dr. Vindya Gunasekara | Consultant Peadiatric Nephrologist | Ward 24 | 29 | Monday (Non urgent referral clinic)
08am-12noon |
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Tuesday – Friday (Urgent referrals and follow-up clinics)
11am – 12 noon |
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1st Tuesday (Urology and spina – bifida MDC)
11am – 3 pm |
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2nd and 4th Tuesdays (Dialysis and transplant meetings)
10am – 3pm |
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Contact 0703105985 to obtain a new appointment to change the scheduled date OR Any other inquiry. Transplant and dialysis patients and those with complicated conditions will be enrolled into the “My doctor App” for any communication | |||||
Dr. Randula Ranawaka | Consultant Peadiatric Nephrologist | Ward 01 | 29 | Tuesday (1st & 3rd Tuesday-Nephrotic & Glomerular Disease/ 2nd Tuesday -CKD & Dialysis) 2.00pm-4.00pm | |
26 | Thursday (General Nephrology) 02pm-04pm | ||||
Chronic dialysis programme
Chronic intermittent haemodialysis is provided with- in the unit as a day service for children in end stage renal failure. There is also a very successful home based chronic peritoneal dialysis programme. Children and /or the caregivers are given an in-depth one-to-one training by our nursing officers to do their own peritoneal dialysis at home. These children are very independent and attend to their daily activities including schooling while continuing the home based treatment until they receive kidney transplant. Currently there are 25 to 30 children actively in the chronic dialysis programme.
Critical renal care and acute dialysis
Many critically ill children with acute kidney injuries are referred to our unit; some of them need dialysis when the kidney function is severely deranged. We provide acute dialysis in the form of acute peritoneal dialysis, acute haemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy, until the kidney function improves.
Kidney Transplant (KT) programme
KT programme was initiated in LRHC in 2016, with the support of transplant surgeons from National Hospital Sri Lanka led by Prof. Mandika Wijerathne. Fourteen children have successfully undergone KT since then and the surgical procedures of 3 of them were carried out at National Institute of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant Unit in Maligawatte by surgeons attached to the same unit. Youngest child we have transplanted so far is 2.5 years old who is now a well grown and adorable girl going to school. Our aim is to provide at least 12 transplants per year.
Out- patient clinics and day services
We provide a wide range of out -patient services for many renal diseases like Glomerular Disorders (including Nephrotic Syndrome and Lupus), Congenital Abnormalities of Kidney and Urinary Tract, Cystic Kidneys, Hypertension and Vasculitis, Neurogenic bladder, Complicated Urinary Tract Infections and Bladder Bowel Dysfunction, Urinary Calicification and Stone Disease and Renal Tubular Disorders. The centre provides special clinics according to disease category and patients are assessed or reviewed on appointment basis. It also offers outpatient / day care for those who require administration of specific therapies or who require specialised care. In addition, facilities are provided for the families of the registered patients to contact the staff when urgent advice is needed.
Urotherapy and neurogenic bladder training programme
Congenital spinal defects are still not uncommon in Sri Lanka. Almost all children with spinal defects have problems of urination (neurogenic bladder) and defecation (neurogenic bowel). Majority of them end up in kidney failure without proper bladder care. Our bladder training programme – started in 2009 – is the first paediatric programme in Sri Lanka. We provide comprehensive care to those with bladder and bowel dysfunction due to spinal defects as well as non-neurological causes and also those having many forms of enuresis. Our programme was supported by the paediatric surgical team especially Dr A. Lamahewage and also the adult urology team led by Prof N. Perera since its commencement.
There are many publications related to glomerular disorders, urinary tract infection, hypertension and renal stone disease to our credit.
On-going research:
Primary proteinuric glomerular diseases in children