The Clinic of Nephrology and Dialysis at University Hospital "St. Marina" in Varna provides patients with 24-hour medical care, and diagnostic and therapeutic services at a global level. The Clinic is the only opportunity for hundreds of patients in the country and around the world to plan their holidays at sea during the summer months, despite their proven kidney diseases that require constant medical care. "The Dialysis Centre at Varna University Hospital "St. Marina" is the greatest hemodialysis centre in the country. Chronic dialysis treatment is provided for nearly 200 patients in the Varna region, and the number is much higher during the summer season," explained Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetla Staykova, head of the Clinic of Nephrology and Dialysis.
"The Clinic of Nephrology and Dialysis uses high technology equipment. It has Power Doppler Echography and Colour-Coded Doppler, a phase contrast microscope and stereomicroscope for controlling native tissue cylinders, obtained through renal biopsy, an ECG monitoring device, an echocardiograph for Doppler kidney vessel examination and for conducting controlled kidney biopsy, automated peritoneal dialysis machines, an ultrasonic automated biopsy gun, disposable renal biopsy needles - Bio-Pince, Tru-Cut and Core. The hemodialysis equipment has a full range of state-of-the-art features. We use unique equipment for preparation and "reverse osmosis" of the water for dialysis procedures – the only one of its kind in Bulgaria, and control of the parameters of the qualities of the "purified water" every two hours, " added Assoc. Prof. Staykova.
The Clinic offers and provides highly specialized services for stationary and ambulatory diagnostics for all types of kidney diseases - glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, vascular renal diseases, cystic renal disease, immune and autoimmune diseases with renal involvement and renal hypertension. Extracorporeal blood purification techniques, hemodialysis treatment with high-efficiency membranes, hemodiafiltration, ultradiffusion, peritoneal dialysis treatment and its modifications, apheresis treatment in renal and systemic diseases, immunoadsorption, hemoperfusion, immunosuppressive and cytostatic treatment in glomerulonephritis and vasculitis with renal involvement and synchronized immunosuppressive and cytostatic therapy with extracorporeal immunomodulation are performed at the Clinic. It also provides treatment and monitoring for unresponsive to medication hypertension and heart failure, unresponsive anemic syndrome, and bone-mineral disorders in chronic kidney diseases. Secondary hyperparathyroidism is diagnosed and Doppler renal blood flow assessment, and colour-coded Doppler techniques and criteria for assessment of renal transplant blood flow are carried out.
Potential recipients for renal transplantation in the Еxecutive Аgency for Тransplantation are also registered in the Clinic of Nephrology and Dialysis, along with preparation for live donor transplantation and post-operative treatment, follow-up monitoring of the patients, transplanted at UMHAT "St. Marina", as well as their dispensary observation.
All modern and innovative diagnostic methods in the field of nephrology and renal replacement therapy are implemented in the Clinic in cooperation with the other hospital structures - invasive, non-invasive imaging - CT, MRI, CT - angiography, PET scanning, laboratory, immunological, microbiological, virological and histological testing. The Clinic of Nephrology and Dialysis operates in close interaction and contact with the Nephrology Clinic at the University Hospital in Bern, Switzerland, the Department of Clinical Medicine at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, the University Hospital in Naples, Italy, and the Department of Clinical Nephrology and Dialysis at the Medical University of Messina, Italy.
Assoc. Prof. Staykova's medical team also provides highly specialized and expert consultative neurology support for early diagnosis and prevention of kidney diseases, and prevention and retardation of kidney failure. The Clinic of Nephrology and Dialysis at University Hospital "St. Marina" has eight highly qualified and leading specialists in the country, with proven professional expertise and recognition in the field of nephrology and renal replacement therapy, and four of them are habilitated lecturers, and 7 specializing post-graduates. In response to the growing needs and requirements of the patients, the team is being constantly trained to apply modern medical achievements and innovations through participating at symposia and congresses in our country and abroad.
Velina Markovska
