1800s: pre- and post-Bright, inventor of nephrology
Bright’s observations led clinicians to begin scientific urine testing, created the first Renal Unit, and stimulated widespread further research. More …
Timeline
1827
1900-40
Growing kidney expertise before dialysis
Measuring blood pressure becomes possible, then routine.
Trench nephritis, and progress with Bright’s disease
Pathology starts to get serious – Volhard and Farr
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1940s
Discovering AKI (ARF)
War leads to focus on AKI
Crush syndrome, conservative management, then experiments with dialysis. More …
1950s
Acute dialysis
Haemodialysis – second trial leads a wave
Peritoneal dialysis its essential companion. More …
1960s
1964
Home haemodialysis
A bold experiment
The first patient, Olga Heppel
Drivers, benefits, downsides. More …
1960s
Early transplantation
Identical twins 1954. Immune response creates challenges.
Azathioprine succeeded whole body irradiation mid-1960s.
Survival begins to creep up. More …
1970s
Transplantation maturing, 1970s on
Understanding transplant rejection
Refining practice and treatment
Centre effects / brain death. More …
1980s
1980s
1980-2000
Improving care
Technical and process improvements in HD, PD, Transplant
Improving outcomes and numbers on treatment. More …
2000 on
2000s nephrology
Covid tests the system
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Last Updated on January 7, 2025 by neilturn