By John Hopewell. From John Hopewell’s collection of Renal Unit histories.

National Kidney Centre London

Stanley Shaldon set up the national kidney centre independently as a private enterprise in 1966. He was a pioneer of maintenance dialysis, but also of home dialysis in Europe, and indeed worldwide. The centre proved to be very, if not uniquely, successful. We have no textual history of it, but he has provided a “PowerPoint’ account of the lecture which he delivered in Munich on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of haemodialysis there. It contains a graphic account of the story and scope of the unit. (Link to download at foot of page)

Stanley Shaldon himself wrote:

The first patients were seven, whom I had previously established on home dialysis at the Royal Free Hospital. The number of patients under treatment grew steadily, as shown on the map. (see map in presentation below). The first German patient came in 1969, He solved the problem of reimbursement by establishing a contract with AOK in Germany. thus permitting the Krankenkasse to pay for the treatment in his home. He was followed many German nationals, and the mode of treatment proved so popular in Germany that three training statios were set up there in 1969. Subsequently patients came from all over Europe as well as from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

At first the Brecia-Cimino shunt was used for vascular access, but was followed by the arteriovenous fistula. The longest surviving fistula lasted 38 years. From 1969 patients were trained in self puncture of the fistula.

The dominant theme of my personal history of vascular access was to facilitate self dialysis and patient independence. The goal that haemodialysis would become the insulin of the chronic nephritic has yet to be achieved. The National Kidney Centre, although never credited for its pioneering role, played a significant part in the development of home and limited care dialysis throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Stanley Shaldon presentation about National Kidney Centre (pdf, 5.2Mb)

Rosemarie Baillod worked with Stanley Shaldon in the very early days of dialysis at the Royal Free Hospital, and puts a personal slant on the formation of the National Kidney Centre:

(coming shortly!)

Last Updated on February 7, 2023 by neilturn