Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist
MRCP (Uk), MD (Paediatrics), FCPS (Child Health),
DCH
ajinkyapl@hotmail.com
Dr Pankaj Deshpande, MRCP (UK), MD (Paed), FCPS (Child health), DCH is the Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist at Kidney Sepciality Group, Vashi. After completing MD (Paediatrics) from Bai Jerbai Wadia hospital in 1995, he was in UK for 10 years and specialised in Paediatric Nephrology. After working at institutions like Birmingham Childrens Hospital and Guys hospital in London, he was a Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist at Southampton General Hospital for the last 5 years before returning and settling in Vashi in 2005. He has a vast experience in all kinds of Paediatric Nephrological problems including paediatric dialysis and transplantation. He has numerous publications in journals like Pediatric Nephrology, Archives etc and has presentated at various forums including ESPN (European Society of Paediatric Nephrology).
In the last 15 months that he has been here, he has seen numerous paediatric patients with kidney problems. A vast number of children with nephrotic syndrome (number greater than 60), especially with frequent relapses form one major group of patients. Most of the patients are relapse free and steroid free thereby preventing all the complications arising out of long term steroid use, especially short stature and obesity (stunted growth). Urine infections form another major group that needs to be investigated properly to prevent long term consequences like decreased renal function, scarring and hypertension. Detection of renal dysplasia is an important part of these investigations.
Children with calcium deposits in the kidneys (nephrocalcinosis) and with kidney stones form another group. If the cause for formation of stones is not treated, they keep on recurring, necessitating repeated surgery. Children with chronic renal failure and end stage renal failure needing dialysis (haemodialysis) are being regularly seen and offered dialysis. The aim is to start paediatric renal transplantation soon. Hypertension (high blood pressure) in children is usually asymptomatic and a cause of long term kidney damage. These patients have also been seen in the last 15 months. A number of rare tubular problems of the kidneys like Renal Tubular Acidosis, Bartter’s syndrome etc are also being diagnosed and reviewed regularly. Children with night and daytime wetting have also been treated with excellent results. Conditions like nephritis, atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, endocrine conditions mimicking renal problems are also being managed here. Conditions with blood in the urine may either be benign or an indicator of poor renal function needing dialysis in the future. These children are being assessed to give a plan for management.
Procedures like KIDNEY BIOPSIES in children, insertion of dialysis catheters (peritoneal and haemodialysis) are being done here in the last year.
Children with kidney problems need to be seen early, diagnosed soon and appropriate treatment commenced earnestly to protect the long term kidney function. Children also have many kidney problems that may have an effect on kidney function in childhood as well as in adult life. In extreme cases, they may cause lead to kidney failure in adult life. India has a very high incidence of adult kidney failure (chronic) and the aim should be to detect conditions in children that may lead to these complications later on in life and treat them appropriately.
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