Low Clearance Clinic

If your kidney function deteriorates you may eventually be referred to the Low Clearance Clinic. This clinic is for patients who have kidney disease which has caused their kidney function to fall to a level of approximately <20% of normal.

The Low Clearance Clinic can be accessed directly by your GP or from a consultant at CUH or another hospital.

As the function of the kidneys declines, clearance of waste products falls and problems are more likely to arise.

The better prepared a patient is for end stage renal failure the better their health is likely to be in the long term. The low clearance clinic is designed to carefully plan for end stage kidney failure. This involves a detailed discussion of suitable treatment options including haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplantation and conservative management. This may be followed by an assessment by the renal surgeons in order to create a connection or ‘access’ for dialysis and for suitable patients, tests to assess fitness for kidney transplantation (See vascular access clinic).

Patients are reviewed by the renal dieticians and specialist nurses. Please bring a list of your medicines with you.  A detailed letter will be sent to your GP and you will be asked if you would like a copy for your records.