Nephrology

Your Kidney Care Experts

Your kidneys remove waste products and keep salts and other chemicals balanced in your body. If your kidneys get damaged, no organ or medication can replace their function. Patients with renal (kidney) disease need specialized care from the trained nephrologists at Sanford Nephrology.

Our care team focuses on every patient’s quality of life. We work to manage chronic kidney diseases from early detection and diagnosis to advanced treatment including dialysis and organ transplants.

When to See a Nephrologist

If your provider thinks you may have kidney disease, you’ll be referred to a nephrologist. Every patient experiences different kidney disease symptoms, but common symptoms include blood in the urine, pain in the lower back, loss of appetite, fatigue and more. Some kidney disease patients have no symptoms.

Nephrologists specialize in kidney care and treat patients with kidney diseases or with conditions that affect their kidney function. Sanford Health’s nephrologists work with other specialists and your primary care provider to coordinate your care.

Your nephrologist will use one of these tests to diagnose kidney disease:

• Blood tests: These tests identify the amount of waste products in the blood.

• Kidney biopsy: Nephrologists will take a sample of kidney tissue and test it for common kidney problems.

• Kidney ultrasounds: An imaging test using sound waves instead of radiation to check kidney size and functionality.

• Urine tests: Tests for abnormalities in a urine sample.

It’s important to diagnose renal diseases early and start treatment as soon as possible. Kidneys can’t repair damage on their own. Nephrologists work to identify these diseases early and provide treatments to protect your organs from further damage.

Your Treatment Options

We offer leading kidney care for a variety of renal issues, including:

• Acute and chronic kidney failure and end-stage renal disease (ESRD)

• Blood in the urine

• Chronic urinary tract infections

• Kidney stones

• Renal vascular disease

For patients with kidney failure, we offer convenient dialysis treatment options that put your comfort first. Dialysis replicates kidney function and filters waste from your blood. Sanford Nephrology offers peritoneal dialysis as well as at-home and in-center hemodialysis.

Dialysis can’t replace a healthy kidney. Many end-stage renal disease patients go on dialysis treatments while waiting for a kidney transplant.

Find a Nephrology Clinic

Get expert kidney care near you. Sanford Health offers nephrology services at locations across the Upper Midwest.