Department of Medicine
"Our mission is to become a Department of true academic and clinical excellence"

Division of Nephrology & Hypertension

           Head of Division:
          A/Prof Brian Rayner

The Hypertension Clinic was founded by Dr. Maurice Nellen, one of the original members of the Cardiac Clinic, in about 1960. In 1968 Prof Willem Lubbe together with Coenie Marais, father of Prof. David Marais, further developed the clinic, but in 1978 Prof. Lubbe left for New Zealand. Prof. Lionel Opie ran the clinic until 1998 when Prof. Brian Rayner took over the reins.

Professor Lennox Eales stimulated initial interest in nephrology at Groote Schuur Hospital. Owing to his interest in porphyria, the renal/porphyria laboratory was a prominent feature and supported the clinical service as well as much of the early research. Dr Geoff Thatcher, Prof Roal van Zyl-Smit and Dr Mike Pascoe carried this work forward, and stimulus for the early development of the Groote Schuur Renal Unit was provided by an active dialysis and transplant service, the latter spearheaded by Professor Del Kahn.

After the retirement of Dr Mike Pascoe, Nephrology and Hypertension were amalgamated in to a single Division under the leadership of Prof Brian Rayner.

Teaching & Training

  1. Undergraduate training for MBChB, Nurses, Dieticians and Professions Allied to Medicine
  2. Postgraduate training of registrars in internal medicine
  3. Nephrology specialist training for the Certificate of Nephrology including trainees from the rest of Africa
  4. MMed, MPhil and PhD degrees

Research

  1. HIV and the kidney
  2. Genetics of essential hypertension and salt sensitivity
  3. Metabolic syndrome
  4. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
  5. New onset diabetes after transplantation
  6. Bone mineral disease
  7. Genetics of renal disease
  8. Systemic lupus erythematosis
  9. Pre-eclampsia
  10. Contract research

 

Clinical services
  1. Specialist hypertension clinic
  2. 24 hour blood pressure monitoring
  3. Chronic haemodialysis
  4. Acute dialysis (intermittent, SLED, CVVHD), plasma exchange and charcoal haemoperfusion
  5. CAPD
  6. Renal transplantation
  7. Nephrology clinics
  8. In patient nephrology consultation
  9. Adolescent Clinic
  10. HIV associated nephropathy clinic
  11. Private practice nephrology services at UCT Academic Hospital