ABSTRACT
Introduction The incidence of chronic renal failure (CRF), and its consequence, end stage renal disease (ESRD), is increasing throughout both the western and developing worlds. As economies develop there is a corresponding increase in access to, and demand for, health care and health care technologies. The World Foundation for Renal Care estimated that by the year 2020 over 1 million people would be required to provide care for the approximate 1.4 million people receiving dialysis, and the approximate 1.2 million with functioning transplants. A daunting proposition!
