Nephrology

The Division of Nephrology specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease. We offer a wide range of services to help our patients prevent or delay kidney failure, and to live healthier, more satisfying lives while managing a kidney disorder.

Diseases We Help our Patients Manage

Patients benefit from the expertise of our board-certified nephrologists and nephrology fellows who are experienced in treating acute and chronic kidney disease and related disorders, including:

• Electrolyte disorders
• Kidney function abnormalities
• Recurrent kidney stones
• End-stage renal disease
• And other kidney disorders

Our physicians also evaluate and treat high blood pressure, which is both a risk factor for kidney disease and a condition affected by kidney disorders. And we work closely with other medical specialists to develop and provide the most effective kidney disease treatment regime for each patient.

Procedures We Perform

Based in Manhattan, our kidney specialists perform various procedures to help maintain our patients’ health, such as biopsies, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Kidney Biopsy
During this diagnostic procedure, a small sample of kidney tissue is removed through a needle and examined under a microscope for signs of cancer, infection or other diseases.

Hemodialysis
Chronic kidney disease can cause the kidneys to lose their ability to filter and remove wastes and extra fluid from the body, potentially leading to kidney failure. At this stage, a kidney transplant or a form of dialysis (such as hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) becomes necessary. The hemodialysis process uses a synthetic membrane to:

• Clear wastes, such as urea, from the blood
• Restore the proper balance of minerals called electrolytes in the blood
• Eliminate extra fluid from the body

Peritoneal Dialysis
Peritoneal dialysis uses a natural filter, a membrane inside the body, to clear wastes and extra fluid from the body and to normalize electrolyte levels. We train our patients to apply this method of dialysis by themselves.

Blood Access for Dialysis
Before a patient can undergo hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, we must surgically create an access point that makes it possible to enter the patient's bloodstream. The different types of access for hemodialysis include:

• Hemodialysis catheter. We insert a catheter into a vein in the neck or chest when the patient requires hemodialysis quickly. For long-term hemodialysis, we create a permanent access point, usually in the lower arm.
• Fistula. We create a large channel called a fistula by connecting an artery to a vein in the patient's lower arm. A fistula allows repeated access for dialysis sessions.
• Man-made fistula or graft. A synthetic channel called a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Gore-Tex graft is the most common type of access that we create for hemodialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis requires placing a catheter into the patient's abdomen. We do this approximately 10 to 14 days before the start of regularly scheduled dialysis treatments.

Kidney Transplant Services
Our kidney specialists also provide evaluation, management and support services for patients before and after kidney transplantation.

Cutting-Edge Research

In addition to providing patients with high-quality care, our nephrologists are on the faculty of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and on staff at St. Luke’s and Roosevelt (SLR) Hospitals. They are actively involved in leading-edge clinical studies at the university and the hospitals to advance the state of the art in treating kidney disease.

Access to Advanced Facilities and Services

Our patients also benefit from the extensive technical and professional support and resources gained through our affiliation with SLR and Continuum Health Partners, an integrated health services network extending through the New York metropolitan region. These relationships give us access to the network's advanced facilities and capabilities, including:

• Upper Manhattan Dialysis Center (a 25-station hemodialysis unit)
• Harlem Dialysis Center (a 19-station hemodialysis unit)
• Rogosin Dialysis Center
• Yorkville Dialysis Center 
• Supervision of hemodialysis care at other dialysis units
• Fully staffed kidney transplant program
• Nephrology medical education program

Throughout the year, division members support the network's extensive patient services, including:

• 5,000 acute hospital dialysis procedures
• 25,000 outpatient dialysis treatments
• 25-30 kidney transplants
• 25 kidney biopsies

Our Professionals

The Nephrology Division is led by Division Chief Stanley Cortell, MD, a highly experienced nephrologist, and includes various other skilled professionals:

• Germaine Chan, MD: Director of the Peritoneal Dialysis Program and Director of the Fellowship Training Program
• James Jones, MD: Critical Care Nephrologist
• Ira Meisels, MD: Director of the Hemodialysis Program
• Steven Smith, MD: Medical Director of the Kidney Transplant Program
• Anip Bansal, MD: Attending Physician
• Amy Garland, NP: Nephrology Nurse Practitioner

Contact Us

For information, an appointment or a consultation, you can contact us at several Manhattan locations, including the Upper West Side, Central Harlem and East Harlem.

UMPA at 59th Street
425 West 59th Street, Suite 8A
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-492-5500
Fax: 212-492-5555

UMPA Nephrology at Amsterdam Avenue
1090 Amsterdam Avenue at 114th Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10025
Phone: 212-523-4900
Fax: 212-523-4720

St. Luke’s Medical Group
2771 Frederick Douglass Boulevard at 147th Street
New York, NY 10039
Phone: 212-690-0303

UMPA at Madison Avenue
1827 Madison Avenue at 119th Street
New York, NY 10035
Phone: 212-722-1441 

Useful Links

National Kidney Foundation
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Nephron Information Center
American Kidney Fund