Renal Injury Inhibiting Devices, Systems, and Methods Employing Low-Frequency Ultrasound or Other Cyclical Pressure Energies

A method for treating a dialysis patient, the patient having first and second kidneys and being subjected to a plurality of dialysis procedures associated with injury of the kidneys, the method comprising:

• transmitting cyclical mechanical pressure energy selectively to the first kidney;
• the energy being transmitted to the kidneys for a plurality of treatment time periods, each time period overlapping with a time period of an associated dialysis procedure so that the progressive loss of kidney function is inhibited.

A method of treating the kidneys in a living organism prior to, during, or following administration of nephrotoxic substances to protect the kidneys against injury, the method comprising steps of:

• exposing the kidneys to nonablative cyclical mechanical pressure energy applied from an energy source in a sufficient amount and for a sufficient period of time prior to, during and/or following the administration of the nephrotoxic substances to protect the kidney against acute injury.

A method for treating a patient having a kidney with chronic kidney disease, the method comprising:

• transmitting cyclical mechanical pressure energy selectively to the kidney;
• the energy being transmitted to the kidneys for a plurality of treatment time periods distributed over more than 2 weeks so that progressive loss of kidney function is inhibited.