DIY dialysis machine saves girl's life

When little Millie Kelly was born, she was diagnosed with gastroschisis, a condition where the intestines (and sometimes other organs) develop outside of the abdomen. During surgery to correct the defect, her kidneys started to fail.

Infants, particularly tiny infants like 6-pound Millie Kelly, are too small for traditional dialysis machines. So Millie's physician, Dr. Malcomb Coulthard on Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary in the UK, together with senior children's kidney nurse, Jean Crosier, came up with a plan for a smaller version. And then, Dr. Coulthard built the machine in his garage.

After seven days on the machine, Millie's kidneys were able to recover. Today she's a happy two-year-old and her mother describes her as "fit as a fiddle." The homemade machine is still in use, but Dr. Coulthard hopes for a professionally assembled version to replace it soon.