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Dr. Mital Kamlesh Patel, MHSc, MD is a pediatric nephrologist in Durham, NC specializing in pediatric nephrology. She graduated from Medical College of Wisconsin in 2017 and has 9 years of experience. Dr. Mital Kamlesh Patel, MHSc, MD is affiliated with Duke Health.
Dialysis
Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.
A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:
For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.
A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.
Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are hard deposits that form in the kidneys, made up of minerals that are normally present in urine. They can vary in size, from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a nickel, occasionally even larger. Sometimes they lodge in the kidney, and sometimes they break free and make their way out through the urinary tract, which can be extremely painful.
Kidney stones can be smooth or jagged and are yellow to brown in color. They are mostly comprised of the minerals calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus. Examining the stones to see what they are made of can show what caused the stone to be formed in the first place. For example, a stone made of mostly calcium, which is the most common type, can happen any time the urine becomes too concentrated due to dehydration or a blockage in the kidney. A uric acid stone forms when acid levels in the urine get too high, usually due to excessive consumption of animal protein such as meat and fish. A struvite stone is a sign of certain infections, and a cystine stone can be due to a genetic disorder that raises the risk of kidney stones.
The most common symptom of kidney stones is pain, either in the back or lower abdomen, or severe pain when urinating. There may also be blood in the urine. Treatment for kidney stones depends on how large the stone is. Very small stones can pass out of the body on their own, and they do not require treatment other than drinking adequate water and taking pain killers. Larger stones need to be broken apart and removed. The main treatment options are:
People who have had one kidney stone are at risk of developing another. To reduce this risk, patients are given instructions specific to the type of stone they developed. Generally the instructions will include drinking more water to dilute the urine, but it may also involve lowering sodium intake or eating less meat.
Dr. Mital Kamlesh Patel, MHSc, MD graduated from Medical College of Wisconsin in 2017. She completed residency at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. She has a state license in North Carolina.
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin (2017)
Residency: Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (2020)
Licensed In: North Carolina
Dr. Mital Kamlesh Patel, MHSc, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Mital Kamlesh Patel, MHSc, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: MedCost, Aetna Traditional Choice, Aetna Medicare PPO, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, CIGNA Open Access Plus, WellCare, AmeriHealth, Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage, AARP, CIGNA Open Access, United Healthcare PPO, United Healthcare POS, United Healthcare HMO, Aetna, Aetna Workers' Compensation, TRICARE Prime, Aetna Open Choice PPO, TRICARE Prime Remote, United Healthcare, Medicare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, TRICARE, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Aetna Managed Choice POS, Aetna HMO, Gateway Health Alliance, *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan., Alliance Health (*Beginning January 2026), Duke Employee Plans, Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA), *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan., Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II, Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS), Duke Advantage (*Beginning January 2026), Blue Advantage (*Available in select counties only), Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO), Duke Basic, Duke Options (*Beginning January 2026), Duke USA (*Beginning January 2026), Experience Health, Ambetter, Aetna Select HMO, Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan, Blue Select, Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*, Healthy Blue, Vaya Health (*Beginning January 2026), Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO, Trillium (*Beginning January 2026), All Savers Fully Insured, Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option, Blue Value (*Duke Health Lake Norman and Kernodle Clinics only), Carolina Complete Health, First Medicare Direct, Healthgram, All Savers Alternate Funding, Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP), Aetna/CVS Health, Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice, Partners (*Beginning January 2026), Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan, Duke Select, Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice, NC State Employees Health Plan, Ambetter of North Carolina and United Medical Resources (UMR).
According to our sources, Dr. Mital Kamlesh Patel, MHSc, MD accepts the following insurance providers:
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Dr. Mital Patel's medical specialty is pediatric nephrology. Her areas of expertise include kidney stones, immune disorders, and obstructive uropathy (blocked urine flow). She can accept Blue California, CIGNA Plans, and TRICARE, as well as other insurance carriers. Dr. Patel is a graduate of Medical College of Wisconsin and a graduate of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's residency program. She is professionally affiliated with Duke Health. According to Duke Health, she is not acceping new patients at this time.
