The Kidney & Hypertension Group

04/24/2026

Bruno and his dad are in the house to see Dr. Gabriel Valle today in our Plantation office and our day just got off to a great start! 🤗

04/22/2026

This is Dr. Gabriel Valle with his patient Luciano, who just celebrated his one year kidney transplant anniversary and is doing incredibly well. 🤗💚⭐️
Luciano’s journey to transplant was not easy. It required persistence, problem solving, and the right medical team guiding him every step of the way. Today, he is thriving and giving back. He has asked to share his story to encourage others who are still in the process and may be feeling uncertain about what comes next.
His energy before transplant and his success after continue to inspire every one of us.
If you are navigating kidney disease or trying to get to transplant, you do not have to figure it out alone. There is a path forward, and we know how to help you get there.
🔹Now accepting new patients. Offices in Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, and Delray Beach. Call us and let’s move your story forward.
(Luciano sees Dr. Valle in our Fort Lauderdale-Holy Cross location. His transplant was done at the Miami Transplant Institute, and his surgeon there was Dr. Rodrigo Vianna, who is also the Director of MTI.)

04/20/2026

Happy Monday from our Peritoneal Dialysis clinic.
Today is one of those days that reminds us what true team care looks like. Carlos Bejar is welcoming Manuel Santos to PD clinic for the first time, alongside our experienced nursing team, dietitian, social worker, and leadership support all working together in one place, at one time, for you.
Many of our patients are actively pursuing kidney transplant, and every clinic visit is an opportunity to move that goal forward. We focus on identifying barriers early, guiding next steps, and helping you avoid delays so you can reach transplant sooner and stronger.
This is what coordinated kidney care looks like when it is done right.
If you or a loved one is navigating kidney disease, dialysis, or transplant, we would be honored to be part of your journey.
Solutions, not excuses. 🤗

04/19/2026

04/19/2026

A Mayo Clinic patient has undergone a robotic pancreas-kidney transplant, offering new hope for patients with diabetes-related kidney failure.
Using a minimally invasive approach, surgeons can now perform this complex surgery with smaller incisions, greater precision, and faster recovery. In this case, the patient is now off dialysis and insulin, with near-normal kidney function.
For the right patient, this type of transplant can treat both kidney failure and diabetes at the same time.
What makes this case at Mayo Clinic notable is that it’s among the early and very limited cases of a combined robotic pancreas-kidney transplant, which is far more complex and still not widely performed.

04/18/2026

A lawsuit filed by twelve families in Texas alleges that a disciplinary action at a charter school led to the hospitalization of multiple students, highlighting a serious but often underrecognized medical risk associated with extreme physical exertion.

According to court documents, students at Texas Leadership Charter Academy in San Angelo were reportedly required to perform continuous push ups for an extended period without rest or access to water, following a jersey mix up attributed to coaching staff. In the days that followed, as many as 20 students were hospitalized with significant injuries, including rhabdomyolysis, a condition characterized by the rapid breakdown of muscle tissue. This process releases intracellular contents into the bloodstream that can overwhelm the kidneys and, in severe cases, result in acute kidney failure or death.

The allegations further state that the exercise sessions occurred over multiple days and involved students as young as 14. Some students have since required ongoing medical care, including specialist evaluation for potential long term or permanent kidney damage, as well as physical rehabilitation.

From a medical perspective, rhabdomyolysis is a well documented cause of acute kidney injury. Although commonly associated with extreme athletic exertion, particularly in high heat or unconditioned individuals, it can occur in any setting where muscle breakdown exceeds the body’s capacity to recover. Clinically, patients may present with severe muscle pain, generalized weakness, and dark or cola colored urine, reflecting the presence of myoglobin.

While the legal case remains under review, the broader clinical message is clear. Excessive or poorly supervised physical exertion, particularly without adequate hydration and recovery, carries measurable risk to kidney function. Early recognition of symptoms and prompt medical evaluation are critical in preventing progression to more serious or irreversible injury.

04/17/2026

Footwear designer John Fluevog lived with Polycystic Kidney Disease for over 30 years before his health declined in 2025. A family friend, Patty Carmichael, stepped forward as a living donor and gave him the gift of life. Now, he is giving back. 🤗
Fluevog has released two new shoe designs named after Patty and her husband Alan, with 15 percent of proceeds supporting the Kidney Foundation to raise awareness for organ donation.
One decision can change everything. 💚
You can actually buy these shoes directly from John Fluevog Shoes — they’re a limited edition release, so they’re not widely carried by other retailers.

04/15/2026

Update on Carmine Agnello who is heading toward sentencing on April 20 in a million dollar COVID loan fraud case.
In a recent court filing, his new attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, apologized to Nusrat Choudhury for a prior legal submission that exceeded 200 pages, calling it overly extensive.
At the center of the filing is a planned kidney donation.
Agnello had received court approval in March to donate a kidney to his mother, Victoria Gotti, with surgery reportedly scheduled for March 30, 2026.
His attorney described the proposed donation as an “exceptionally good deed,” while also clarifying that the surgery has not yet taken place.
Agnello does not dispute submitting fraudulent loan applications.
However, his legal team argues the business involved was an operating company, not a shell, and that while funds were misused including investments into cryptocurrency this was not a case of outright theft of the full $1.1 million.
Sentencing is set for April 20.

04/12/2026

We recently had a 29 year old home dialysis patient, an otherwise healthy young father, come for his routine scheduled Peritoneal Dialysis Clinic visit during which he explained he had received a call from a local transplant center a few days before offering him a deceased kidney with a KDPI score of 85. Because he had been educated by our team, and he understood the score and what it meant in his specific case, and he turned it down with confidence. When a transplant center calls with a kidney offer, the moment can feel urgent, emotional, and overwhelming, especially when it happens in the middle of the night. This is why understanding the Kidney Donor Profile Index, also known as KDPI, is so important before that call ever comes.
KDPI is a scoring system that helps describe the quality and expected longevity of a donor kidney based on multiple medical factors. It gives patients critical insight into what kind of kidney is being offered and how that organ may perform over time. Knowing your ideal KDPI range for your age and medical condition allows you to make a calm, informed decision instead of one driven by fear or pressure.
At the Kidney and Hypertension Group, we meet with our pre transplant patients meet to review KDPI in depth. We explain what the number means for their specific situation, what range is appropriate, and why open communication with the transplant team is essential. Turning down an offer can feel frightening, but accepting the wrong one can also have consequences. Education replaces fear with clarity and confidence.
Preparation empowers patients to choose wisely, advocate for themselves, and move forward with confidence when that life changing call arrives.

04/12/2026

Two heroes. Two very different paths. One powerful impact.
Jesse Eisenberg, actor and altruist, stepped forward as a kidney donor. A decision that quite literally changes lives.
And Robert Montgomery, the visionary transplant surgeon at NYU Langone Health, continues to redefine what is possible in kidney transplantation.
This is what leadership looks like in medicine and in life. Action. Innovation. Compassion.
And yes… let’s talk about it. The shoe game is strong too. 🤗
Well done, gentlemen.

04/12/2026

Vitamin D is more powerful than most people realize, especially if you have lupus or kidney concerns.

A recent study from the Johns Hopkins Lupus Cohort, highlighted by the Lupus Foundation of America, showed that patients with lupus and low vitamin D levels had a much higher risk of serious outcomes, including heart events and even mortality. That sounds concerning, but here is the encouraging part. This is something we can measure, understand, and act on.

Vitamin D is not just about bones. It plays a role in inflammation, immune balance, and cardiovascular health. And while simply taking more on your own is not always the answer, having the right level for your body absolutely matters.

This is where nephrology makes a difference.

We look at the full picture. Kidney function, inflammation, cardiovascular risk, and how vitamin D fits into all of it. There is no one size fits all number. There is a best range for you.

The goal is not just to correct a lab value. The goal is to optimize your health, reduce risk, and stay ahead of problems before they start.

If you have lupus, kidney disease, or just want to be proactive about your health, this is a conversation worth having.

We are here to guide you.

04/10/2026

Lovely gift from a longtime patient of Dr. Gabriel Valle, Lynn, to Dr. Valle and our Plantation team. We are so grateful for the trust and the relationship we share. It is truly our pleasure to take care of you.

All three of our physicians are now accepting new patients in our Plantation office. If you or someone you love needs expert kidney or hypertension care, we would be honored to be part of your kidney success story.

Call 954-771-3929