Dialysis

Definition

Dialysis is a procedure that replaces some of the kidney’s normal functions and is performed when a person’s own kidneys can no longer function adequately to maintain life.

 

Description

Treatment with dialysis is necessary when a person experiences kidney failure, usually when more than 95 percent of normal kidney function is gone in both kidneys.

Dialysis can keep your body in balance, like healthy kidneys, by:

1)        Removing waste products, including salt, and excess fluids that build-up in the body

2)        Maintaining a safe level of blood chemicals in the body, such as potassium, sodium and chloride

3)        Controlling blood pressure

Types

There are two types of dialysis, which are:

·         Hemodialysis

·         Peritoneal dialysis

 

Hemodialysis

Hemodialysis means “cleaning the blood” – and that is exactly what this treatment does. Blood is circulated through a machine which contains a dialyzer (also called an artificial kidney). The dialyzer has two spaces separated by a thin membrane. Blood passes on one side of the membrane and dialysis fluid passes on the other. The wastes and excess water pass from the blood through the membrane into the dialysis fluid, which is then discarded. The cleaned blood is returned to your bloodstream.

Peritoneal Dialysis

 

In peritoneal dialysis, the blood is cleaned inside the body in the abdomen in the peritoneal cavity, which is lined by a thin membrane called the peritoneum that surrounds the intestines and other internal organs. This cavity is filled with dialysis fluid that enters the body through a permanently implanted catheter. Excess water and wastes pass through the peritoneum into the dialysis fluid, which is then drained from the body and discarded. The process is repeated from three to five times a day. This treatment can be performed without assistance, either at home or at work.