What is Dialysis?
Dialysis is an important treatment for those with kidney failure and it’s been a life-saving procedure for millions since its development.
There are two main types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis filters the blood through a machine, while peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen to filter waste. The choice between them depends on factors like your overall health, kidney function, and personal preferences.
When is Dialysis used?
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): This is a temporary condition where the kidneys suddenly stop working, often due to injury or illness. Dialysis may be required short-term if the kidneys can’t recover on their own.
Chronic Kidney Failure (End-Stage Kidney Disease – ESKD): This is a long-term condition where kidney function is severely diminished, often due to conditions like diabetes or hypertension. In ESKD, dialysis becomes necessary to help perform the filtering function of the kidneys, but it is not a permanent cure. The patient will need it either indefinitely or until a kidney transplant is available.
How Dialysis works?
Removing Waste and Extra Fluids: When your kidneys are not working well, waste products like urea and extra fluid can build up in the body. Dialysis helps to filter out these waste products and extra fluids from your blood.
Maintaining Mineral Balance: Your kidneys help keep the levels of important minerals in balance. Dialysis helps to maintain these mineral levels within a safe range, preventing life-threatening imbalances.
Regulating Blood Pressure: Kidneys also help regulate blood pressure by managing fluid and sodium levels. When the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, dialysis can help manage blood pressure.
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Types of Dialysis
Hemodialysis (HD) is a medical treatment used to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are no longer able to perform this function effectively, typically due to kidney failure or severe chronic kidney disease (CKD).
During hemodialysis, a machine and a dialyzer (also known as an artificial kidney) are used to filter the blood. Before starting hemodialysis, a minor surgery is needed to create a vascular access site (opening into one of your blood vessels), usually in your arm. This access site is important to have an easy way to get blood from your body, through the dialyzer, and back into your body. Hemodialysis can be done at a dialysis center or at home. Treatments usually last about four hours and are done three times per week.
Some people may need more time for treatments based on their specific needs.
In peritoneal dialysis, your blood is filtered inside your own body instead of using a dialyzer machine.
For this type of dialysis, the lining of your abdomen or belly area (also called the peritoneum) is used as a filter. Before starting peritoneal dialysis, a minor surgery is needed to place a catheter (soft tube) in your belly. During each treatment, your belly area is slowly filled with dialysate (a cleansing fluid made from a mixture of water, salt, and other additives) through the catheter. As your blood flows naturally through the area, extra fluid and waste products are pulled out of the blood vessels and into the belly area by the dialysate (almost like a magnet). After a few hours, the fluid mixture is drained from your belly using the same catheter and bag that was used at the beginning of the treatment.
Peritoneal dialysis can be done almost anywhere if you have the supplies required to perform the treatment.
Home dialysis allows individuals with kidney failure to perform dialysis in the comfort of their own homes, rather than traveling to a clinic.
There are two different types of home dialysis, home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Both methods allow patients to perform dialysis at home, but they have different requirements, benefits, and challenges.
Home hemodialysis usually requires more specialized equipment and training but can be done more frequently or for longer sessions, while peritoneal dialysis offers greater flexibility and can be done during sleep.