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For Patients & Families: Dialysis and Treatment

dialysis and treatment

about dialysis

overview and introduction

When a patient's kidneys are in a state of failure, they require some form of medical treatment to help their body complete the work their own kidneys can not perform on their own. Dialysis is a common treatment option for such patients.

 

When a patient is treated using dialysis, a machine is used to perform some of the functions normally managed by a healthy kidney. This machine cleans and filters a patient's blood, removes extra fluid, and clears away the body's excess waste and build up.

 

There are two types of dialysis: 

 

  • Hemodialysis (HD). A treatment in which blood is removed from the body and filtered through a machine to remove waste, toxins and fluids.

  • Peritoneal Dialysis (PF). A treatment in which your blood is cleaned inside your body. In PD, patients undergo a small surgery to have a soft plastic tube called a catheter placed into the abdomen (belly). The catheter makes it possible for a patient to easily connect to a special tubing, which allows PD treatments to be performed. During the treatment, a fluid called dialysate is put into the belly through a permanent catheter.  The fluid is left inside the body for a period of time, pulling waste through the belly lining.  Then, the fluid and the waste are removed through the catheter, and disposed of.

Overview
Types

types of dialysis

learn how treatment works