Kidneys do vital work, including filtering waste products from the blood and keeping minerals in balance. But certain conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, can damage them. That can lead to kidney failure (also called end-stage kidney disease). When that happens, machines are used to help with some of the kidneys' key functions—a process called dialysis.
Here are answers to common questions about kidney dialysis.
Q: How does dialysis help you?
A: Dialysis does some of the work the kidneys did when they were healthy, such as removing excess fluid and waste from your blood. It doesn't cure kidney failure, since it cannot fully replace the kidneys' function. It maintains your health until hopefully a kidney transplant occurs.
Q: What are the different types of dialysis?
A: With hemodialysis, a machine filters your blood outside your body. The filtered blood is then put back into your body. Before starting hemodialysis, a surgeon creates an access site for the dialysis needle in a vein or artery in the arm.
Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen (peritoneum) to filter your blood inside your body. Before starting peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is surgically placed in the abdomen. It's used to introduce a special fluid that absorbs waste from the blood. Then the fluid and waste are removed using the same catheter.
Q: How often do you have dialysis?
A: If you go to a dialysis center for hemodialysis, you will typically have treatments for about four hours, three times a week. Some dialysis centers offer treatments at night while you sleep. Hemodialysis can also be performed at home with a small dialysis machine, usually three to seven times a week. Home dialysis offers a more flexible treatment schedule.
With peritoneal dialysis, the process of emptying and filling the dialysis solution happens several times a day. It can be done by hand, or a machine can do it at night while you sleep. This type of dialysis can be done at home or even while traveling.
Q: Can you have a good quality of life on dialysis?
A: Dialysis changes your life in many ways and requires a time commitment. Still, many people continue working and enjoying activities.
Watson Clinic has long set a standard in home-based dialysis care. To schedule an appointment with a member of our
Nephrology department, call 863-680-7190 or visit
WatsonClinic.com/Nephrology.
Sources: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; National Kidney Foundation