Dialysis how is it done

It's not always possible to carry out a kidney transplant straight away, so dialysis may be needed until a suitable donor kidney becomes available. If a kidney transplant is not suitable for you — for example, because you're not well enough to have a major operation — dialysis may be needed for the rest of your life.

There are 2 main types of dialysis: haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Haemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis and the one most people are aware of.

Blood passes along the tube and into an external machine that filters it, before it's passed back into the arm along another tube. At dialysis centres, this is usually carried out 3 days a week, with each session lasting around 4 hours.

It can also be done at home. Some examples of a home dialysis schedule include:. Peritoneal dialysis uses the inside lining of your abdomen the peritoneum as the filter, rather than a machine. Like the kidneys, the peritoneum contains thousands of tiny blood vessels, making it a useful filtering device.

Different foods can affect the function of your kidneys. Here are the 20 best foods to eat if you have kidney disease. Currently, eGFR estimates kidney function and includes race in its calculation. Find out why this came about, its impact, and how it may change. The road to successful organ transplantation can be long and tumultuous ride. This is story of one person's journey through the life-saving kidney…. The way each person finds out that chronic kidney disease CKD has progressed to the need for dialysis is unique.

This is one person's journey…. Dialysis is lifesaving, but there are many possible side effects. We explore these side effects and what you can do to feel better. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. Why is dialysis used? What are the different types of dialysis? Are there any risks associated with dialysis? Are there any alternatives to dialysis? How do I prepare for dialysis?

What types of dialysis can be performed at home? Read this next. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. Kidney Transplant. Type 2 Diabetes and Kidney Disease. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Peritoneal dialysis is a suitable option for patients who find hemodialysis too exhausting, such as elderly people, infants, and children.

It can be done while traveling, so it is more convenient for those who work or attend school. While a session of intermittent dialysis lasts for up to 6 hours, continuous renal replacement therapies CRRT are designed for hour use in an intensive care unit ICU.

There are different types of CRRT. It can involve either filtration or diffusion. It is better tolerated than intermittent dialysis, because the solute or fluid removal is slower. This leads to fewer complications, for example, a lower chance of hypotension. Sometimes dialysis is given for a limited period of time. Dialysis helps patients whose kidneys have failed, but it is not as efficient as a normal kidney.

Patients who receive dialysis need to be careful about what and how much they drink and eat, and they need to take medication. Many people who have dialysis can work, lead normal lives, and travel, as long as dialysis treatment is possible at the destination. Women who have dialysis normally have difficulty becoming pregnant.

There will be a higher level of waste products in the body than there are with normal kidneys. This interferes with fertility. Women who do become pregnant while on dialysis will probably need increased dialysis during the pregnancy. If a woman has a successful kidney transplant, her fertility should return to normal.

Chronic kidney failure happens gradually. Even if just one kidney works, or both work partially, normal kidney function is still possible. It can be a long time before the symptoms of a kidney condition appear. When symptoms do occur, they often vary between individuals, making it harder to diagnose kidney failure quickly. A sudden injury can cause kidney failure.

When it does, symptoms tend to appear faster and progress more rapidly. Anemia is common in people with chronic kidney disease. It can happen when levels of erythropoietin EPO are low. EPO is a produced by the kidneys, and it helps the body produce red blood cells.

When the red blood cell count is low, it is called anemia. Kidney disease is a serious condition. You put a bag of dialysate about two quarts into your peritoneal cavity through the catheter. The dialysate stays there for about four or five hours before it is drained back into the bag and thrown away. This is called an exchange. You use a new bag of dialysate each time you do an exchange.

While the dialysate is in your peritoneal cavity, you can go about your usual activities at work, at school or at home. This is similar to CAPD except that a number of cycles exchanges occur.

Dialysis does some of the work of healthy kidneys, but it does not cure your kidney disease. You will need to have dialysis treatments for your whole life unless you are able to get a kidney transplant. You may have some discomfort when the needles are put into your fistula or graft, but most patients have no other problems.

The dialysis treatment itself is painless. However, some patients may have a drop in their blood pressure. If this happens, you may feel sick to your stomach, vomit, have a headache or cramps.

With frequent treatments, those problems usually go away. Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis have been done since the mid 's. Dialysis, as a regular treatment, was begun in and is now a standard treatment all around the world. CAPD began in Thousands of patients have been helped by these treatments. If your kidneys have failed, you will need to have dialysis treatments for your whole life unless you are able to get a kidney transplant.

Life expectancy on dialysis can vary depending on your other medical conditions and how well you follow your treatment plan.