Dialysis Specialist

What is dialysis?

Dialysis takes over some of the functions of healthy kidneys when yours are no longer working properly. Consultants in Kidney Diseases makes every effort to avoid you having to go on dialysis, but if you have end-stage kidney disease, you might need dialysis to stay alive.

End-stage kidney disease occurs when you've lost 85%-90% of your kidney function. Dialysis performs some of the vital tasks your kidneys can no longer do, such as:

• Filtering waste
• Removing extra water
• Keeping certain chemicals (potassium, sodium, and bicarbonate) at safe levels
• Helping to keep blood pressure under control

You might only require dialysis for a short period if you have certain types of acute renal (kidney) failure. If you have end-stage kidney disease, your kidneys won't recover, and you must have dialysis for the rest of your life — unless you're a suitable candidate for a kidney transplant.

What does dialysis involve?

There are two types of dialysis:

Hemodialysis

With hemodialysis, you have an artificial kidney called a hemodialyzer that removes waste, extra chemicals, and fluids from your blood. Your provider needs to create an access point so blood can pass from your body to the artificial kidney and back again.

Creating an access point requires minor surgery, usually in an arm or leg. One method involves joining an artery to one of your veins, making a large blood vessel or fistula. If this approach isn't suitable, your provider may create a graft using a soft plastic tube to connect the artery and vein.

Sometimes the access point is via a plastic tube (catheter) in a large neck vein. This is usually a temporary method, but may be used longer-term for some patients.

Peritoneal dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis cleans your blood while it's still inside your body. You have an access point in your abdomen with a catheter. During dialysis, the abdominal area or peritoneal cavity fills slowly with cleansing fluid (dialysate) via the catheter.

Your blood remains in the veins and arteries lining your peritoneal cavity while the dialysate extracts excess fluid and waste products.

How often do I need to undergo dialysis?

Depending on your condition and the dialysis method, you might need dialysis several times a week or several times a day.

Hemodialysis typically requires three clinic visits a week. You can do peritoneal dialysis at home, but you might have to perform the process several times every day.

The length of each dialysis session varies between patients but averages around four hours.

If you're affected by kidney disease or want to know more about dialysis, call Consultants in Kidney Diseases today or book an appointment online.