Dialysis is a type of treatment that helps your body remove extra fluid and waste products from your blood when the kidneys are not able to. Dialysis was first used successfully in the 1940’s and became a standard treatment for kidney failure starting in the 1970s. Since then, millions of patients have been helped by these treatments.
Dialysis can be done in a hospital, a dialysis center, or at home. You and your doctor will decide which type of dialysis and which place is best, based on your medical condition and your wishes.
Hemodialysis (HD)
In hemodialysis, a dialyzer (filtering machine) is used to remove waste and extra fluid from your blood, and then return the filtered blood into your body. 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.
Peritoneal Dialysis (PD)
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.
Read about Being on Kidney Dialysis