Kidney Dialysis Treatment

For those whose kidneys are not functioning well enough to remove toxic waste from the body, dialysis is a life-saving treatment. Kidney failure can result from birth defects, disease or injuries. Usually it is a temporary treatment while a patient awaits a viable kidney donor and transplant.

Anatomical Function

• Dialysis replaces the job of the U-Shaped Tubule in the kidneys where the blood is filtered prior to moving into the collection ducts and dumped into the bladder. This is where reabsorption and secretion of essential particles occur.

Failing Kidney

• When kidney's fail, they go into a condition known as uremia. The literal translation of this is "urine in the blood" which will lead to death.

Artificial Kidney

• Dialysis treatment functions as an artificial kidney to separate blood components. It creates a false barrier allowing only certain elements to pass through for reabsorption; based on the molecular weight of the element.

Salt Solution

• A sodium solution is used in dialysis so the sodium pump can maintain optimal sodium ion levels via reabsorption. This is an active process controlled by aldosterone hormone levels.

Types of Dialysis

• There are two major types of kidney dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis uses cellulose-membranes immersed in fluid while peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of the patient's abdominal cavity.