What Are the Functions of a Dialysis Machine?

Properly functioning kidneys clean the blood by removing excess minerals, wastes, and fluid, as well as produce hormones that keep your blood healthy and strengthen your bones. When the kidneys fail, it causes harmful wastes to build up, which then causes your body to retain excess fluid. As a result, your blood pressure may rise and your body will not produce enough red blood cells. When this occurs, you will need to have dialysis treatments to replace the work once performed by your failed kidneys.

Dialysis Treatments

• The dialysis machine is approximately the size of a dishwasher and is used to clean wastes from your blood, pump it, and monitor the flow, as well as your blood pressure and the rate at which fluids are removed from your body. Before you can begin dialysis, or hemodialysis, treatments, a surgeon must prepare vascular access on your forearm to create a way for blood to be pumped from your body and then returned, cleansed by the machine. A shunt is made by connecting the radial artery to the cephalic vein so that you will be able to connect to the dialysis machine for treatments. You will have to maintain a schedule for your treatments and go to a dialysis treatment center or clinic 3 three days each week, and each visit may last 3 or more hours.

Dialysis Needles

• Once you have the shunt in place in your forearm, you will receive two needle insertions to connect to the dialysis machine. The first needle carries your blood to the dialyzer, and the second one returns the cleaned blood to your body to complete the function of dialysis. Some needles are specially designed with two openings that allow a two-way flow of blood; however, utilizing them requires longer dialysis treatment sessions. You may decide that you want to insert your own needles, and you can get training on how to insert them properly without causing infection and protecting your vascular access. You may learn how to insert needles into the same hole each session or how to make different insertion points to avoid weakening particular areas of your skin.

Dialysis Machine Functions

• The functions of a dialysis machine include allowing a few ounces of your blood at a time to flow through a filter that removes extra fluids and wastes, returning cleaned blood to your body. This function helps control blood pressure and maintain a proper balance of sodium and potassium in your body. The dialysis machine works by using a large canister called a dialyzer, which contains thousands of small fibers that your blood passes through and into the chemically-based dialysis solution that pumps around the fibers. The dialyzer acts as a kidney by removing wastes from your blood and allowing the solution to carry them away.