Kidney Dialysis Guidelines

Kidney dialysis is a procedure used when your kidneys no longer work properly. The kidneys clean your blood and produce hormones that strengthen bones. Kidneys fail because of injury or disease, but dialysis helps to replace some of the work kidneys do. Kidney dialysis guidelines will help you understand how the procedure works.

Types

• Kidney dialysis has two different types of procedures called hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis is the most common dialysis and uses a machine to clean your blood of toxins and excess salt and water. Treatment normally lasts four hours and is given three times a week, but can be given up to six days a week.

  Peritoneal dialysis uses blood vessels in your stomach lining to replace your kidneys. A catheter is surgically placed in your stomach. Fluid is filled into the stomach lining through the catheter and is washed in and out, removing waste products from the blood. This procedure can be done at home or at work. Both procedures carry certain risks and benefits.

Benefits

• Kidney dialysis is needed when the kidneys lose up to 85 percent to 90 percent of their function. The procedure is started before kidneys fail to avoid life-threatening conditions. Dialysis cleans the blood and restores proper balance of potassium and sodium in your body. Blood pressure is also controlled with dialysis.

Risks

• Both types of dialysis carry risks. Peritoneal dialysis carries risk of infection in the stomach cavity where the catheter is placed. A hernia may occur in the stomach where abdominal muscles hold fluid for long periods. Other symptoms may include weight gain, bone disease and anemia.

  Hemodialysis risks include muscle cramps, itchy skin, low blood pressure, sleep problems and high potassium levels. Other symptoms may include anemia, bone disease, infection, depression and fluid overload.

What To Expect

• Hemodialysis is performed in a dialysis center or at home with someone to help you. Weight, blood pressure, temperature and pulse are recorded before and several times during the procedure. Two needles are inserted into your arm and secured with tape. The needles are attached to tubes that connect to a dialyzer machine. Blood is filtered in the machine and then returned to your body. The procedure lasts three to five hours and you may recline in a chair and sleep, watch TV or read a book.

  Peritoneal dialysis may be performed at night while you sleep or during the day. Solution called dialysate flows into the stomach cavity via the catheter. The solution stays in the cavity to wash toxins from the blood. You may need three to four exchanges to complete the cycle of cleaning blood. A machine called an automated cycler performs the procedure at night over a 10- to 12-hour period.

Results

• Kidney dialysis has helped people lead normal lives despite the lack of kidney function. Dialysis centers are located all over the world so people may travel on vacation. Most people continue to work as long as there is no heavy lifting involved. Discuss with your doctor which dialysis procedure would be best for you.