Kidney dialysis how does it work

Not all kidney disorders are permanent. Dialysis can temporarily serve the same function as kidneys until your own kidneys repair themselves and begin to work on their own again. However, in chronic kidney disease , the kidneys rarely get better. If you have this condition, you must go on dialysis permanently or until a kidney transplant becomes an option.

Lifestyle changes are required as well. Your nephrologist kidney doctor should have a dietician on their team to help guide dietary choices. While on hemodialysis, limit your intake of potassium , phosphorus , and sodium. This includes sodium from vegetable juice and sports drinks. Having too much fluid in the body can cause problems. Some hidden sources of liquids include fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce and celery. These measurements can help determine whether the dialysis is effective.

Before stopping treatment, mention any concerns to your doctor. In end-stage kidney disease, also known as end-stage renal disease ESRD , the kidneys are functioning below 10 percent of their normal function. Your kidneys filter your blood and remove toxins from your body.

This can lead…. The kidneys filter waste from the blood and remove it from the body…. Discover the link between type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the leading cause for kidney failure in the United States. Learn preventive steps you…. Different foods can affect the function of your kidneys. Here are the 20 best foods to eat if you have kidney disease. Currently, eGFR estimates kidney function and includes race in its calculation.

Find out why this came about, its impact, and how it may change. The road to successful organ transplantation can be long and tumultuous ride. This is story of one person's journey through the life-saving kidney…. The way each person finds out that chronic kidney disease CKD has progressed to the need for dialysis is unique.

This is one person's journey…. Dialysis is lifesaving, but there are many possible side effects. We explore these side effects and what you can do to feel better. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. Why is dialysis used? What are the different types of dialysis? Are there any risks associated with dialysis? Are there any alternatives to dialysis? How do I prepare for dialysis?

Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are the 2 main kinds of dialysis. Both types of dialysis filter unwanted waste from your bloodstream.

Depending on which type of dialysis you choose, you may also have options for treating in a center or at home. Hemodialysis Hemodialysis filters your blood through a dialysis machine. Once you are connected to the machine via your hemodialysis access , blood flows into the machine, gets filtered and is returned to your body. There is a choice in where you do hemodialysis and who performs the treatment.

In-center hemodialysis is performed by a trained team of nurses and technicians. At-home hemodialysis can be performed in the comfort of your own home, either with the help of a care partner or on your own.

See how hemodialysis machines work. Peritoneal dialysis Peritoneal dialysis uses the blood vessels in the lining of your abdomen—the body's natural filter—along with a solution called dialysate to filter blood via a peritoneal catheter. With this method, blood never leaves your body. Peritoneal dialysis can be done with a machine or manually at home, at work or even while traveling. See how peritoneal dialysis machines work. Dialysis treatment is prescribed by your doctor.

Together, you and your doctor will discuss treatment options and determine what's right for you. Some kinds of acute kidney failure, also known as acute renal failure, get better after treatment. In some cases of acute kidney failure, dialysis may only be needed for a short time until the kidneys get better. In chronic or end stage kidney failure, your kidneys do not get better and you will need dialysis for the rest of your life.

If your doctor says you are a candidate, you may choose to be placed on a waiting list for a new kidney. Dialysis can be done in a hospital, in a dialysis unit that is not part of a hospital, or at home. You and your doctor will decide which place is best, based on your medical condition and your wishes. In hemodialysis, an artificial kidney hemodialyzer is used to remove waste and extra chemicals and fluid from your blood. To get your blood into the artificial kidney, the doctor needs to make an access entrance into your blood vessels.

This is done by minor surgery to your arm or leg. Sometimes, an access is made by joining an artery to a vein under your skin to make a bigger blood vessel called a fistula.

However, if your blood vessels are not adequate for a fistula, the doctor may use a soft plastic tube to join an artery and a vein under your skin. This is called a graft. Occasionally, an access is made by means of a narrow plastic tube, called a catheter, which is inserted into a large vein in your neck.

This type of access may be temporary, but is sometimes used for long-term treatment. A type of hemodialysis called high-flux dialysis may take less time. You can speak to your doctor to see if this is an appropriate treatment for you. In this type of dialysis, your blood is cleaned inside your body.

The doctor will do surgery to place a plastic tube called a catheter into your abdomen belly to make an access. During the treatment, your abdominal area called the peritoneal cavity is slowly filled with dialysate through the catheter. The blood stays in the arteries and veins that line your peritoneal cavity.

Extra fluid and waste products are drawn out of your blood and into the dialysate. There are two major kinds of peritoneal dialysis. You put a bag of dialysate about two quarts into your peritoneal cavity through the catheter. The dialysate stays there for about four or five hours before it is drained back into the bag and thrown away. This is called an exchange.