Dialysis Procedure
Dialysis is a treatment that filters and purifies the blood using a machine. This helps keep your fluids and electrolytes in balance when the kidneys can't do their job.
When to start Dialysis?
It is recommended that dialysis should start before kidney disease has advanced to the point where life-threatening complications affecting the brain, heart lungs occur. If one starts dialysis very late, then the quality of life is not significantly improved even after receiving regular dialysis.
Types of Dailysis
- Hemodialysis :Hemodialysis is a form of dialysis where dialysis is performed intermittently. The blood in the body is continuously removed during the hemodialysis process and passed through an artificial kidney which cleans it. The treatment is an intermittent treatment and is performed ranging from three hours thrice weekly to eight or nine hours six to seven times a week.
- Peritoneal Dialysis: Peritoneal Dialysis is a therapy that typically is managed by patients at home. The therapy works by cleaning the blood of toxins and removing extra fluids through one of the body’s own membranes, the peritoneal membrane. While many dialysis patients in the India go to a dialysis center, PD offers more flexibility by allowing patients to dialyze at home, at work or on vacation.
Emergency Dialysis is usually given when
- Loss of hepatitis,continous weight loss and repeated vomiting
- Bleeding diathesis due to uremia
- Life threatening Hyperkalemia(high potassium levels in blood)
- Percarditis, i.e. fluid collection around the heart
- Patient is an altered mental state or has motor weakness due to involvement of nerves.
- Blood tests reveal very high BUN/ Serum Creatnine
