Treating Kidney Failure With Peritoneal Dialysis
II. What Dialysis Does and Doesn't Do
The term "dialysis" refers to a type of treatment that will do the major functions of healthy kidneys. It is a relatively safe and painless procedure--and it saves lives. It's usually begun when a patient has lost about 85 percent of normal kidney function, and it must be continued for life.
A. What Dialysis Does
Two basic types of dialysis can be done: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both accomplish the same tasks, but in different ways.
Dialysis has three main jobs:
- Removing waste products
All day, every day, wastes collect in your blood. These include creatinine, the end product of normal muscle metabolism, and urea, which comes from the breakdown of protein in your diet. When your kidneys are healthy, they continuously filter these wastes from your blood, and remove them from your body in the form of urine. When your kidneys are damaged or diseased, however, they can no longer do this life-sustaining task. And no other organ in the body can replace the job of the kidneys.
If waste products are allowed to build up, they act like a poison. Peritoneal dialysis helps to control this by using the body's own peritoneum (the lining of the peritoneal cavity) to filter the blood. It ensures that waste products are removed before they reach dangerous levels. - Eliminating excess fluid
Like healthy kidneys, PD is designed to control the balance of fluids in the body by removing excess salt and fluid. They also help your body hold onto more fluid when needed. When the kidneys aren't working well, fluid levels can build up and cause swelling, breathing difficulties and even heart problems. - Balancing body chemicals
Peritoneal dialysis helps the body keep blood chemicals at safe levels. The cleansing fluid used in dialysis (the dialysate, or "bath") contains chemicals like sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, lactate and dextrose, according to your doctor's prescription. All of these are found in healthy blood, and enable the body to function properly.
B. What Dialysis Doesn't Do
Unfortunately, peritoneal dialysis can't do everything healthy kidneys can. For instance, it can't make and regulate hormones. Nor can it reverse kidney damage, or cure kidney failure. But for people with kidney failure, it can mean the difference between life and death.
Peritoneal dialysis, when used along with diet and medications, gets rid of many of the symptoms of kidney failure. Once your treatment is underway, you should be able to get back to most, if not all, of your daily activities. That includes work, exercise, and even travel.
