Quality of Life
The dialysis decision will affect your lifestyle, home life and work life. Under perfect conditions, it should be a shared decision between patient and Nephrologists.
There are a many factors to consider. It is very important to communicate your goals, priorities and concerns to your health care provider.
Dialysis Options
Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis take place through fistulas, grafts and catheters. All of these options require a medical procedure. Not all patients are candidates for all options. This is why a comprehensive discussion with your healthcare team is a must. In preparation for this discussion, In order for you to prepare for these conversations, check out our Lead the Conversation page.
Peritoneal Dialysis
Filtration takes place in the body
Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) takes place within the body in the peritoneal cavity. It is often done at night, while you sleep. During PD, an estimated 2 liters of fluid, called dialysate, is filled into you abdomen. It remains for about 2-3 hours and then is drained. This cycle is typically repeated 3-4 times for cleansing to occur. Peritoneal dialysis can be done manually, as shown above, or with a PD (Peritoneal Dialysis) Cycler.
Hemodialysis
Filtration takes place outside of the body
Your kidneys act like “filters” for you body’s toxins and fluids. Hemodialysis filters the blood outside of the body. This process removes the toxins and excess fluids. The clean blood is then returned to the body. This process requires a fistulae, graft or catheter. Hemodialysis typically takes place three times per week but there are other options too.