Peritoneal dialysis vs hemodialysis

Home peritoneal dialysis uses the lining on the inside of the belly, called your peritoneum, as a natural filter for blood. During home PD, dialysate fluid is placed in your peritoneal cavity using a The fluid stays in your peritoneum for a period of called, “dwell time,” while the dialysate absorbs the waste, toxins, and excess fluid from your blood. When the dialysate is drained from your peritoneal cavity, the waste, toxins, and excess fluid are removed along with it. The completion of this peritoneal dialysis procedure—filling, dwelling, and draining—is called an exchange. Home PD is designed to be done daily, and as a result can be a gentler treatment since this option acts more closely to the natural around-the-clock function of a kidney. Your doctor will work with you to create the right dialysis schedule for you. Home HD filters your blood outside of your body through a dialyzer or “artificial kidney machine” to remove unwanted waste, toxins, and excess fluids. Your blood travels through plastic tubing to the dialyzer, where it is cleaned using a solution called dialysate to get rid of these unwanted substances. Clean, chemically balanced blood is then returned to your body. Home HD requires a permanent Both home PD and home HD offer the option of more frequent dialysis, as ordered by your physician, which can mean lower risk of health complications, feeling better, and having more energy to do the things you love. Both options may also mean fewer food restrictions...