| Interesting Facts about Kidney Dialysis1. Hemodialysis | | | | access. During the treatment, your abdominal area |
| and peritoneal kideny dialysis have been done since | | | | (called the peritoneal cavity) is slowly filled with |
| the mid 1940's.2. The federal government pays 80 | | | | dialysate through the catheter. The blood stays in |
| percent of all kidney dialysis costs for most | | | | the arteries and veins that line your peritoneal cavity. |
| patients.3. Since the 1960s, surveillance studies have | | | | Extra fluid and waste products are drawn out of |
| consistently shown that American kidney dialysis | | | | your blood and into the dialysate. There are two |
| patients do not live as long as those in other | | | | major kinds of peritoneal kidney dialysis.What are the |
| countries...the U.S. mortality rate for dialysis patients is | | | | different kinds of peritoneal kidney dialysis and how |
| about 23 percent, twice the rate of patients in | | | | do they work?There are several kinds of peritoneal |
| Western Europe or Japan.4. According to The | | | | kidney dialysis but two major ones are: Continuous |
| National Center for Health Statistics kideny dialysis | | | | Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) and Continuous |
| survival rates are as follows:1 Year - 77% | | | | Cycling Peritoneal Dialysis (CCPD).Continuous |
| 5 Years - 28% | | | | Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) is the only |
| 10 Years - 10%5. About 90 percent of dialysis | | | | type of peritoneal dialysis that is done without |
| patients receive hemodialysis, in which the blood is | | | | machines. You do this yourself, usually four or five |
| circulated outside the body and cleaned inside a | | | | times a day at home and/or at work. You put a bag |
| machine before returning to the patient.6.Kidneys | | | | of dialysate (about two quarts) into your peritoneal |
| process 18 gallons of blood each hour with a | | | | cavity through the catheter. The dialysate stays |
| sophisticated method of excretion, absorption and | | | | there for about four or five hours before it is drained |
| re-absorption. By the end of each day, they can | | | | back into the bag and thrown away. This is called an |
| produce as much as 7 gallons of urine.What is Kidney | | | | exchange. You use a new bag of dialysate each time |
| Dialysis?Kidney Dialysis is a treatment that does some | | | | you do an exchange. While the dialysate is in your |
| of the things done by healthy kidneys. It is needed | | | | peritoneal cavity, you can go about your usual |
| when your own kidneys can no longer take care of | | | | activities at work, at school or at home.Continuous |
| your body's needs.When is kidney dialysis | | | | Cycling Peritoneal Dialysis (CCPD) usually is done at |
| needed?You need kidney dialysis when you develop | | | | home using a special machine called a cycler. This is |
| end stage kidney failure, usually by the time you lose | | | | similar to CAPD except that a number of cycles |
| about 85 to 90 percent of your kidney function.What | | | | (exchanges) occur. Each cycle usually lasts 1-1/2 |
| does kidney dialysis do?Like healthy kidneys, kidney | | | | hours and exchanges are done throughout the night |
| dialysis keeps your body in balance. Kidney Dialysis | | | | while you sleep.Will kidney dialysis help cure the |
| does the following:-removes waste, salt and extra | | | | kidney disease?No. Kidney dialysis does some of the |
| water to prevent them from building up in the | | | | work of healthy kidneys, but it does not cure your |
| body-keeps a safe level of certain chemicals in your | | | | kidney disease. You will need to have dialysis |
| blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate- | | | | treatments for your whole life unless you are able to |
| helps to control blood pressureIs kidney failure | | | | get a kidney transplant.Is kidney dialysis |
| permanent?Not always. Some kinds of acute kidney | | | | uncomfortable?You may have some discomfort |
| failure get better after treatment. In some cases of | | | | when the needles are put into your fistula or graft, |
| acute kidney failure, kidney dialysis may only be | | | | but most patients have no other problems. The |
| needed for a short time until the kidneys get | | | | kidney dialysis treatment itself is painless. However, |
| better.In chronic or end stage kidney failure, your | | | | some patients may have a drop in their blood |
| kidneys do not get better and you will need kidney | | | | pressure. If this happens, you may feel sick to your |
| dialysis for the rest of your life. If your doctor says | | | | stomach, vomit, have a headache or cramps. With |
| you are a candidate, you may choose to be placed | | | | frequent treatments, those problems usually go |
| on a waiting list for a new kidney.Where is kidney | | | | away.How long has kidney dialysis been |
| dialysis done?Kidney Dialysis can be done in a hospital, | | | | available?Hemodialysis and peritoneal kidney dialysis |
| in a kidney dialysis unit that is not part of a hospital, | | | | have been done since the mid 1940's. Kidney Dialysis, |
| or at home. You and your doctor will decide which | | | | as a regular treatment, was begun in 1960 and is |
| place is best, based on your medical condition and | | | | now a standard treatment all around the world. CAPD |
| your wishes.Are there different types of kidney | | | | began in 1976. Thousands of patients have been |
| dialysis?Yes, there are two types of kidney dialysis | | | | helped by these treatments.How long can you live on |
| --hemodialysis and peritoneal kidney dialysis.What is | | | | kidney dialysis?We do not yet know how long |
| hemodialysis?In hemodialysis, an artificial kidney | | | | patients on kidney dialysis will live. We think that |
| (hemodialyzer) is used to remove waste and extra | | | | some dialysis patients may live as long as people |
| chemicals and fluid from your blood. To get your | | | | without kidney failure.Is kidney dialysis |
| blood into the artificial kidney, the doctor needs to | | | | expensive?Yes. Kidney Dialysis costs a lot of money. |
| make an access (entrance) into your blood vessels. | | | | However, the federal government pays 80 percent |
| This is done by minor surgery to your arm or | | | | of all kidney dialysis costs for most patients. Private |
| leg.Sometimes, an access is made by joining an | | | | health insurance or state medical aid also help with |
| artery to a vein under your skin to make a bigger | | | | the costs.Do kidney dialysis patients feel normal?Many |
| blood vessel called a fistula.However, if your blood | | | | patients live normal lives except for the time needed |
| vessels are not adequate for a fistula, the doctor | | | | for treatments. Kidney Dialysis usually makes you feel |
| may use a soft plastic tube to join an artery and a | | | | better because it helps many of the problems caused |
| vein under your skin. This is called a graft.Occasionally, | | | | by kidney failure. You and your family will need time |
| an access is made by means of a narrow plastic | | | | to get used to kidney dialysis.Do kidney dialysis |
| tube, called a catheter, which is inserted into a large | | | | patients have to control their diets?Yes. You may be |
| vein in your neck. This type of access may be | | | | on a special diet. You may not be able to eat |
| temporary, but is sometimes used for long-term | | | | everything you like, and you may need to limit how |
| treatment.How long do hemodialysis treatments | | | | much you drink. Your diet may vary according to the |
| last?The time needed for your kidney dialysis | | | | type of kidney dialysis.Can kidney dialysis Patients |
| depends on:-how well your kidneys work | | | | travel?Yes. Kidney Dialysis centers are located in |
| -how much fluid weight you gain between | | | | every part of the United States and in many foreign |
| treatments | | | | countries. The treatment is standardized. You must |
| -how much waste you have in your body | | | | make an appointment for dialysis treatments at |
| -how big you are | | | | another center before you go. The staff at your |
| -the type of artificial kidney usedUsually, each | | | | center may help you make the appointment.Can |
| hemodialysis treatment lasts about four hours and is | | | | kidney dialysis patients continue to work?Many kidney |
| done three times per week.A type of hemodialysis | | | | dialysis patients can go back to work after they |
| called high-flux dialysis may take less time. You can | | | | have gotten used to kidney dialysis. If your job has a |
| speak to your doctor to see if this is an appropriate | | | | lot of physical labor (heavy lifting, digging, etc.), you |
| treatment for you.What is peritoneal kidney dialysis | | | | may need to get a different job.Robert Hilley writes |
| and how does it work?In this type of kidney dialysis, | | | | for a number of health related websites and shares |
| your blood is cleaned inside your body. The doctor | | | | his findings regularly through Ezine @rticles. Robert |
| will do surgery to place a plastic tube called a | | | | can be contacted at: RobertHilley. |
| catheter into your abdomen (belly) to make an | | | | |