Dialysis

Dialysis is an artificial procedure for removing waste products and excess amounts of fluid from the blood when the kidneys do not function properly. There are two different types of dialysis : 

• Hemodialysis 
• Peritoneal dialysis 

Dialysis is recommended for patients who develop end-stage kidney failure and a GFR of less than 15. Dialysis not only helps remove waste but also helps balance the level of electrolytes and control blood pressure. 

During dialysis, a tube will be attached to the needle in the arm and blood passes through the tube into an external machine that helps filter the blood and is passed back into the arm through another tube. One session of dialysis procedure takes about 4 hours to complete. 

Some of the symptoms that indicate the need for dialysis are shortness of breath, low urine output, muscle cramps, nausea, and vomiting. 

Dialysis is a very effective and painless treatment that helps kidney failure patients to extend their lifetime. 

The success rate of dialysis is very high and it reduces the load of kidney function. Unless the patient receives a kidney transplant, dialysis has to be carried out throughout the lifetime.