Well, seeings as this is open to the world now, I had bettered put a bit more of a serious edge to it, ie, give the proper names for Dialysis Options with a more medical description. Also I’ll make an effort to have more better spelling for the Grammar Gang.
So here goes :
Dialysis Types
Source, BC Kidney Foundation, Peritoneal
A) What is Peritoneal Dialysis ? ” PD ” ( the Garden Hose Version Below )
Peritoneal dialysis involves having a special tube or catheter placed in the abdomen. This catheter is then used as a means to have special fluid, or dialysate, travel into an area of our body called the peritoneal cavity.
The peritoneal cavity is lined with a thin membrane called the peritoneum. The peritoneum has the natural ability to act as a filter. Excess water and toxins are drawn through the peritoneum into the dialysis fluid. After a prescribed amount of time (usually 4-6 hours) the dialysate is drained out and a new dialysate solution is drained into the peritoneal cavity.
This process, often called an exchange, is repeated an average of 4 times per day, 7 days per week. No special machines are needed, just the body, the catheter, the solution, and gravity ( ie. a Mexican beach vendor holding my bag while I’m on the beach, oops, that didnt come out right, I meant solution bag, )
B ) What is Hemodialysis ? ( the machine type, in Hospital / Home )
Source : BC Kidney Foundation, Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis is a process where the blood is slowly withdrawn from the body and circulated through a dialysis machine. The dialysis machine is equipped with a dialyzer, which is designed to remove the toxins and excess water from the body. The cleansed blood is slowly returned over the 3-4 hours that each treatment takes. Only a small amount of blood, approximately 4%, is out of the body at one time. It is necessary to have 2-3 treatments each week when on hemodialysis.
Before hemodialysis can be done access to the blood stream is necessary. This can mean a day surgery to create either a fistula or a graft, usually in the arm, or having a temporary access inserted through either a neckline or a permanent catheter (‘permcath’). The course of care will be different for each individual, and ongoing discussion with the health care team is important.
Option Z ) Conservative Treatment, not an option.
Source : BC Kidney Foundation, Conservative
It sometimes comes as a surprise to patients and family members that the decision to stop dialysis, or to never embark upon dialysis is truly the patient’s choice.
Conservative treatment refers to a decision not to pursue either dialysis or transplantation, or to come off of dialysis.
If this decision is made the kidney disease will progress, meaning the death of the individual is inevitable. If this decision is made good medical care is still available, although care could be transferred to health care providers that specialize in an area of medicine called “palliative care.”
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