What Is Peritoneal Dialysis Used For?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Peritoneal dialysis (per-ih-toe-NEE-ul die-AL-uh-sis) is

a way to remove waste products from your blood when your kidneys can’t adequately do the job any longer

. This procedure filters the blood in a different way than does the more common blood-filtering procedure called hemodialysis.

Why is peritoneal dialysis needed?

Why do I need peritoneal dialysis? You need treatment

because your kidneys no longer clean enough wastes from your blood and remove extra fluid from your body

. Even though people with kidney failure may still have some kidney function, it’s not enough and without treatment you will die.

How long can you live with peritoneal dialysis?

Currently there are over 26,000 patients maintained on peritoneal dialysis. Mortality rates have fallen over the past several years, but long-term survival remains poor, with only 11% of peritoneal dialysis patients

surviving past 10 years

.

What are the pros and cons of peritoneal dialysis?

  • Fewer negative side effects (such as nausea, vomiting, cramping, and weight gain) than with hemodialysis.
  • Provides continuous therapy, which acts more like natural kidneys.
  • Can allow for fewer dietary restrictions.
  • Needle-free treatments.

What is the difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis?

In hemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine, and returned to your body by tubes that connect you to the machine. In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly

acts as a natural filter

.

Do you pee on peritoneal dialysis?

As a result many dialysis patients produce very small amounts of urine. However,

dialysis does not prevent someone from urinating normally

; it only reduces the total urine output, so that he or she may only need to urinate once a day, which is not dangerous.

Can you skip a day of peritoneal dialysis?

They

either skip exchanges or sometimes skip entire treatment days

when using CCPD. Skipping PD treatments has been shown to increase the risk of hospitalization and death.

What is the success rate of peritoneal dialysis?

Based on the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) report, the adjusted survival rate for patients on hemodialysis (HD) is 57% at 3 years after onset of ESKD as compared to

68%

for patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD). The 5-year survival for patients receiving HD and PD is 42% and 52%, respectively.

What is the most common complication of peritoneal dialysis?

The most frequent and important complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters is

infection

, which may result in catheter loss and discontinuation of PD [1,2].

Is peritoneal dialysis lifetime?

There were 3136 pairs of matched PD and HD patients [Table 2(A)]. Their mean age was 53.2 ± 15.4 years (range: 18 – 99 years). Life expectancies of these PD and HD patients after the start of maintenance dialysis were

7.9 ± 0.5 years and 8.7 ± 0.4 years

respectively (p = 0.128).

What is a disadvantage of peritoneal dialysis?

One of the main disadvantages of peritoneal dialysis is

that it needs to be carried out every day

, which you may find disruptive. You may also find it upsetting to have a thin tube (catheter) left permanently in your abdomen (tummy), although it can often be concealed under clothing.

Is peritoneal dialysis painful?

Do PD treatments hurt?

PD does not require any blood

, so there are no needle sticks involved. Fluid simply enters your abdomen through the catheter, dwells inside for awhile, and then drains back out. This process is usually completely painless.

What are the side effects of peritoneal dialysis?

The most common side effects of peritoneal dialysis include

peritonitis, hernia, blood sugar changes, potassium imbalances, and weight gain

. Report any symptoms you experience during treatment to your care team.

What happens when peritoneal dialysis stops working?

Without dialysis, toxins build up in the blood, causing a condition called uremia. The patient will receive whatever medicines are necessary to manage symptoms of uremia and other medical conditions. Depending on how quickly the toxins build up,

death

usually follows anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

Which is better Haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis?

Peritoneal dialysis is

done more continuously than hemodialysis

, resulting in less accumulation of potassium, sodium and fluid. This allows you to have a more flexible diet than you could have on hemodialysis. Longer lasting residual kidney function.

Is home hemodialysis better than peritoneal dialysis?

A study conducted in Canada found patients who initiated kidney replacement therapy with home hemodialysis experienced

lower risks

for both mortality and treatment failure compared with those who had peritoneal dialysis.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.