Dialysis
Dialysis removes waste products and excess fluids from the body for people with kidney failure. Dialysis is only needed when the kidneys fail. There are two forms of dialysis – haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Haemodialysis
During haemodialysis a machine acts as an artificial kidney by removing waste and extra fluid from your blood. Blood is pumped from your body through special tubing into the dialysis machine. It then travels through a filter called a dialyser. The dialyser also helps to balance fluid, minerals and chemicals in the blood. Cleansed blood is returned to your body at the same rate at which it is removed.
Peritoneal dialysis
Like haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis replaces lost kidney function. Instead of cleaning the blood and removing excess fluid externally, peritoneal dialysis occurs inside your body using the peritoneal membrane as a filter. The peritoneal membrane is a fine layer of tissue that lines your peritoneal cavity, which contains your stomach, liver, spleen and intestines. It has a rich blood supply and is ideal for filtering wastes and extra water from your blood. There are two main types of peritoneal dialysis: Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD).