Gourt > Health > Conditions and Diseases > Genitourinary Disorders > Kidney > End Stage Disease > Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a type of renal replacement therapy which is used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure. It is a life support treatment and does not treat any kidney diseases. Dialysis may be used for very sick patients who have suddenly lost their kidney function (acute renal failure) or for quite stable patients who have permanently lost their kidney function (end stage renal failure). When healthy, the kidneys remove waste products (for example potassium, acid and urea) from the blood and also remove excess fluid in the form of urine. Dialysis treatments have to duplicate both of these functions as dialysis (waste removal) and ultrafiltration (fluid removal).
The Principle of Dialysis
Dialysis works on the principle of the diffusion of solutes along a concentration gradient across a semipermeable membrane. In all types of dialysis, blood passes on one side of a semipermeable membrane, and a dialysis fluid is passed on the other side. By altering the composition of the dialysis fluid, the concentrations of undesired solutes (chiefly potassium and urea) in the fluid are low and desired solutes (for example sodium) are at their natural concentration found in healthy blood. The undesired solutes then diffuse across the membrane into the dialysis fluid and are removed.
Types of dialysis
There are two main types of dialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemofiltration is not strictly speaking a dialysis treatment, but is extremely similar.
- In hemodialysis, the patient's blood is passed through a system of tubing (a dialysis circuit) via a machine to a semipermeable membrane (dialyser) which has dialysis fluid running on the other side. The cleansed blood is then returned via the circuit back to the body. Ultrafiltration occurs by increasing the hydrostatic pressure of the blood in the dialysis circuit to cause water to cross the membrane down a pressure gradient. The dialysis process is very efficient, allowing the treatment to be undertaken intermittently, usually three times a week, but often fairly large volumes of fluid must be removed in a session which can sometimes be demanding on the patient.
Sad for a coworker :( 26 and starting dialysis bc of her Chron's. .. super bummed
brown_bella523 (Bella) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:50:58 -0000
Sad for a coworker :( 26 and starting dialysis bc of her Chron's. .. super bummed
RT @ldtimmerman: Affymax prepares to mount 1st challenge to Amgen's anemia drug monopoly for dialysis patients. http://t.co/BDDEoA8O
ChristianeTrue (Christiane Truelove) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:47:54 -0000
RT @ldtimmerman: Affymax prepares to mount 1st challenge to Amgen's anemia drug monopoly for dialysis patients. http://t.co/BDDEoA8O
RT @occpal: ââURGENT ⶠ#IsraelKills Dialysis in Gaza: 450 Patients (incl 15 children) Continuously in Danger http://t.co/Sfhxj85U â RT
papel61 (paolo) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:47:49 -0000
RT @occpal: █▌URGENT ▶ #IsraelKills Dialysis in Gaza: 450 Patients (incl 15 children) Continuously in Danger http://t.co/Sfhxj85U → RT
RT @HelenHanson: A woman on dialysis kidnapped. Terrorists? Or someone else? #ian1 #Nook http://t.co/UgLOl4Vh  @HelenHanson > 3 LIES
JohnBetcher (John Betcher) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:47:09 -0000
RT @HelenHanson: A woman on dialysis kidnapped. Terrorists? Or someone else? #ian1 #Nook http://t.co/UgLOl4Vh @HelenHanson > 3 LIES
Condolences to ur family RT @_Gstacks_: Thank you for the condolences. 12 yrs of dialysis n over 10 surgeries def strong lady! Now
MSx_iDOitBetta (Dannette_ â¡) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:46:52 -0000
Condolences to ur family RT @_Gstacks_: Thank you for the condolences. 12 yrs of dialysis n over 10 surgeries def strong lady! Now
RT @richardblogger: Private company cuts staff in dialysis centre. This is the new NHS, where lives are put at risk. http://t.co/ZZkga8XV ht @poutingpou
NHSspy (Watching You) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:45:46 -0000
RT @richardblogger: Private company cuts staff in dialysis centre. This is the new NHS, where lives are put at risk. http://t.co/ZZkga8XV ht @poutingpou
Support Group of NJ - Information about this non-profit organization that provides seminars to support and educate dialysis patients. Become a sponsor or download a poster.
Meta Description: [ The Dialysis Seminar & Support Group of New Jersey is a non-profit organization providing seminars to support and educate dialysis patients. ]
Alliance for Dialysis Ethics and Accountability - This organization is a nationwide effort on the part of patients, healthcare workers, and family members to change the existing laws regulating Dialysis.
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Barnes Family - Describes one person's experience with Nocturnal Haemodialysis.
Dialysis At Home, Inc. - Find services offered, patient education, news, and events.
Meta Description: [ Our staff-assisted home dialysis program offers healthcare solutions geared towards helping clients lead a rich and fulfilling life, with care centered in the home setting. ]
Dialysis Finder - Enter an address and the closest dialysis centers are displayed on a map with their addresses and phone numbers.
Dialysis Patient Support Group - Dialysis patients offer words of encouragement to new or potential dialysis patients.
Dialysis Units in the USA - National listing of medicare providers furnishing kidney dialysis and transplant services in US.
Global Dialysis - Locations of dialysis centers for those travelling around the world.
Meta Description: [ Directory of over 14,000 dialysis centers in 154 countries, Dialysis Travel Specialists, Travel Tips and Stories, Centre Reviews, Patient Blogs, Message Boards, Dialysis News and Renal Jobs ]
Independent Dialysis Foundation Inc. - A not-for-profit foundation affiliated with the University of Maryland. Includes company history, mission statement and information about units.
Meta Description: [ The world of chronic dialysis is being consolidated as large corporations merge and buy others. IDF is a Maryland-based company committed to remaining a non-profit, independent organization.... ]
Kidney Directions - Baxter Healthcare site provides information on hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, treatment comparisons and costs.
Meta Description: [ Baxter - Renalinfo - US ]
RenalWeb - News, conferences, discussion groups, chat, the Dialysis Yellow Pages, journals, job ads and online CEU's.
Meta Description: [ RenalWEB is a dialysis information resource on the internet for hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis products. Dialysis discussion groups, on-line chat, the Dialysis Yellow Pages, journals, job ads, dialysis stock reports can be found there. RenalWEB is an essential resource for everyone in t... ]
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