Kidney failure is a devastating diagnosis, and patients often feel hopeless and helpless. But treatments available can help people with kidney failure live long, healthy lives. One of these treatments is peritoneal dialysis in Lighthouse Point. Below, we’ll explain what peritoneal dialysis is, how it works, and what the benefits of this treatment are.
What Is Peritoneal Dialysis?
Peritoneal dialysis is a type of kidney dialysis that uses the patient’s peritoneum, a membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, as a filter to remove waste and excess fluid from the blood. It is not as common as hemodialysis, which uses an artificial kidney (or dialyzer) to filter the blood, but it has some advantages over hemodialysis, which we’ll discuss below.
How Does Peritoneal Dialysis in Lighthouse Point Work?
Peritoneal dialysis is usually done at home and can be done manually or with a machine.
Manual peritoneal dialysis is done by filling the patient’s peritoneal cavity with a sterile solution of dialysate, which contains glucose and other nutrients. The patient then lies still for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the dialysate to absorb waste and excess fluid from the blood. The dialysate is drained out of the peritoneal cavity and replaced with a fresh solution.
Machine-assisted peritoneal dialysis is similar, but the machine does the work of filling and draining the dialysate. This PD type is also called continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
There is also a variation of PD called automated peritoneal dialysis (APD), which uses a machine to fill and drain the dialysate. APD is often done at night while the patient sleeps.
What Are the Benefits of Peritoneal Dialysis?
There are several advantages to peritoneal dialysis over hemodialysis, including:
Flexibility
Since peritoneal dialysis in Lighthouse Point can be done at home, it gives patients much more freedom and flexibility than hemodialysis, which must be done at a dialysis center. This can make PD much more convenient for busy people.
Lower risk of infection
Since the dialysate solution used in PD is sterile and does not come into contact with the blood, there is a lower risk of infection than with hemodialysis. It is also a closed system, so there is no risk of exposure to other people’s blood.
No Need for a Machine
Hemodialysis requires expensive machines and trained staff to operate them. Peritoneal dialysis in Lighthouse Point can be done without the big machine.
For Peritoneal Dialysis in Lighthouse Point or Other Types, Go First Class!
If you are in kidney failure, talk to your doctor about whether PD is right for you. First Class Kidney Care at Lighthouse Point is a kidney care center that offers peritoneal dialysis and other treatment options. Contact us today at 754-307-9256 to learn more!