Healthy Kidneys clean your blood make hormones to keep your bones strong and your blood healthy. When kidneys fail, you need treatment to replace the work of kidneys used to do. Unless you have a kidney transplant, you will need a treatment called dialysis.
Will dialysis help cure the kidney disease?
No. Dialysis does some of the work of healthy kidneys, but it does not cure your kidney disease. You will need to have dialysis treatments for your whole life unless you are able to get a kidney transplant.
Dialysis are of two types to filter your blood to rid your body of harmful wastes, extra salt and water
1-Hemodialysis
uses a machine. It is sometimes called an artificial kidney. You usually go to a special clinic for treatments several times a week.
Sometimes, an access is made by joining an artery to a vein under your skin to make a bigger blood vessel called a fistula.(Fistula (also known as arteriovenous fistula or A-V fistula): An artery and vein are joined together under the skin in your arm. Most of the time, this is done in the one you don’t write with. An A-V fistula needs only about 6 weeks to heal before it can be used for hemodialysis. Then, it can be used for many years.)
However, if your blood vessels are not adequate for a fistula, the doctor may use a soft plastic tube to join an artery and a vein under your skin. This is called a graft.
Occasionally, an access is made by means of a narrow plastic tube, called a catheter, which is inserted into a large vein in your neck. This type of access may be temporary, but is sometimes used for long-term treatment.
How long do hemodialysis treatments last?
The time needed for your dialysis depends on:
how well your kidneys work
how much fluid weight you gain between treatments
how much waste you have in your body
how big you are
the type of artificial kidney used
Usually, each hemodialysis treatment lasts about four hours and is done three times per week.
A type of hemodialysis called high-flux dialysis may take less time. You can speak to your doctor to see if this is an appropriate treatment for you.
2-Peritoneal dialysis
Uses the lining of your abdomen, called the peritoneal membrane, to filter your blood.During the treatment, your abdominal area (called the peritoneal cavity) is slowly filled with dialysate through the catheter. The blood stays in the arteries and veins that line your peritoneal cavity. Extra fluid and waste products are drawn out of your blood and into the dialysate. There are two major kinds of peritoneal dialysis.
There are two kinds of PD:
Continuous cycler peritoneal dialysis (CCPD): This uses a machine to do your exchanges.
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD): You’ll do your exchanges by hand.
You’ll likely do four to six exchanges each day. Your doctor can help you decide which type fits your lifestyle. Some people do both.
How long has dialysis been available?
Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis have been done since the mid 1940’s. Dialysis, as a regular treatment, was begun in 1960 and is now a standard treatment all around the world. CAPD began in 1976. Thousands of patients have been helped by these treatments.
How long can you live on dialysis?
If your kidneys have failed, you will need to have dialysis treatments for your whole life unless you are able to get a kidney transplant. Life expectancy on dialysis can vary depending on your other medical conditions and how well you follow your treatment plan. Average life expectancy on dialysis is 5-10 years, however, many patients have lived well on dialysis for 20 or even 30 years. Talk to your healthcare team about how to take care of yourself and stay healthy on dialysis.
What Is the Long-Term Outlook for Someone Who Needs Dialysis?
Not all kidney disorders are permanent. Dialysis can temporarily serve the same function as kidneys until your own kidneys repair themselves and begin to work on their own again. However, in chronic kidney disease, the kidneys rarely get better. You must go on dialysis permanently or until a kidney transplant becomes an option if you have this condition.