Kidney Failure Are of Two Types :

AKI (acute kidney injury) is temporary, patient needs dialysis for few days to weeks.

CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) is permanent damage of the kidneys, patient needs lifelong permanent dialysis.

Dialysis performs the function of the kidneys if they’ve failed.

Dialysis is a treatment that filters and purifies the blood using a machine. This helps keep your fluids and electrolytes in balance when the kidneys can’t do their job.

Properly functioning kidneys prevent extra water, waste, and other impurities from accumulating in your body. They also help control blood pressure and regulate the levels of chemical elements in the blood. These elements may include sodium and potassium. The kidneys even activate a form of vitamin D that improves the absorption of calcium.

When kidneys can’t perform these functions due to disease or injury, dialysis can help keep the body running as normally as possible. Without dialysis, salts and other waste products will accumulate in the blood, poison the body, and damage other organs.

However, dialysis isn’t the only cure for kidney disease or other problems affecting the kidneys. Other treatments may be needed to address those concerns.

Hemodialysis :

Hemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis. This process uses an artificial kidney (hemodialyzer) to remove waste and extra fluid from the blood. The blood is removed from the body and filtered through the artificial kidney. The filtered blood is then returned to the body with the help of a dialysis machine.

To get the blood to flow to the artificial kidney, the doctor will perform surgery to create an entrance point (vascular access) into your blood vessels called AV Fistula.

Peritoneal dialysis :

Peritoneal dialysis involves surgery to implant a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter into your abdomen. The catheter helps filter your blood through the peritoneum, a membrane in the abdomen. During treatment, a special fluid called dialysate flows into the peritoneum. The dialysate absorbs waste. Once the dialysate draws waste out of the bloodstream, it’s drained from your abdomen. This process takes a few hours and needs to be repeated four to six times per day. However, the exchange of fluids can be performed while you’re sleeping or awake.

Kidney Transplant :

Kidney transplant is the alternative treatment for kidney failure. It involves surgical removing of a kidney from a donor and placing it in the patient. It helps patients get rid of dialysis, but needs a lot discipline and lifestyle changes. The donor can be living or brain dead cadaver donor. Living donor can donate one kidney and continue to function normally with the other.