Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Dialysis is an artificial way to remove waste and extra fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer do so on their own. The main types of dialysis are hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. When someone has kidney failure and need to have dialysis to stay alive, they are given two choices. Both treatments require your active participation, however peritoneal requires more than hemodialysis. Hemodialysis is more for one who does not wish to have much responsibility in their treatment. Peritoneal dialysis will be more for someone who doesn’t mine playing an active role in their treatment daily. Although many people chose hemodialysis, I believe peritoneal dialysis gives you more freedom in your life.
Hemodialysis requires an access to be placed in the forearm or upper arm. This is for the hemodialysis needles that will be inserted in the vein for the treatments. It uses a man-made membrane dialyzer to filter wastes and remove extra fluid from the blood. These treatments are three times a week and in some rare cases it is needed daily, six times a week and typically last for three to four hours each treatment. Sometimes these centers are located far from where the person may lives. This can be very time consuming. You don't have to do it yourself, as you do with peritoneal dialysis. It is done in a dialysis center by trained health professionals who can watch for any problems. It allows you to be in contact with other people having dialysis, which can give you support. After having hemodialysis treatments you can feel extremely tired. It can also cause problem such as a rise or drop in the blood pressure. Blood clots can often occur in the dialysis access located in the arm, therefore the use of blood thinner during treatment. This can sometimes cause increase risk of infections in the blood stream
Peritoneal dialysis requires a surgeon to insert a thin tube call a peritoneal catheter in your abdomen. This will allow you to perform the treatments in your home using a solution call dialysate to remove wastes and extra fluid from the body. During peritoneal dialysis, the abdominal cavity is filled with a dialysate solution. The excess fluid and toxins in the blood move toward the dialysate, which is drained and replaced periodically. This can be done manually throughout the day or with a machine at night. It takes about 30 minutes to manually exchange the dialysis solution. This is usually done three times a day. An automated cycler can also be used; however you must be attached to the machine for 8 to 12 hours at night while you sleep. This to me is a good because it allows you to have the entire day without treatment, thus giving you more freedom. This treatment also allows you to travel because it can go with you wherever you go. The procedure may be hard for some people to do. It increases your risk for an infection of the lining of the belly, called peritonitis. There is also risk of infection if one is not careful and doing the treatments in a clean area. In conclusion, both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis require food and fluid restriction; however hemodialysis requires a much sticker diet because it is not done every day. I’d much rather have the freedoms of my time and less restricted diet. Peritoneal dialysis gives you just that.