Hemodialysis (HD) is one of several renal replacement therapies used for the treatment of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney failure. Dialysis removes excess fluids and waste products and restores chemical and electrolyte balance. HD involves passing the patient’s blood through an artificial semipermeable membrane to perform the filtering and excretion functions of the kidney. One important step before starting regular hemodialysis sessions is preparing the vascular access; ideally, a vascular access should be placed weeks or months before you start dialysis. The early placement of the vascular access will allow sufficient time for the access to heal and mature. The three basic kinds of vascular access for hemodialysis are an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, an arteriovenous (AV) graft, and a venous catheter. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) occurs though diffusion and osmosis across the semipermeable peritoneal membrane and capillaries. The peritoneal membrane is large and porous. It allows solutes and water to move from an area of higher concentration in the blood to an area of lower concentration in the dialyzing fluid (diffusion). The fluid and waste products dialyzed from the patient move through the blood vessel walls, the interstitial tissues, and the peritoneal membrane and are removed when the dialyzing fluid is drained from the body through a siliconized rubber (Silastic) catheter that is surgically placed into the abdominal cavity. PD is slower than hemodialysis (HD), however, and more time is needed to achieve the same effect. As far as treatment options, both have complications. Hemodialysis includes Disequilibrium syndrome, muscle cramps, hemorrhage, air embolus, cardiac dysrhythmia, and Hemodynamic changes such as hypotension and anemia. Peritoneal dialysis complications include
Hemodialysis (HD) is one of several renal replacement therapies used for the treatment of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney failure. Dialysis removes excess fluids and waste products and restores chemical and electrolyte balance. HD involves passing the patient’s blood through an artificial semipermeable membrane to perform the filtering and excretion functions of the kidney. One important step before starting regular hemodialysis sessions is preparing the vascular access; ideally, a vascular access should be placed weeks or months before you start dialysis. The early placement of the vascular access will allow sufficient time for the access to heal and mature. The three basic kinds of vascular access for hemodialysis are an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, an arteriovenous (AV) graft, and a venous catheter. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) occurs though diffusion and osmosis across the semipermeable peritoneal membrane and capillaries. The peritoneal membrane is large and porous. It allows solutes and water to move from an area of higher concentration in the blood to an area of lower concentration in the dialyzing fluid (diffusion). The fluid and waste products dialyzed from the patient move through the blood vessel walls, the interstitial tissues, and the peritoneal membrane and are removed when the dialyzing fluid is drained from the body through a siliconized rubber (Silastic) catheter that is surgically placed into the abdominal cavity. PD is slower than hemodialysis (HD), however, and more time is needed to achieve the same effect. As far as treatment options, both have complications. Hemodialysis includes Disequilibrium syndrome, muscle cramps, hemorrhage, air embolus, cardiac dysrhythmia, and Hemodynamic changes such as hypotension and anemia. Peritoneal dialysis complications include