Hemodialysis

Dialysis treatment replaces the function of the kidneys, which normally serve as the body's filtration system. Through the use of a blood filter and a chemical solution waste products and excess fluids are removed from the bloodstream, while maintaining the chemical balance of the blood. There are two types of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The information on this page covers hemodialysis. Click here to read about peritoneal dialysis.

Hemodialysis is the most freguently prescribed type of dialysis treatment in the United States. The treatment involves circulating the patient's blood outside the body through a dialysis circuit. The blood is filtered and cleansed inside an hemodialyzer and returned to the body.

Most hemodialysis patients require treatment three times a week, for an average of 3-4 hours. Specific treatment schedules depend on the type of dialyzer used and the patient's physical condition. While the treatment prescription and regimen is usually overseen by a doctor, dialysis treatments are typically administered by a nurse or dialysis technician in outpatient clinics known as dialysis centers. (For more information about Dayton Regional Dialysis centers, click here.
Patients are weighed immediately before and after hemodialysis treatment to assess water retention. Blood pressure and temperature are taken. Regular blood tests monitor chemical and waste levels. Patients are typically administered a dose of heparin, an anticoagulant that prevents clotting. This ensures the free flow of blood through the dialyzer. There are some potential problems with hemodialysis.

Read more about potential hemodialysis issues.


Read more about
access care.
How a fistula access works
During dialysis, 2 needles are placed into the fistula. One needle will remove the blood so it can be cleaned. The other needle will return filtered blood to the body. The needles are attached by plastic tubing to a special filter called a dialyzer.

A pump pushes the blood through the dialyzer. Blood passes on one side of the filter, and solution made by the machine passes on the other side. (see illustration to the left)

The blood does not mix with the solution. Instead, the solution pulls extra fluid and waste ouf of the blood by a process called dialysis.

The "clean" blood returns through the plastic tube. It passes back into the patient's body through the second needle.

Looking After Your Access

A graft is another type of access, which is used if a person's own veins are too small or weak to create a fistula. A graft is usually a soft, synthetic tube that connects to an artery at one end and a vein at the other. It is placed under the skin in the arm or thigh, like a natural vein. The patient's blood flows through it, like it flows through natural veins.

A catheter is inserted into a large vein in the neck (jugular vein), behind the collarbone or in the groin area (femoral vein), usually when hemodialysis is needed right away and there is no time to create a fistula or graft. The patient's blood can flow through this tube.

The access should be treated as your lifeline to the dialysis machine. To learn about problems that could develop from hemodialysis and accesses, click here.

 

DISCLAIMER: This website offers basic information for people with kidney disease, their caregivers, family and friends. This information should not be used for diagnosing a health problem or disease; visitors should always consult their own physician.